The hidden pearl in Automation

Publiziert am Mai 9, 2013 von Uwe Kircheis

ssi_autocruiser  ssi_autocruiser1

It all started some months ago when I visited one of our biggest exhibitions in Germany. I reached the SSI Schaefer stand and saw “it” for the first time: The SSI Autocruiser, our latest product. “THAT thing over there is our latest bestseller?!” – I thought my German colleagues wanted to pull my leg…

Looking back at it now I have to admit that I was wrong. That product actually is genius! Seriously. Let me explain you why.

We all had a Carrera race course or toy train when we were young, hadn`t we? I spent hours of building more and more sophisticated race courses with loop-the-loops, curves that only my cars could cope with and drove my mother mad. She could barely enter my nursery which was built up with track switches, cars and tiny plastic trees.

Got the idea? Ok, let`s get back to the SSI Autocruiser.

I personally think that everybody can assemble this system. All you need are a couple of preconfigured components like carriages, guide rails, cams, track switches, a domestic socket outlet, a simple instruction manual and common sense. First step: Clip the driving route together. Second step: No wiring, no complicated control system! The SSI Autocruiser possesses a stand-alone peripheral control system integrated into the carriages operated on it. In detail: Those carriages feature batteries; the governing is carried out through destination cards to a predefined position. And: The throughput is nothing to sneeze at. 50 till 300 transport units per hour.

In other words: The set-up of the SSI Autocruiser works without external consultants, without a planning department, without engineering, sophisticated IT and an interface to external systems. It almost runs in the same way as your Carrera race course back then, does not it?! – I am pretty sure our Marketing Managers and Product Developers will chop my head off for this comparison…

Still not convinced? – There you go: The price per meter is unbeatably beneficial. It is roughly a quarter of a conventional conveyor system or less – depending of the configuration. Furthermore the SSI Autocruiser might be the first step into automation. Again, Automation does NOT (only) mean high bay warehouses or Miniload cranes. Why starting with complex, cost intensive solutions when you can start safe and uncomplicated? We all know that automation areas exists, in which merely a transportation of one container from place A to place B is needed. Another possible setting is the connection of numerous workplaces where manual assembling is done. These processes require a simple transport solution. The SSI Autocruiser might be a reasonable answer in that scenario.

Let’s sum it up. The SSI Autocruiser is a free scalable, uncomplicated, flexible, low-risky investment that could help you into the transition of Automating your Supply Chain. As it is easy to set up, you can quickly dismantle it and built it up somewhere else in your warehouse tomorrow. Why being stressed every day? Take it easy. Use technology. Simply watch the video!

Veröffentlicht unter Conveyor Technology | Verschlagwortet mit , | Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Frabelle Cold Storage: Moving up with mobile racking

Publiziert am September 28, 2012 von Henrik Batallones

Mobile Racking - Cold StorageWith more food products and other perishable goods entering the country, the importance of cold storage providers has never been greater. With that comes the need for these providers to expand their facilities, and improve existing ones, to further serve their customers’ needs. Despite the increased costs that expansion entails, we are still seeing new facilities go up around the country, and equipment upgrades, like added racking, in existing ones.

Frabelle Cold Storage Corporation (FCSC), one of the country’s leading cold storage providers, has gone a step further: they have installed a state-of-the-art mobile racking system in their newly-expanded facility in Caloocan City. Unlike ordinary racking systems, where many aisles are needed in order to access stored goods resulting to loss of space and waste of electricity, mobile racking allows one aisle at a time to be opened, leading to more space devoted to storing palletized goods. A dedicated electric-powered mobile racking system allows access to racks which contain the goods that need to be picked.

We talked to FCSC’s General Manager, Engr. Willy Salazar, about this expansion project and what is next for his company. more

Veröffentlicht unter Mobile Racking, Pallet Racking, Warehouse Storage | Verschlagwortet mit , , | Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Automated systems: higher investment now, bigger savings in the long run

Publiziert am April 11, 2012 von Brad Welsman
Automatic Order Picking

Automated storage reduces space requirements and increases safety

It is proven that automated storage and order picking systems both improve storage and operating processes in Distribution Centres, while also delivering substantial savings.

The Upside

You can see the benefits from the moment goods arrive in your automated facility for storage. Stocks are stored efficiently, utilizing all available space in your warehouse: maximised headroom and minimised aisle widths, as well as systems that optimise available shelf space. Also, there is a smaller chance of human error and damages caused by mishandling.

Managing stored goods is also made easier. With the increasing emphasis on occupational health and safety, as well as a prevalence of an ageing workforce, it is more important to make working conditions safe and comfortable. The need to manually lift goods, as well as the need to walk to particular areas of the DC, is eliminated, cutting down on injuries and lost time that could have been used to fulfill orders. more

Veröffentlicht unter Automation, Integrated Storage Solutions, Order picking, Warehouse Storage | Verschlagwortet mit , , | Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Why piece and case picking technology save cost

Publiziert am März 19, 2012 von Brian Miles

Goods to Person picking system, at SSI SCHAEFER Singapore Tech CenterGoods to Person picking system, at SSI SCHAEFER Singapore Tech Center

I am proud to present a Tech Center at Tuas offices, Singapore, at an investment cost of close to S$1 million. The purpose of the centre is to show-case the company’s range of piece picking technologies, which can be integrated with conventional storage systems to help increase efficiency in the warehouse.

Our clients are always seeking ways to reduce the cost of their warehouse operations. Simple reduction in cost is no longer an option, as most storage systems have very little value-added cost, as a large proportion of the cost is steel. However, we believe that with the introduction of a higher degree of piece and case picking technology within the warehouse, real savings can be made in staffing and operational levels.

Our objective in planning this centre is to let our customers see and test at first hand, concepts we are proposing. We have called this Integrated Storage Solutions (ISS)… more

Veröffentlicht unter Conveyor Technology, Integrated Storage Solutions, Order picking | Verschlagwortet mit , , | Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Outlook of SSI Schaefer Asia in 2012

Publiziert am Februar 15, 2012 von Brian Miles
System Assembly line for Conveyor inside Malaysia ISS factory

System Assembly line for Conveyor inside Malaysia ISS factory

Schaefer enjoyed a growth of almost 25% in 2011, with all markets performing to or above budgets, the company’s 2 factories ran at 100% capacity producing a total of 38,000 metric tons of steel.

This growth did not come without its problems, with deliveries extending to 8-10 weeks in the 3rd QTR, which has lead to the company installing a second paint line and building a 2000m² extension to the warehouse equipped with 3 loading docks.

By the end of 2011 with the new paint line fully operational, deliveries were back to 3-4 weeks for standard product

2011 also saw the opening of a 5000m² production hall in our Malaysian Integrated Storage Solutions (ISS) plant for conveyor assembly; this factory is now producing orders for projects in Australia and Philippines.

One major contract was the award of a rack clad fully automated warehouse for Gudang Garam, in Kediri, Surabaya. Following this award more

Veröffentlicht unter Integrated Storage Solutions | Verschlagwortet mit | Hinterlasse einen Kommentar