Manufacturing/DCs

The Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor (VRC) Subcommittee of the Conveyor and Sortation Systems Industry Group has been busy.

Hoists are used to lift and lower items not easily lifted by a person, making material handling tasks much easier.

There is a new aerial option for performing inventory management—a solution that’s gaining traction is autonomous drones.

Innovation in the sensor arena—especially related to cameras and safety—is creating opportunities for increased functionality with AGVs and mobile robots.

Supply chains are rethinking their sourcing distances, with some opting to try a more localized approach to manufacturing and distribution.

Consumer electronics is a vast, well-established category. But it also is one that is undergoing dramatic changes, some of which ultimately trickle down to supply chains.

* By Katie Kuehner-Hebert * Numerous options exist for ergonomic workstations, but there are also numerous keys to selecting the proper equipment to the job, said Rob Beightol, director of marketing at MHI member Gorbel. Finding those right keys was one of the goals at a webinar held in November by MHI Industry Group Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment (EASE), ...

* By Jean Feingold * Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) combine equipment and controls to handle, store and retrieve materials as needed with precision, accuracy and speed using a defined degree of automation. Systems can range from relatively simple manually controlled systems operating in small storage structures to larger, computer-controlled storage/retrieval systems totally integrated into a manufacturing and distribution ...

Building a Safer Loading Dock * By Jean Feingold * Raw materials, goods and finished products enter and exit manufacturing and warehouse facilities through loading docks. Since materials, transfer and transport vehicles and people are moving around regularly, making loading docks safer is important. The goal is to prevent injury to workers while avoiding damage to products and the building. ...

CSS: Combining the Knowledge and Experience of Thousands of Installations * By Stephen Murdoch *                                                                                                      In recent months, the Conveyor and Sortation Systems (CSS) Industry Group of MHI has been working diligently on publishing and promoting materials on the training, inspection, safety and maintenance of conveyors and sortation systems. The industry’s leading providers of conveyors and sortation systems have come ...