Ever wonder how that integrated materials handling system you're planning will operate - before you set out to implement it? That's exactly the idea behind a new development lab opened by Tompkins Associates (www.tompkinsinc.com) in Raleigh, N.C.

This $5 million, 11,000 square foot facility allows materials handling solutions to be tested and risks assessed early in the project cycle, says Dr. James Tompkins, president of Tompkins Associates. This is not a display or a simulation. The Tompkins Development Lab is a live, working, integrated facility that shows you how to integrate people, software, and equipment, he adds.

The facility, which opened this Fall, features materials handling equipment from conveyors and sortation to carousels, carton-flow rack, shelving, and pick-to-light systems. On the information side, it features bar code scanners, supply chain management software systems, and Web-based customer order receipt. A real-time computerized maintenance management system is also part of the lab.

Beyond being a demonstration center, the lab offers a technology evaluation center for application comparisons. In addition, an integration and testing center supports proof-of-concept work. Training facilities are part of the lab too.