Navigating Complexity: How Agile Automation Powers Telecom Production in Tight Spaces

The Client: Zhone Technologies

Zhone Technologies manufactures sophisticated telecommunications systems that support high-speed network infrastructure. While high-volume production is outsourced, Zhone operates a compact 15,000 sq ft in-house facility in Oakland, California to support new product introduction, validation, and production readiness.

This footprint strategy required an internal handling system that could deliver high flexibility, precise routing, and efficient use of limited space.

The Challenge

• High Product Variation: Product families followed different production and test paths, making fixed linear routing impractical.
• Manual Cart-Based Movement: Technician-pushed carts created stop-and-start flow, inconsistent handoffs, and avoidable handling delays.
• Technician and Unit Wait Time: Products waited for cells, and technicians waited for product arrival, reducing skilled labor utilization.
• Ergonomic Strain: Manual handling of units weighing over 100 lbs introduced safety risk and physical burden.
• Space Pressure: Carts and unmanaged WIP consumed valuable floor area in an intentionally compact manufacturing space.

“Our manufacturing strategy is based on outsourcing… Outsourcing allows us to focus on our core competencies. So we do not need a large manufacturing space.” – Ebrahim Abbasi, Vice President of Manufacturing

The Solution

FloStor engineered a compact, software-directed material handling backbone that replaced manual cart movement with coordinated conveyor and transfer logic. The system was designed to route diverse product types dynamically while preserving human control at key decision points.

Rather than forcing one rigid path, the architecture supported configurable routing, pull-based test-cell feeding, and transparent WIP visibility to keep flow balanced in limited space.

Systems Used

• Roller Conveyor Paths: Core transport lanes moved systems between assembly, staging, and test processes with controlled handoffs.
• Pop-Up Ball Table Transfers: Workstation-level transfer points enabled ergonomic rotation and multi-side access during tasks such as PCB insertion.
• Hydraulic Lift Table and Lift-Assist Carts: Mechanical assist tools reduced manual lifting demands for heavy telecom units.
• Sortation Transfer Vehicle (STV): A compact software-controlled vehicle running on a 72-foot track handled intelligent delivery and takeaway between test cells.
• Programmable Pushbutton Routing Interface: Operators initiated controlled routing requests while software managed transaction state and destination execution.
• Bidirectional Conveyors for NPI Flexibility: Dedicated routes for unconventional development units enabled movement to and from any required process point.

The Power of Integration in Action

FloStor’s integration strategy connected transport hardware, routing controls, and process logic into one coordinated production support system. The STV and conveyor network were synchronized to deliver units when destinations were available, eliminating push-queue congestion at test cells.

This pull-oriented flow improved technician utilization, reduced idle WIP, and gave operations leadership clearer real-time visibility into product location and status.

“Based on past experiences with similar applications using conveyor based delivery systems, we determined that an STV would better accommodate the spikes in our production volume and eliminate the inherent bottlenecks common with conveyors.” – John Friedl, Senior Manufacturing Engineer

The Results

Zhone transformed a constrained manual transport process into a controlled, high-flexibility handling system aligned to its outsourcing-led manufacturing strategy. The new architecture improved flow predictability, reduced ergonomic burden, and increased effective testing and handling efficiency.

By optimizing movement logic inside a small footprint, Zhone gained stronger operational control without expanding into a large in-house production model.

Why This Worked

This implementation worked because Zhone and FloStor designed for variability and space efficiency from the start. The system was built around dynamic routing and pull logic instead of rigid fixed-sequence movement.

• Integration Over Fragmentation: Conveyors, STV transport, lift-assist handling, and controls were unified into one execution model.
• Pull-Based Process Discipline: Destination-triggered movement prevented queue buildup and kept work aligned to true station availability.
• Ergonomics as a Throughput Lever: Reduced physical handling improved safety and enabled more consistent technician productivity.
• Small-Footprint Optimization: Intelligent routing and cart elimination converted limited floor area into a higher-value production support environment.

Related Services

• System Integration and Controls Engineering
• Conveyor and STV Routing Architecture
• Ergonomic Lift-Assist and Workstation Flow Design
• NPI-Focused Manufacturing Flow Modernization