Keymas K-Store: an application to rejuvenate your warehouse

• Examine your current warehouse operation
• Talk to your pickers!
• Consider Zoning
• Implement Keymas K-Store

 Examine your current warehouse operation

So, you have a warehouse and want to make it run as efficiently and effectively as possible. Let’s look at the warehouse: The goods are stored on racks that are arranged in rows and are on multiple levels. There’s a standard distance between the racks allowing access to human pickers and forklift trucks. Pickers are given a paper copy of an order and then pick the items on the order from the racks. Your warehouse also has clearly & methodically labelled racking and the pickers are experienced and used to the layout of the warehouse.

Other factors in the picking equation might include:

• How many rows of racking or shelving does the warehouse have?
• How many pickers are there and how are their routes organised currently?
• How many items are stocked?
• Are there bulky and/or weighty items unsuitable for manual handling?

All these factors need to be considered to optimise a picking system. Taking an overarching approach will give you the best overview of how your current system works.

Talk to your pickers!

Talk to your pickers! They are the people who walk up and down your aisles day after day. They will have a good idea of what is picked. If prompted they may also tell you a few home truths about your system. For example, illogical racking locations of goods meaning they have to walk extra distances when picking compatible items. This sort of constructive feedback can be used to improve the overall performance of the system.

Consider Zoning

Carefully consider zoning, i.e. placing certain items in one specific zone or area. Perhaps the items are related or combined, or maybe you want to keep heavier/bulkier items in one location. Whatever the reason, it means you’re starting to closely examine what goes where and why. That is good.

If you have access to past order data, collate this into a format that allows you to examine it in detail. If certain goods are often ordered at the same time locate them near to each other. Past data will allow you to assess if this happens, how often, and whether it is actually feasible to locate the goods close to each other.

Once you have your zones organised, ensure that they are used effectively. The best way to do this is to have as few pickers as possible walking in the zone to reduce congestion. To do this, your order picking system needs to be refined so that the picking routes identify which picker(s) operate in which zones. This is where things can start to get complicated!

Implement Keymas K-Store

One way of simplifying this whole procedure is to implement Keymas K-Store. K-Store has been designed from the ground up to streamline warehouse operations; from goods in all the way through to despatch. Employing barcode and wireless technology run through ordinary PC workstations; using K-Store goods can be handled in the most effective way possible as they pass through your warehouse. Picking routes are just one way in which systems can be enhanced.

Taking a typical order processed with K-Store, your pickers will be given their orders via hand-held scanners. These scanners will tell them on a screen what is to be picked, where it is located, which particular batch of a product is to be and where it is to be packed. Because each product is scanned as it is picked, if a picker makes a mistake they will be told so instantly and pointed to how and where they can correct the error.

Add zoning into the equation and you have a warehouse that will be operating very efficiently indeed. Paper-based picking offering no such sophistication will be a thing of the past. K-Store will also update your stock levels instantly, enabling you in time to tweak your buffers to optimal levels, saving you even more.

Once K-Store is up and running, operators will know that their pickers are using routes and zones that are efficiently planned and make best use of their time; goods will be handled in a way that takes into account their shelf life and fragility; K-Store can produce reports on demand showing what was picked, when and by whom.

There are some prerequisites before K-Store can be implemented:

1. First and foremost: a commitment to make it work from all concerned
2. The means to barcode every product entering & leaving the premises and every product location within the premises.
3. An honest self-assessment of the current operation and clearly thought through ideas on how you want it to operate after K-Store implementation
4. In conjunction with 3, the ability to move products, where necessary, into zones, and to implement other changes necessary to streamline operations

Keymas K-Store is our application for managing warehouses. Operators implementing K-Store are given full control of their goods; from goods in, via sophisticated stock control features, all the way to despatch.

Combine K-Store with a physical makeover of your existing warehouse system and you will have a very sophisticated system delivering total control of your material handling operation. Contact us now for a no-obligation consultation and rest assured that we will make our solutions fit your needs – not vice-versa!

Please browse the image archive slideshow above.

Keymas Ltd is celebrating 25 years in the warehouse automation and conveyor industry.

We are celebrating the 25th year of innovation within the control and automation sector with Keymas Ltd reaching the proud age of 25. We are thankful to the individuals and companies that have made it possible to grow the company over the last 25 years.

Starting in 1986 founded by John Barton, as a control systems software company, Keymas Ltd has become a leader in warehouse automation, conveyor control, integrated warehouse software and complete warehouse projects. Reflecting on the 25 years since it

New case study, increasing pick rates and orders at a leading distributor. This case study features a large distribution company that Keymas came up with a conveyor system design that would offer both flexibility and efficiency savings, and potentially increase the turnover of the warehouse. Keymas looked at the whole pick process, the order profile, the product profile, the size and shape and weight of products and designed a system that increased the pick rates and order fulfillment at the company.

To download this case study please visit the case study page here.

The system used automatic print and apply, automatic document feed/Pick list, pcik routing, automatic transfers, multiple floors, arm radio terminals and automated dispatch.

For more information please contact us for a more indepth case study.

In any business, quality control should not adhere to basic and unsecured way of delivering goods to its customers. These businesses should aim to deliver the best quality and intact quantity to its end consumer by providing comprehensive automated structured delivery. Did you know that one mistake on quality assurance can cost a business millions of pounds? This is why it is important that whatever changes made for the development of the business, quality assurance should not be compromised.

