VStore (VLM) Solution for Multi-Storey Electronic Manufacturing Operations
Summary
Craftsman Storage implemented a 16m VStore Vertical Lift Module in an elevator shaft with 4 multi-floor access openings and barcode scanners, delivering Goods-to-Person retrieval in 45 seconds for PCBs, ICs, and 85 trays at 300kg capacity.
A leading Indian company in the fields of Energy Management, Power Quality, Industrial Automation, Process Control, Solar, Electrical Protection & control having global presence. Their various Operations are being done in a well- controlled multi Storey building. They felt need of vertical storage automation solution for the ease of the operations.
Challenges Faced
- Variety of items to be stored: Storing and managing the huge variety of material manually is a difficult task.
- Limited height available at each floor: Site was already equipped with all the machineries and operations at different floor levels.
- Loss of productivity: Due to huge variety of small items, loss of productivity in searching and providing the required material with physical BOM copy.
- Interlinked operations: Interlinked operations at different floor creates additional operating task as it takes time in moment of Raw, semi-finished material, Finished goods to each floor.
- Manpower for the picking operations: Number of pickers required are more for because of different simultaneous projects.
Customer Goals
To design the storage facility which can be used for multipurpose operations like storing as well as material moments of electronic items. System should be automated and advanced enough to increase overall productivity.
Proposed Solution
- Vstore-Craftsman Automation Limited designed and manufactured Vertical Storage and Retrieval System (VLM-Vertical Lift Module).
- Utilisation of Elevator shaft for the installation of the machine.
- Customisation of Vstore as per the size of the elevator shaft.
- Multi storey 4 access openings provided to the machine.
- Barcode scanner at each level provided for calling the material.
- Machine Height: 16 Meter
- Machine Width: 2.3 Meter
- Machine Depth: 2.3 Meter
- Tray Size: 2040mm × 615 mm
- Tray Carrying Capacity: 300 Kg/Tray
- Number of Trays: 85 No’s
- Machines used Capacity : 25Ton (Machine is designed to take 60 Ton weight)
- Machines Qty : 1
Benefits to the customer
- Space : Lift shaft is utilised without disturbing the ongoing production operations. Maximum height got utilised for dense storage.
- Productivity : “Goods-to-Person” principle in Vstore. Vstore offers up to 80% faster retrieval times than normal shelving. Just putting material or Item code, the tray containing that material will appear in front of operator within 45 Seconds. Operators travelling, searching, picking time saved.
- Variety of items can be easily stored and accessed : Barcode scanner at each level gives ease to store and retrieve the material using Barcode which results in eliminating human errors.
- Multiple access openings : Due to multiple access openings material can be accessed at each floor. Hence time required for material moment saved effectively.
- Manpower reduction : VStore offers 80% faster retrieval times; results in reduction of pickers. Effective utilization of manpower can be done with Vstore solution.
