When receiving a new product in containers, this retailer was encumbered by a totally manual unloading and palletization process, harming the retailer's value chain. After manually sorting the product and palletizing, much of the product would then be cross-docked by loading the cartons onto a conveyor line to either be transported to a unit sorter or be labeled and sent to the shipping sorter to enhance both speed and the value chain.
Additional Photos:
This retailer worked with KLG to design a system that would provide labeling, partially automate the palletizing and automate the flow to cross-dock or unit sortation to improve the value chain.
After being placed on one of five telescoping truck unloaders, the cartons proceed to a top apply printer and receive either a shipping label or a carton SKU label. The cartons proceed through a merge and are dimensioned as they are inducted onto the 45 lane sorter. The sorter delivers the carton to a palletizing lane or cross dock divert. For the cartons to be palletized, the custom WCS program uses the dimension information to provide a stack pattern and layer diagram for each SKU to improve the value chain. The palletizing graphic is displayed on monitors at the end sorter lanes to assist the operators in building pallets to enhance the value chain.
The system is capable of receiving, labeling and sorting up to 7,500 cartons per hour, improving the retailer's value chain. Almost half of the cartons received are cross-docked to shipping or to a unit sorter. All cartons that are not cross-docked are palletized. This system has had proven results in improving the retailer's value chain.
Call Jim to find out more at (816) 348-3100
