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MAJOR PAPER MANUFACTURER AUTOMATES FULFILLMENT & PALLET LOADING
A legacy
material handling system was experiencing jams, back-up problems, and
slow throughput. The solution was to modernize and upgrade the entire
order-flow process. FloStor provided a turnkey
service--integrating the computer software, hardware, electrical,
palletizers, and conveyors.
Product now moves through the Turlock facility smoothly and
efficiently. The order-flow process starts in the carton sealing
department, located in a walled-off area adjacent to the distribution
center. Here the cartons are sealed and imprinted with a four digit bar
code that identifies the destination palletizer.
Seven sealer lines lead from this area to the distribution center. A
roller belt incline conveyor moves the cartons up to a horizontal belt
conveyor, which then inducts them into a recirculating sortation
conveyor in the D.C. The recirculation loop is required to separate
orders during changeovers. With the new computer controls and conveyor
system, these changeovers now happen quickly with no interruption to
product flows.
Directed by the computer controls, the PPDs feed the four lanes
leading to the palletizers and the one lane reserved for "no
reads," hand stacking of pallets, and other special operations.
When the pallets are built, the palletizer releases them to an
automated transfer cart station. The transfer cart then moves them onto
a chain-driven roller. This heavy-duty chain-driven conveyor brings the
pallet to a stretch wrap machine. A bypass switch at the infeed
of the stretch wrapper allows operators to stop the pallet and install
corner parts (when required), label the loads and perform QC functions,
and so on. The chain conveyor then moves the pallet onto a gravity
conveyor where they await transport by forklift to the shipping area.
Management at Turlock reports that the new system has lived up to
expectations. "With our order changeovers happening so fast,"
says Maintenance Team Leader Young, "we needed a system that would
give us a consistently high level of shipment accuracy. We now have
that. Customer complaints about misshipments have dropped dramatically
since the system was installed."
"After a lengthy selection process, our Engineering Group selected FloStor based on their design concept and their ability to do the job. FloStor exceeded our expectations.”
Ron Young,
Maintenance Team Leader
"Customer complaints about mis-shipments have dropped dramatically since the system was installed.” |
But the benefits have not stopped there. Less conveyor downtime has
resulted in less carton sealer downtime, which has lowered the cost
per carton shipped. Also, there's less maintenance required on the new
conveyor and palletizer equipment--another contributing factor to lower
operating costs.
In short, the new system at International Paper's Turlock operation
is not only reliable, but also cost-efficient.
For a comprehensive review of this project, contact
FloStor for a print version of this case study from
our Ideas in Motion™ series.
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