Both overhead monorail conveyor loops pass through a small area – a combination trash and new carton make-up area, as well as a tote re-balancing area – to ensure the proper mix of cartons and totes before entering their respective Distribution and VAS areas.

Each tray carrier tray was designed hold 2 cartons or totes.

• Pacline provided complete turn-key mechanical and electrical installation.
• During the installation stage, Pacline’s experienced installers were able to provided quick, on-site changes and re-routing of their overhead  conveyors due when belt conveyor bed interferences were identified in field.

For over 35 years PACLINE has been helping customers of all sizes automate their warehouses and distribution centers with the largest project to date installed at the Barnes and Noble distribution center in Monroe, New Jersey, consisting of 17 Pacline enclosed track conveyor loops which together totalled 3.4 miles in length.

Overhead Conveyor Performs Double Duty
Unpublished

Mechanization of the distribution center has become commonplace, to the point that certain tasks within the distribution process are mechanized as the standard approach. Mangers don’t even consider doing these tasks manually.

Split case or “less than carton” distribution is considered to be the most difficult of applications to mechanize. The full case distribution center is easily automated with barcode labels, pick-to-belt conveyors, high-speed carton sorters, direct trailer loading and electronic data capture devices.

Not so in the split case distribution center. The challenging part of this operation is dealing with individually picked items, located in a high density storage area, without individual item labeling, generally non-conveyable and requiring a shipping medium like a carton or tote, requiring a quality control check, resulting in the generation of trash cartons…and the list goes on.

However difficult this type of picking is, it is a fact of life. Most distribution centers contain split-case product and the requirement to pick this type of order will not go away. Actually, the trend may be to a higher volume of split case items per order as retailers wrestle with shrinking store shelf space and pressure to reduce inventory levels.

To address these issues, split case distribution centers with the goal of high efficiency, have incorporated Overhead Chain Conveyors into their new distribution center model. Their typical installation includes a number of separate overhead conveyor systems with several thousand feet of overhead chain. Actually, the overhead chain conveyor is only part of a total material handling solution involving several different styles of equipment.

The model incorporates a high-density storage pick “module”. These modules are 4 levels high for best cubic efficiency. They incorporate flow racking within and are loaded with full carton goods from the perimeter, with the full cartons flowing to the middle for picking. The pick module has a gravity/power/gravity conveyor located down the middle. Order picking begins with the generation of a picking list and a shipping label. An order picker will choose a shipping container (carton or tote) and affix the label. The container or tote is made available to the picker via an Overhead Chain Conveyor located above the triple-wide conveyors running down the middle of the pick module.

Operators may add a new carton or tote box from the carrier of the Overhead Chain Conveyor as the need arises, applying the label and beginning of continuing the pick. An unfinished order is passed from picker to picker via the gravity conveyor and when the order is complete, the order is pushed to the center, powered conveyor. The completed order moves to a checking area and then to the shipping door.

As the breaking down of master cartons in the picking aisles occurs, trash corrugate is generated. As the original cartons are emptied of their contents, the operator needs to dispose of these without walking too far. Once again, the Enclosed Track Overhead Chain Conveyor comes to the rescue. The operator places the empty carton on a special trash carrier (tray) that is attached to the same Overhead Chain Conveyor. Trash carriers and empty carton carriers are mixed in a specific ratio of 1:4. The Overhead Chain Conveyor carries the trash out of the picking module and over to the hopper of a compactor. An automatic trash dump station is located there and as the carrier is conveyed over the hopper, it is tilted, allowing trash to slide off to the compactor infeed below.

Pacline Overhead Conveyor Corporation located in Mississauga has been a supplier of Overhead Chain Conveyors to distribution centers throughout Canada and the United States for the past twenty-five years.

By Karl Scholz, President, PACLINE OVERHEAD CONVEYORS

Any material handling salesperson worth his salt can smell an equipment justification a mile away.

There are some very basic elements of a return on investment analysis which, when combined, add up to an (almost) immediate sale of a material handling system.

A salesperson needs to develop a knack for identifying a prime candidate by spotting the somewhat obvious signs.  Whenever I spot the “three amigos” of the material handling world- a crowded plant floor, a multiple shift operation, and a process that I know is mechanizable- my brain’s left side begins a frenzy of “imagineering”.

I have had a great number of initial customer visits go extremely well when I play the “what if” game out in front of my potential business partner.  I think that they are immediately impressed by my insight and from that point forward I earn the reputation as a problem-solver and a visionary.

Experience is the material handling professional’s most valuable asset.  Material handling professionals gain the experience part of the equation only after spending a few years in a particular business, studying the marketplace of products available, inviting themselves to see installations (regardless of who sold them) and reading articles in trade publications like this.

Now for the “hot” tip I promised.