Warehouse automated control can help you increase accuracy on items that needs to go under quality control. These types of automated testing facilities are designed to help you minimize manual checking on items instead, you let the machine take tests whether you are dispatching the right quantity for the item. Let

Warehousing is considered one of the most significant processes in a manufacturing business. The old style warehousing is all about stacking goods and keeping them safe and intact. Today, warehousing consists of preparation of delivery receipts, conducting inventory, monitoring delivery schedule and the most basic yet important part, the transportation of goods to different parts of the warehouse.

Today, a warehouse with a dispatch automation trend is known to increase productivity by almost 60%. Improving dispatch in a warehouse is not only considered a step to a greater productivity but it also shows signs of a booming business. Let

Following the development of our own video resource Keymas Ltd have launched a youtube channel. Currently the site holds 9 of our latest videos focusing on specific parts of an automated handling system including creative shots and descriptive information to describe what each part of the handling system accomplishes.

From Arm scanners to multiple floors, pick routing to document feeds each video presents a short 2-3 minute introduction to the automated system.

Visit the site here – http://www.youtube.com/keymassystems

Some videos you may be particularly interested in,
Arm Scanners for warehouse systems
Print and Apply
Dispatch

In the latest of a series of articles from members of the Automated Material Handling Systems Association (AMHSA), John Barton, Managing Director of Keymas Ltd, examines warehouse management systems.

At the fall of France in 1940, the French had over two thousand modern fighter planes – more than twice the number deployed by the victorious Luftwaffe. The problem was that the French administration didn’t know where most of them were. The German Blitzkrieg attack had led many local commanders in France to make tactical decisions to move aircraft, men and equipment south, away from the invaders. These parochial decisions had no easy way of becoming known centrally, with the result being chaos and capitulation. Acolytes of the military theorist Carl von Clausewitz will know of the parallels that exist between military and business strategies. If only the French had had a management system that allowed lower-level local commanders to input information, then those at the top could have made decisions and acted upon it.

WMS is not the full answer

In the modern logistics industry, we have software information systems known as warehouse management systems (WMS), which perform a vital role but are not the full answer in a dynamic business environment. Much WMS software is highly sophisticated and its strength is, in essence, that all information goes into the centre and the WMS

Phenomenal growth through their retail store expansion programme and increasing Internet orders meant that Argos, part of leading UK home and general merchandise Home Retail Group, needed to review regional operations in their goods supply chain. They looked to materials handling and logistics specialists Keymas for a solution.

In 1989, Argos installed and commissioned a completely new warehouse in which Keymas played a major role, putting together not only the basic concept and overall layout for the warehouse in Bridgwater, Somerset, but also the specific detail that was required to allow the automated conveyor system to operate. The whole system was conceived and designed with Argos to be more efficient and produce better productivity than conventional warehousing at that time and was installed within a twelve month window.

This warehousing system consisted of conventional racking and racking which allowed semi-automated cranes to place and retrieve bulk pallet loads from storage. Selected pallets would be transported on the automatic conveyor system to be located in a sub-system, where semi-automated cranes off-loaded pallets into pick locations for operators to order pick individual items for despatch to various stores in the region. Over the years, Keymas undertook several modifications to enhance the system and provided full support in terms of maintenance and service.

New warehouse system to meet Argos growth

Due to the growth and success of Argos the business required a development of their Bridgwater warehouse operation; one of a network of nine distribution centres Argos currently utilises across the UK. The Bridgwater regional distribution centre (RDC) is essential to the operation of the business, supporting regional deliveries to 89 Argos stores in the South, South West of England and Wales. At the time, work was required to increase its throughput capacity in order to support the Distribution network.

The excellent working relationship built over 17 years between Argos and Keymas meant Argos felt confident in approaching Keymas with a view of establishing some initial cost parameters.

After careful deliberation, Keymas recommended and Argos agreed that a more conventional warehouse arrangement provided the most cost effective and flexible warehousing solution to meet both their current and future needs. This proposal utilised conventional racking and forklift trucks for handling of pallets.

As 89 of the 700-plus UK Argos stores rely on the Bridgwater RDC to receive customer orders, it was not possible to close down the premises in order to facilitate the changes without disrupting its constant flow of operation. Keymas was charged with the task of dramatically changing the warehouse operation – from a crane driven storage system to a manually operated truck storage system – turning the flow through 900 whilst maintaining functionality of the existing warehouse and installing the new facilities.

Argos awarded Keymas the contract

With the help of several partners, Keymas put forward a proposal which included the removal of existing equipment and staggered de-commissioning of cranes to enable the existing facility to continue to operate, whilst the new system was installed. The project also included for the de-commissioning of a multi-level pick mezzanine floor area, which consisted of four individual levels and had to be dismantled in stages.

Argos agreed to the proposed time schedules and budget costs and awarded Keymas the project contract.

Keymas chose their partners carefully, using existing engineering suppliers and their sister company Raxel – specialist in storage and racking solutions. As part of the project management task, Keymas had to also oversee the installation of a sprinkler system and complete new lighting facilities.

To aid this operation, Argos reduced the amount of product movement through the existing warehouse to complement the phased installation requirements of the new build. Keymas and partners worked closely together with the customer’s project management team to ensure men and materials were fully co-ordinated onsite. Regular site meetings monitored progress, reviewed health & safety issues, CDM and compliance with design regulations.

The project was to provide a complete new warehouse package which would facilitate and support the customer moving forward and contribute to a functional storage and logistics system that would be flexible, operate more effectively and efficiently within the distribution arm of Argos.

Keymas Managing Director, John Barton reported, “The project was obviously very challenging at times, but through the close working partnership of all those involved, this was completed with minimal disruption to Argos operations, within budget and well within the allocated time frame”.

For more info on Argos visit www.argos.co.uk
For more info on Keymas visit www.keymas.co.uk