The capacity to effectively transfer merchandise from point to point is critical to ensuring that work flows smoothly in warehouses and distribution facilities. With a range of automated technologies available to help move inventory, warehouse managers must make informed decisions about which technologies to use.
The best option for their specific warehousing requirements might assist in streamlining their operations.
Conveyor systems are the most prevalent option, for they are integral in warehousing logistics as they help transport and sort products or entire pallets, increasing the efficiency and productivity of warehousing and distribution operations.
Conveyor-based picking is the most commonly used pick tactic in warehouses and small-batch production facilities. This takes us to the reasons manufacturing units must explore the option of integrating belt conveyor systems for small batch production.
Keep reading to know more!
Why Are Belt Conveyor Systems Ideal?
Belt conveyors offer several features that make them an essential part of the production process.
Besides, the technology has improved in recent years, making it more affordable.
Now within reach, belt conveyor systems allow smaller enterprises to remain competitive and relevant through the advantages mentioned.
1. Increased Speed and Productivity
Most businesses invest in conveyors to speed up small-batch production units.
That said, a corporation can move units faster and fine-tune conveyors to boost production by improving speed. As a result, conveyors cut labor expenses, enable personnel to focus on quality control, and aid in the recovery from labor shortages. Furthermore, these machines are tireless and can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week with fewer personnel, saving money on overtime and unsociable hours.
2. Reduced Product Damage
Conveyors save money by lowering the number of units damaged during manual handling, particularly products made of glass.
The staff, moreover, spend less time cleaning up after breakages. Furthermore, there is a lower risk of contamination and batch rejection owing to improper handling. Importantly, belt conveyors aid in quality control since employees may inspect the batches as they pass along the conveyor, rejecting damaged units and reporting any issues.
3. Improved Health and Safety
Another advantage of conveyors is that they reduce workplace health and safety issues. For starters, workers are less likely to trip or fall because they are not required to transport heavy things from one location to another.
Conveyors can reduce strain injuries caused by hard lifting, and personnel are far less likely to sustain major cuts from broken glass. Remember, improved health and safety lead to fewer days off work.
4. Easy To Maintain
Belt conveyors are simple to clean and sterilize, particularly if made of stainless steel and food-grade plastic. This decreases the chance of contamination and rejected items while also ensuring that you do not send out compromised products, which could result in client loss and legal action.
5. Customizable For Existing Production Lines
Belt conveyors are highly versatile and dynamic, and enterprises may easily integrate them into their existing manufacturing processes.
For example, a corporation can stretch out slat models in practically any configuration between packaging machines, maximizing area utilization using curves and angles.
A conveyor system can be easily customized to meet your specific size, shape, and layout requirements.
Application of Conveyors in Warehouses
- At receiving docks, items can be unloaded and conveyed to the QC/inspection area using truck unloading conveyors, such as telescopic belt conveyors, flexible or extended roller conveyors. Following QC/inspection, the belt can merge items from numerous inbound ports using merger conveyors and deliver them in a single lane conveyor.
- Material storage at a warehouse or distribution center is typically done on multiple levels, using inclined belt conveyors, powered spiral conveyors, or continuous elevators that distribute the materials to a specific base.
- For brief batches, various types of conveyors are used to pick orders from storage sites. They pick varying orders in a batch and then place the selected items on a conveyor before carrying them to a sorting section located further away from the storage location.
- Powered roller conveyors are commonly used to transfer products over extended distances if the products are sturdy enough to move on the rollers, such as boxes, bins, or totes. It should have at least three rollers under the box or bins to ensure that the product is transferred smoothly on the roller conveyors, which determines the conveyor’s roller centers or pitch.
Following order picking in a small batch production unit, the conveyor system collects items from numerous storage sites, which are then combined and sorted before being packed, staged, and dispatched via truck loading conveyors.
Remember, a sorter’s primary function in an automated order fulfillment process is to sort materials to packing stations or finished shipments to designated destinations or shipping dock doors.
The Final Thought
The usage of space in warehouses and storage facilities can have an impact on a company’s success. Conveyors are prudent in warehouse logistics as they enable organizations to make the best use of their space. Moreover, they are effective logistics and supply chain solutions for multiple reasons.
Consequently, belt conveyors for small batch production units can be customized to meet warehouse requirements, converting unwanted parts of the building’s footprint into usable warehouse space. These systems also have excellent organizational capabilities, allowing them to hold a wide range of objects. Ultimately, this allows them to effectively manage inventory levels with a large number of SKUs, which is critical for e-commerce warehouses.
