Central Power Systems Material Handling Case Study
Key Technology
- Hytrol conveyor, V Belt, and O-ring transfers
- Automated Order Routing (WCS), Batch Pick List/Labels, Host Interface to existing WMS
- Pick to Light Technology
- Unarco Carton Flow
- Bastian Controls (WCS)
- Interlake Pallet Rack
- Accusort Scanners
Business Challenges
- BMH integrated a small system for Central Power Systems (CPS) in 1999
- CPS asked Bastian to help plan their move into a new, larger Distribution Center in Columbus, Ohio
- BMH was charged with designing a system that would allow for future growth
Results
- BMH successfully delivered the project on-time and within budget despite a very tight schedule
- BMH provided CPS with a slotting analysis for more efficient picking
- BMH's relocation services allowed for a successful transfer of existing equipment from CPS's Alabama and Ohio facilities to the new Distribution Center
- CPS is well positioned to meet their future growth goals
Central Power WebcastCase Study Video- Script
This case study details Central Power Systems new distribution center system implemented in November of 2007. This system is located in Columbus, Ohio.
Central Power Systems, a privately held company, was founded in 1985. The company distributes small engines, service parts and outdoor power equipment through a network of 6,000 registered service dealers in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Western Pennsylvania, the panhandle of Maryland, Florida and the Bahamas.
Central Power was an existing customer of Bastian Material Handling prior to being awarded their new system. Some of our project team had experience installing a small system for Central Power Systems in 1999. Central Power had outgrown their current location and needed more room for growth.
Bastian was selected to provide the new conveyor system, the interface to the existing WMS, Automated Order Routing (AOR), Pick to Light, pallet rack, shelving, pack stations, and carton flow rack. BMH also provided relocation services for existing equipment for their Alabama and Columbus, OH facility.
The DC is laid out into zones for the purpose of picking in the Exacta system. Products were slotted into the proper zone based on size and pick volume. BMH provided the slotting analysis for this project.
The next few slides will take you on an overview of the system. Orders are associated (started in the process) by scanning a paper pick ticket, scanning the bar code on the tote, and placing the pick ticket into the tote. The pick ticket is printed by the existing host system (CODIS) and has the picking information on the front and the invoice on the reverse.
Totes are scanned and routed to zone 20 via v belt transfers to the Batch Pick area if they have a product that needs to be picked in Zone 20. Exacta prints the batch pick list in a location sequence to efficiently serpentine the picker through the shelving. Items are slotted in the zone to try to keep the picker's walking path as short as possible when picking a batch. Totes are removed from the conveyor and placed on to special designed order picking carts that hold 6 totes. The operator picks the orders which are provided on their pick ticket in order they are on the shelves, enters task complete on the computers located in their zone, and places them back on the main transport line.
These are the order picker carts described in the previous slide. Totes routed into zone 20 are placed on to the carts and scanned. When zone 20 parts are picked the totes are placed back on to the conveyor system.
Totes travel to the bulk pick area, again if there is a product needed to be picked in bulk pick area, the v belt transfer transfers it into this zone. Product is placed into the tote. When finished the totes are pushed back on to the main line.
At any time if zones are full, totes can go around the recirculation loop, get picked in other zones and come back for routing into the zone that now has room for the tote. The "early out" transfer allows totes that have been picked complete in zones 20 and/or 30 to be quickly routed to pack, without having to traverse the entire main line.
Fast moving products that will fit into carton flow rack are place in the carton flow rack pick to light area. If an order needs picked in this area, it is scanned and transferred vi v belt transfer into this area. Cordless hand held scanners are used in this area to scan the tote. When the tote is scanned the pick to light displays automatically light up. The operator picks the order and pushes the task complete button on the PTL display. When the order is completed the operator pushes the tote back on to the main line to be routed to next zone. The PTL area has been slotted with Central Power's fastest moving products (that fit in a carton flow rack). Often this area can become starved for work on a slow day since the PTL zones process orders so much faster than the list areas. CPS can allocate the workers to different areas during these slow pick times. For higher volume days, CPS can staff the PTL area with 3-5 operators. The PTL devices feature +/- buttons to indicate short picks to the host system.
After totes are completely picked, the AOR sends them to the pack station sorter, which is a series of O-ring transfers. Totes are accumulated on gravity ABEZ zero pressure accumulation conveyor for packing. The gravity ABEZ is more cost effective than powered while offering zero back pressure accumulation. Products are taken out of totes and placed into boxes for shipping.
Packed boxes are placed on the shipping takeaway conveyor, where they merge on to the main shipping line. Empty totes are placed on the same takeaway conveyor and transferred via V Belt transfer to the empty tote return line. The empty tote return line routs empty totes back to the main association station to be reused for new orders.
From the Main Shipping Line, the boxes are diverted round robin style to 1 of 2 manifest stations via pivot O-ring diverter. The boxes are weighed, manifested, case sealed and placed on to pallets for shipping.
BMH provided: Conveyor System, Pallet Rack, Carton Flow Rack, Air Compressor, Automated Order Routing (AOR), Pick to Light (PTL), Batch Pick, RF Hand Held Scanners, Interface to Codis WMS Bastian Controls: Conveyor Controls
Many subcontractors came together to make this project a success include: Conveyor services, Bastian Controls, Indiana Industrial, and Uprite Systems. Major equipment suppliers include: Hytrol, Unarco, Interlake, Ingersoll Rand, Accusort, and Torbeck.
This diagram shows the flow from order coming into CPS, order is imported into Exacta via the customer's host system, Codis, the order is associated, totes are routed to proper zone, picks are made, totes are routed to pack, then the order is complete. Products are picked differently based on whether or not they will fit into a tote – there are two product types: Totable, non-Totable.
Operators use PTL to pick the faster movers that will fit into carton flow rack. Totes are routed to the pack area via Hytrol O ring transfers on to Gravity EZ Logic zero pressure accumulation conveyor. Operators use Hand RF scanners to scan the totes which through Exacta lights the PTL displays. BMH partnered with CPS, and worked through many layout and design options to come up with a sound economical system. Like many of our jobs, we had a very short time frame to implement this system. Our suppliers and subs did a great job tracking our schedule.
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