Holste Says: |
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| Sometimes finding additional "hidden" storage space requires departing slightly from conventional thinking. |
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What Do You Say?
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Previous Columns by
Cliff Holste |
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Most DC managers are perpetually searching their facilities for usable and accessible storage space. In especially high demand is active or on-line stock picking locations. For those DCs equipped with multilevel picking modules there is often unused space available within the module as shown in the following two examples:
Example #1 - Adding Case Flow Lanes above Pallet Flow Positions
While pick-to-belt modules are efficient for order picking, they are not all that great when it comes to space utilization.
 The adjacent sketch shows a typical two level high double-deep pallet flow pick module. The vertical clearance for the second level mezzanine is shown at 7½ feet above the floor, which is about the minimum requirement for such applications in order to satisfy code.
Unfortunately, this arrangement can leave a large void above the top of the pallet loads. Often, this dead space can be put to good use by installing a shelf of carton flow lanes into the pallet flow rack. This can be easily accomplished by utilizing standard components readily available from rack suppliers. Now, this previously dead space becomes a productive on-line picking location for slotting additional slow to medium velocity SKUs.
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When walking through the typical DC selective pallet rack storage and retrieval area, it is not unusual to find underutilized pallet slot locations. This may be caused by honeycombing, and/or SKUs that are purchased and received in less than full pallet loads. Another reason for the empty or depleted spaces may be that the picking slot replenishment quantity is by the case rather than by the pallet load and customer orders for particular SKUs are being filled from reserve pallet storage locations. Whatever the reasons, space designated for full pallet storage is being lost.