This means that VLMs have the potential to solve a huge number of problems within a warehouse operation. They may not be the right investment for every business, but if you\’re experiencing any of these problems, VLMs would be worth investigating.

4 Problems That Vertical Lift Modules Can Solve

1 – Space limitations

Are your operations growing faster than you can find enough storage space for? Are you in a position of possibly having to pay for physical expansion? VLMs can prevent that. They can stretch to the ceiling of nearly any building, making use of a lot of the open-air space that’s wasted in a typical warehouse. VLMs can expand your storage capacity by 50% or more – without any new construction.

2 – Inaccurate picking

A typical VLM runs based on barcodes, QR codes or similar systems. This gives them extreme accuracy in item picking, well beyond what human workers can reasonably be expected to achieve. With a VLM system, your item picks will always be correct, meaning you avoid a lot of costly mistakes further down the line.

3 – Lossage

Another major benefit of making the system computer-controlled is that it becomes far more difficult for items to \”go missing.\” With a VLM, it\’s impossible for human workers to access the stock directly (at least not in a surreptitious manner) and any pick requests are logged. It\’s simple, secure and will almost certainly help ensure your stock remains where it\’s supposed to be.

4 – Needless human accidents

Warehouses are dangerous locations, especially multi-story warehouses which require the use of cherry-pickers and similar machinery. This sets up situations ripe for injury and workers\’ comp claims. With VLMs, your workforce keeps their feet planted on the ground most of the time. It\’s robots, not people, doing the dangerous job of climbing to the upper shelves.

Material Flow Tech Can Design the Vertical Lift Modules You Need!
Material Flow Technologies has extensive experience custom-designing storage and retrieval systems that cut costs, improve efficiency, and prevent wasteful incidents. If your warehouse operations are becoming a drag on your budget, contact us to learn about our services.

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Four Big Benefits to Adding Vertical Lift Modules to Your Order Selection System

1. Faster pick rates
VLMs are both faster and more accurate than human labor! There\’s no need to go climbing around on stairs or ladders, searching for the correct filing number. The automated system knows exactly where every item is stored and goes straight for it. The compact nature of VLMs further speeds up the process, saving extra time.

2. Reclaim floor space, or add more stock
Because VLM systems do not have to leave room for people to move and work, they make much more efficient use of space. They can also be as tall as you need, up to the maximum height of your storage area. In short, they pack far more product into a smaller space! You can use this to reclaim floor space for other work or to include a much larger supply of products without having to physically expand your warehouse.

3. Reduce loss
Loss is a serious consideration in any warehouse, often leading to a number of costly security measures whose effectiveness is questionable. VLMs are a great solution to the problem. Their method of storage makes them highly resistant to direct theft and being computer-controlled, it\’s impossible for a worker to request an item without that action being tracked. VLMs can significantly reduce loss without the need for extra security measures.

4. Improve storage speeds too
More advanced models of VLMs don\’t merely pick products – they also intelligently store them based on size and available space. You simply feed a new product into the system, and it automatically finds a perfect spot to put it. There\’s no need to manually program locations into the system.

Material Flow Technologies are world leaders in vertical lift modules and other storage systems! Contact us to improve your warehouse efficiency.

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