The case for carousels
January 1, 2014
New storage and picking technologies are stealing the limelight, but horizontal and vertical carousels and VLMs still have a place in the tool kit.
Overhead handling: A heightened emphasis on ergonomics
December 1, 2013
No longer content to order from a catalog and let operators figure out the rest, more customers are working closely with suppliers to develop custom overhead handling solutions that elevate safety, productivity and equipment longevity.
Conveyors and sortation: Turning up the volume
November 1, 2013
With intelligent circuit boards, dexterous handling and ultra-low maintenance, new technologies illustrate how what’s underneath the product can help a company stay on top.
Robotics: Ready for warehouse prime time
October 1, 2013
As customers navigate an increasingly capable array of robotic hardware and software, they are learning that results are not automatic.
Packaging and Automation: Sealing the deal
September 1, 2013
With the growing complexity of e-commerce orders, packaging methodologies prove critical to the speed of fulfillment.
Raytheon: Precision in the air and on the ground
July 1, 2013
Automatic guided vehicles provide precise and traceable product movement in Raytheon’s missile assembly facility.
Dock logistics: The final frontier of the modern warehouse
June 1, 2013
New technologies, and creative uses of old ones, are enabling the dock to keep up with the rest of the warehouse as it transitions from brute force to efficient allocation.
Rack and shelving: Supporting speed
April 1, 2013
Racks and shelves are not standing still as efforts to improve speed and productivity reshape traditional approaches to storage.
Carts and casters: Business in motion
March 1, 2013
As lean sensibilities migrate from the production floor to the warehouse, carts and casters prove a pivotal tool for enhancing the mobility of product, people and processes.
Equipment Report: Sorting it all out
February 1, 2013
New distribution requirements are driving dramatic changes in the way end users deploy conveyor and sortation systems. Here are a few of the most important trends impacting on today’s systems.
Making the most of carton storage
January 1, 2013
Mini-loads and shuttles are the engines driving new order fulfillment processes.
Supply chain software: Should I upgrade my WMS?
November 1, 2012
Once the cobwebs of a legacy WMS have been cleared, it’s easier than ever for customers to stay current and competitive without breaking the bank.
Voice: Enabling new processes
October 1, 2012
Voice customers are finding they can leverage existing voice infrastructure to extend the technology’s benefits throughout the facility.
7 fresh ways to think about AGVs
September 1, 2012
Automatic guided vehicles are not new to materials handling, but the focus on where they’re being used is changing.
Palletizers: Putting product in its place
July 1, 2012
From manual devices to robotic arms, there’s more than one way to build a pallet. Here’s a look at how palletizing equipment improved productivity at these five operations.
Automated storage: Shuttle technology is taking off
June 1, 2012
From unit loads to mini-loads and now micro-loads, automated storage and retrieval systems are evolving to effectively manage the changing needs of today’s order fulfillment operations.
Sortation: Reliability meets scalability
May 1, 2012
Today’s smarter sortation systems are handling the complex task of moving product through our warehouses and distribution centers faster and more accurately than ever.
Conveyors: Gaining control, getting smarter
April 1, 2012
Advanced controls and functionality are allowing conveyor systems to play an increasingly important role in complex materials handling processes inside our warehouses and distribution centers.
Robotics: Take a hands-off approach
March 1, 2012
Robotic materials handling solutions are great at handling repetitive tasks while cutting costs, increasing throughput, and lifting a heavy burden off workers.
Rack: Secure rack against seismic events
February 1, 2012
In the wake of catastrophic earthquakes around the world, and here in our own backyard, Modern looks at how to keep warehouses and distribution centers standing tall in the event of a seismic episode.
