May 12, 2020

Using a few simple components, you can easily reconfigure your production layout to help keep workers at a safe distance 2. Reconfigure your production layout Using flexible extendable conveyors allows you to quickly and efficiently rearrange your production floor to spread out operators and allow for social distancing.  This style of conveyor is relatively inexpensive and can be redeployed for other uses at a later time.   In stock materials are available at TheFlexibleConveyor.com. Another option is to distance operators on production lines you already have in place by lengthening or reconfiguring your existing conveyors and/or workstations.

Keeping operators at safe distances is not always easy. Using barriers will help improve the ability to keep workers safe. #3 Workstation Barriers If rearranging your layout is not a good option, see-through barriers can be added to your work area to help isolate operators from each other.  Several different styles of barriers exist from ones that mount to conveyors or workstations as well as portable panels that can be deployed throughout the plant.  Wirecrafters has a product developed for this specific application. Portable Panels Link  

Renting conveyors for a short term fix   10. Conveyor Rentals – temporary reconfiguration of production line What if you have a new temporary production line you would like to add – have you considered renting conveyors on a month to month basis?  Sometimes simple portable belt conveyors can allow you to quickly set up a new operation.  The beauty is that if business conditions change you can return the conveyors when you are done with them!   View your options at SysteminMotion.com or download the list of equipment in our fleet here.

Interesting in reducing the handling of material in your supply chain? 9. Hands Free Operations Are there manual processes in your operation that could be automated to take the “personal touch” out of the equation? Manually applying labels?  Consider adding automatic label applicators PANDA is an acronym for Print and Apply. Print and applying labels by using automated equipment will reduce at least one touch point for your operators. As your company starts to get back to work, reducing the touches on product in your facility helps in many ways. The reduced contact helps your employees stay safe and healthy as well as reducing the risk of spreading any contagious virus to your customers. KVK Inc. has multiple years of successful applications of PANDA to manufacturing, Distribution, and Fulfillment operations. KVKnet.com Vacuum lifters – machine touches the product, not human hands so less contamination Schmalz is a leader in the use of vacuum to reduce the ergonomic need to touch the product.  Multiple products offer simple one-hand operations with one-finger/two-finger controls for right or left hand operators. Automated bar code scanners vs. hand operated scanners Although bar code scanners are not new, the use of these robust devices allows operators to effectively work with less touches of packages or totes during the pick process. Contact us today to review how we can add touch-less Print and Apply label systems. Vacuum lifters, or Scanners to your process.

By actively managing the pick path of the operators you can limit the contact and effectively promote social distancing. #7 Manage operator pick paths and/or reslotting Here are some ideas to reconfigure your order picking area to promote social distancing: Spread out High volume SKUs over greater area to maximize distancing and minimizing pick path cross over Provide MULTIPLE slot locations for high volume SKUs ZONE Picking / Pick -n- Pass Use Technology to rethink Pick Paths to improve and control operator distancing Add Pickup & Delivery (P&D) stations to REDUCE employee interaction Use software to control how orders are initiated.

Securing your facility is important to eliminate untested visitors. Common uses are for Trucker waiting areas or Visitor entrances. Do you have entrances where visitors can gain unsupervised access to your facility?  Installing a building access cage is an inexpensive way to add another level of security.  If the visitor is scheduled to be there this would be a great place to have the questionnaire and thermal temperature reading taken, along with a sanitation station prior to entering your building. Wirecrafters offers a wide range of products for this application.  www.wirecrafters.com

Some repetitive tasks can be supported or eliminated with the use Collaborative Robotic Technology – Cobots Automate repetitive tasks – Collaborative Robots (Cobots) Highly repetitive tasks within a production facility that can be done with a collaborative robot will reduce the operator density and naturally distance workers from one another.   As Universal Robot’s blog explains, “the simplest way to understand how cobots and industrial robots differ, is that cobots are designed to work alongside human employees, while industrial robots do work in place of those employees.  Cobots are also more easily programmable than industrial robots because they are capable of “learning” on the job.”  They are easy to program and redeploy for other tasks as your business needs change.

Reduce the operator interaction by utilizing Autonomous Mobile Robots to move material from one location to another Automated Materials Delivery – Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) Do you have a lot of repetitive material handling in your process?  Are your operators manually moving products throughout your facility?  An Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) can help reduce the human movement and therefore potential threat of contamination.  These types of technologies are collaborative with AI style interfaces.  It is also a great way to reduce non-value added movement and increase overall efficiency. 

Technology has significantly changed the automated warehouse. One side effect is the ability to maintain social distances between operator stations. #4 Goods to Person Order Fulfillment Many distribution centers have manual picking processes that put a high number of operators in a specific area.  Using Goods to Person technology decreases the number of operators needed to fulfill orders.  In addition, the process automatically keeps distancing between operators.  GreyOrange and OPEX are both goods to person technologies that fit different applications based on your specific operation.  Use the links below for videos of each application in use. Grey Orange / OPEX