Any time you can apply a piece of equipment to solve more than one task you stand a better chance of achieving your customer’s ROI goals.  I have a piece of equipment that can solve two material handling problems for less money than the alternative and the alternative only solves one problem.  Does this sound too good to be true?  Let me explain.

Split case or “less than carton” distribution is considered to be the most difficult of applications to mechanize.  The full case distribution center is easily automated with barcode labels, pick-to-belt conveyors, high-speed carton sorters, direct trailer loading and electronic data capture devices.

Not so in the split case distribution center.  The challenging part of this operation is dealing with individually picked items, located in a (normally) high density storage area, usually without individual item labeling, generally unconveyable and requiring a shipping medium like a carton, requiring a quality control check, resulting in the generation of trash cartons…and the list goes on and on.

However difficult this type of picking is, it is a fact of life. Most distribution centers contain split-case product and the requirement to pick this type of order will not go away.  Actually, the trend may be to a higher volume of split case items per order as retailers wrestle with shrinking store shelf space and declining inventory levels.

It is a royal pain in your customer’s you-know-what.  At the same time, it may be your opportunity to be a hero. By knowing the application, the traditional equipment used in mechanizing it, and the application of the overhead chain conveyor system, you can be a hero to your customer and your boss by selling some equipment.  Actually, the overhead chain system is only part of a solution involving a few different pieces of equipment.

One good solution to the split-case picking problem incorporates a high-density storage device, like a pick “tower” or pick “module”.  These modules are usually 3 or 4 levels high for best cubic efficiency.  They incorporate flow racking within (or occasionally shelving) and are typically loaded with full carton goods from the perimeter, with the full cartons flowing to the middle for picking.  The pick module normally has a gravity/ power/ gravity conveyor located down the middle.  Order picking begins with the generation of picking list and a label.  An order picker will choose a shipper and affix the label and yes- the shipper is made available to the picker via an overhead chain conveyor located above the triple-wide conveyors running down the middle of the pick module.

Operators may add a new carton or tote box from the carrier of the overhead chain conveyor as the need arises, applying the label and beginning to pick.  An unfinished order is passed from picker to picker via the gravity conveyor and when the order is complete, the order is pushed to the center, powered conveyor.  The completed order moves to a manual or automated checking area and then to the shipping door.

As the breaking down of master cartons in the picking aisles occurs, trash corrugate is generated.  As master cartons are emptied of their contents, the operator needs to dispose of these without walking too far.  Once again, an overhead chain conveyor comes to the rescue.  The operator places the empty carton on a special trash carrier (tray) that is attached to the same overhead chain conveyor.  Trash carriers and empty carton carriers are mixed in a specific ratio, say 1:4 or so.  The overhead chain conveyor carries the trash out of the picking module and over to the hopper of a compactor.  An automatic trash dump station is located here and as the carrier is conveyed over the hopper, it is tilted, allowing trash to slide off to the compactor in-feed below.

The “dual purpose overhead chain conveyor” is the most cost-effective way to mechanize these tasks.  So, learn to spot the signs, study the application and sell high!

Written by Karl Scholz, President Pacline Overhead Conveyors

Mechanization of the distribution center (DC) has become commonplace, to the point that certain tasks are mechanized as the standard approach.

Split case distribution is considered to be the most difficult of applications to mechanize. But, a Tennessee distribution center has found ways to mechanize even this.

The challenge, in this instance and others like it, is in dealing with individually picked items, located in a high-density storage area, which are without individual item labeling. The items are generally non-conveyable and require use of a shipping medium like a carton or tote for picking. And there’s a need for a quality control check.

These split case distribution centers also generate trash from master cartons as items are picked.

To address these mechanization issues, the Tennessee distribution center installed overhead chain conveyors. Included were a number of separate overhead conveyor systems with several thousand feet of overhead chain.

The distribution center picks split case items in a high-density storage pick module that is 4 levels high for best cubic efficiency. It incorporates flow racking, which is replenished with full carton goods around its perimeter. Meantime, full cartons flow to a middle area for picking. There are side-by-side conveyor lanes in a gravity/power/gravity configuration here.

Order picking begins with the generation of a picking list and a shipping label. An order picker will choose a shipping container (carton or tote) and affix the label. The containers are made available to the picker via overhead chain conveyor located above the triple-wide conveyor lanes.
Operators may add a new carton or tote box from the carrier of the overhead chain conveyor as the need arises, applying the label at the start of picking, or as extra cartons are needed.

As the breaking down of master cartons in the picking aisles occurs, trash corrugate is generated. As the original cartons are emptied of their contents, the operator needs to dispose of these without walking too far.

Once again, the overhead chain conveyor comes to the rescue. The operator places the empty carton on a special trash carrier (tray) that is attached to the same Overhead Chain Conveyor.

Published in Modern Materials Handling, October 2000