There are many challenges in today’s manufacturing and material handling world and the two biggest ones are labor and real estate. Labor issues are nothing new as many operations have been struggling to fill open positions and learn how to do more with less. On top of that, with the increasing demands and an ever-increasing need for on demand products for e-commerce, many warehouse managers are looking for ways to increase their storage density.
Past blogs have outlined multiple solutions ELT Systems Group provides such as automated robotic systems to deliver pallets hundreds of feet across a building or connecting islands of automation from automated palletizers to automated pallet wrappers. The one thing that that constantly carries over from one conversation to the next with clients across the country is that companies are looking for ways to simplify workflows, so their existing teams are able to work smarter and not harder.
Horizontal and Vertical Transport
Eastern Lift Truck Company’s Systems Division represents and integrates two large manufacturers of robotic systems that offer both horizontal and vertical solutions:
Hyster-Yale Group (HYG) Robotics offers robotic fork trucks ranging from counterbalanced stackers to end-riders, as well as automated reach trucks. When forks are not needed, HYG offers a powerful tugger solution that pulls up to 15,000 pounds. These systems may be used to transport product from end-of-line to dock doors. They will even take out the trash.
OTTO Motors offers a range of autonomous mobile robot platforms that integrate with various systems, including mounted conveyors and shelving units, to “marry” islands of automation and bring product from production lines to packaging lines. In yesterday’s world companies tended to bridge these systems with miles of conveyor. In today’s world, this is no longer necessary.
Fortunately, these solutions integrate with any software system, allowing seamless communication and operation. Give ELT Systems Group a call to find out how we can make your operation run more smoothly for years to come.
Solving the Real Estate Crunch
Businesses are growing and that means expansion. Warehouse space is at a premium and companies are looking to expand their warehouse capacity, and this usually means buying a newer and bigger building, adding on expansion, or taking on temporary leases. This is usually quite expensive and time-consuming any may only offer a short-term solution that could be a financial burden in later years.
We suggest investigating the 4D Pallet Shuttle. It’s a viable automation solution to increase storage capacity by 30 to 60%. No longer needing conventional fork trucks, this system moves pallets around via shuttles that travel in multiple directions and up to nearly 100 feet of vertical space which shrinks the overall space necessary to store product.
Two main ways this is accomplished is shrinking down travel paths required for manual trucks and maximizing the head space of the ceiling which is often limited by the specifications of the mast of your truck. Not only that, but multiple shuttles in a system allow for pallets to be stored at 2-deep or even 5-deep depending on the application.
If you are considering expanding or looking for real estate leasing options, a 4D Shuttle System can not only future proof your storage capacity needs but also automate your whole warehouse operation.
Contact ELT Systems Group for a free consultative conversation and we’ll begin working on the right solutions to the challenges you are facing in today’s every changing world.
Contact the systems group or Jason Dodge directly for further information and to get started on your project today.
Jason Dodge Automation Manager | Systems Division Eastern Lift Truck Co., Inc. Cell: (609) 605-1043 Email: jdodge@easternlifttruck.com
