Smarter Storage

Optimise your Line side Production

The move in modern production to have line side storage on the production floor ( where the required material is kept close to the production line) has provided smoother transfer of material on to the production floor. However, it has also led to some issues. Often line side storage is set out in a similar manner to conventional main stores with row and column identification. Material and parts to be retrieved are often on a paper list, material stock levels can get out of sync with the production requirements leading to production delays. Multiple operators picking material that uses up valuable production time.

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Robotas Smart Storage for Line side Production

Shelving rack for parts storage fitted with pick to light shelving. 1.6m x 1m x 1m

Designed to optimise line side storage and picking

As specialists in manual assembly, we recognised the waste in process time that was generated by using line side storage and we set out to optimise this area of material handling.

The Smart Store system was designed to optimise line side storage and picking. Removing wasted time in this area of production. The Smart Store physically looks like any other type of storage with bays or racks, but that is where the similarities end.

Flexibility is the key to its success

Smart Store’s flexibility is the key to its success. In a conventional parts management system, the detailed information is stored in the database, which is not physically linked to the storage, but unlike a conventional part system, the Smarts Store is physically linked to the storage.

Smart Store can be configured to be any combination of racking or storage shelving. You can even have it retrofitted to your existing racking. The simple setup interface allows any variation of storage to be combined into one complete store. Making the store fit your production environment. Even physically distanced stores can be combined. If you already have back end systems in place for material management. Smart Store can be configured to seamlessly integrate as a transparent storage area allowing the dynamic picking and searching functions to be utilized by another system.

Simple Scanning

Once your storage is setup the physical size of the stored part and the identity is configured into the Robotas Smart Store System for future recall, by scanning a part number or reference number.

You don’t even have to segregate the stores area’s you can mix locations of materials. Just scan and load the material into the location. Any location can be locked to one-part identity or opened to be updated as needed for new materials.

Dynamic Pick to Light Technology

Using our proprietary Dynamic Pick to Light technology we were able to create a simple but efficient method to guide a user to the pick location in the minimum of time.

Any picking sequence of required material for a production order or a bill of material is indicated sequentially across the store. The operator only needs to follow the indications on the store and scan out the material label.

Super Accurate Assembly Programs

All Robotas assembly systems are based around an assembly program. The program holds all the necessary process steps and parts required to create your product. The assembly program includes an accurate list of materials required for each build, by using this information to create the picking list. No time is wasted interrogating a large Bill of materials for information. No need for specialist knowledge of product or process to decipher the Bill of material. The program already has the exact parts list that you need. The Smart Store technology uses this super accurate information to visually present these parts for picking based on the stored location. Select your Bill of material from the screen, enter production quantity, and pick up a scanner and follow the light sequence. No paper to carry around, no lookup to follow, just scan and pick.

A Simple Search Interface

Scanning the material label confirms that the item has been picked and the picking location indication will turn off. If the barcode label is damaged or unreadable the part picked can be confirmed directly by touching the part number on the screen list. If multiples are to be picked the indication will flash to confirm each pick until completed no need to count out a quantity. Pack quantities can be set for each part so that large quantities of material will not affect scanning time. Each individual operator that is logged in can be assigned a picking colour. Sixteen users (colours) can pick from the stores at the same time by following their own colour scheme.

“No more needle in a haystack”. A single part can be found in seconds via the simple search interface.

Each confirmed scan reduces the stock quantity stored by the database giving consistent stock levels. When a new BOM is selected for picking the real time stock level is checked and missing parts indicated. Preventing a picking job being started when it is not possible to complete.

Your journey to a better manual production process

Any low stock levels generate a replenishment list. The list can be accessed locally or sent to another management system.

What comes out of the store must be replaced, replenishing the Smart Store could not be easier. Setting the stores to replenishment mode presents a parts list to the operator. Scanning the part label of the material will show the operator where to place the required parts and quantities. Eliminating the replenishment time to an absolute minimum.

Optimising manual production requires consideration of the complete process. Smart Store eliminates the waste and optimises the flow of material from your stores. Which is the first stage in your journey to a better manual production process.