Leading warehouse automation supplier, Knapp, recently handed over the first installation of its Fastbox solution, designed to speed up the picking of fast-moving products.
The first Knapp Fastbox has been installed at the site of third-party logistics supplier, JCL Logistics, in Werndorf, Austria.
Fastbox is essentially a tall storage tower for containers, trays or cartons, served by the ultra-rapid lift module from Knapp’s OSR Shuttle storage system. Any number of these Fastbox buffers can be located directly adjacent to the order picking stations and used to store fast-moving products, such as lines that are included in current promotional campaigns.
The short transport distance from the picker and the ultra-fast handling combine to ensure maximum picking speed for these frequently required goods. Fastbox modules can also act as a buffer for order containers or as a means of sequencing containers ready for robotic palletisation or route-optimised vehicle loading. The Fastbox towers can be up to 12 metres in height, with the number of levels variable according to container height.
Craig Rollason, head of sales and marketing for Knapp UK, explains: “When combined with the random storage of the OSR Shuttle system, the Fastbox solution allows the needs of a much wider range of customer applications to be met. In other words, Fastbox makes the OSR Shuttle suitable for fast-movers, as well as medium-movers and slow-movers. The solution is therefore attracting considerable interest in the market.”
The solution supplied by Knapp to JCL Logistics allows both hanging and flat-packed garments to be handled with ease. JCL Logistics has more than 60 sites across 25 countries and provides distribution services for a number of clients including a major Swiss fashion retailer. The company recently invested over 18 million euros in its 45,000m2 Werndorf facility.
The distribution centre accommodates some two million hanging garments, 15,000 containers and 10,000 pallets. Designed to use automation to meet both B2B (retailer) and B2C (online consumer) demands in a flexible way, the site features not only Knapp’s proven OSR Shuttle solution, but also the overhead conveyor systems of Knapp subsidiary, Dürkopp Fördertechnik.
Shuttle-based storage
At the heart of JCL’s order picking operations lies Knapp’s shuttle-based storage system. The OSR Shuttle system features an independent shuttle on every level of the storage cube, served by dedicated lifts at the aisle ends. This system is said to achieve up to six times the rate of totes in/out than a traditional automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS), while having about 20 per cent less footprint and using less than 10 per cent of the energy consumption. This power saving is achieved through energy recuperation from the braking process, the use of sophisticated software to optimise power requirements without loss of performance and intelligent design to minimise shuttle weight.
Ergonomic picking
JCL placed great emphasis on the design of the new facility’s workstations to ensure that they would be as ergonomic as possible. This not only shows consideration for the physical needs of workers but also ensures maximum productivity. As well as allowing plenty of natural light in the work area, user-friendly materials – such as warm-to-touch wood and cushioned fascias – were incorporated into the design of the picking stations.
Knapp UK
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