Warehousing
Technology
Low Error Rate in Warehousing Thanks to Advanced Technology
The flexibility provided by the software developed in-house allows Ekol to respond quickly to ever changing needs of customers, and to offer the highest quality of services under any circumstances, by standardizing the knowledge and experience gathered from different sectors. Moreover, Ekol minimizes the error rate in its warehouses through smart application of automation technologies, and provides real-time information to its customers over portal applications.
Warehouse Management System – WMS
Ekol operates software that is completely developed by its in-house IT team, in order to achieve a flexibility to rapidly meet customer expectations, gain capacity to develop solutions in a larger spectrum by the help of the experience gained within different industries and obtain a sustainable improvement process in its services. Furthermore, the software Ekol uses have the capacity and flexibility to interface with different software products.
Material Flow Control Systems – MFS
The theoretical capacities of a complex automated warehousing system comprising a multitude of separate hardware (cranes, conveyors, sorters, turn-tables, transfer units, lifts, pick-by-voice etc.) can only be achieved through harmonious operation of all elements of the system. Ekol's MFS software developed in-house manages, controls, and optimizes the flow of materials and information within the automated warehousing solutions system.
Portal Applications
The portal includes screens whereby the customer and Ekol staff shares the same set of information online. This provides a means of customer supervision over Ekol's operations, leaving no room for error.
Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS)
Automated storage and retrieval systems are robotic systems, which store a load (pallet, plastic bin or carton box) to pre-determined storage locationsand retrieve from these locations, when required. According to operational requirements, Ekol, is using the models of ASRS systems, which handle pallets and plastic bins , in their current operations in order to reduce operational costs and to increase service quality by providing efficiency in the processes. The advantages that ASRS applications provide for Ekol customers:
- Reducing storage spaces: By means of this system, which requires less aisle space and enables to store in higher racks , the product amount stored in a unit space increases approximately 2.5 times, comparing to conventional storage methods.
- Reducing Costs: Since storing and retrieving out of racks is done fully automated with this system, the stacking machine operators, used in conventional warehouses, are no longer needed. By reducing the equipment and operators, the risk of industrial accidents are inherently reduced.
- Reducing throughput cycle times: When compared to equipment performances used in conventionalsystems, the cycle time required to store the products on racksor retrieve from the racks is reduced by approximately 80% with this system.
- Minimizing the risk of errors: After the system is installed, the operation is free from risks and errors that may occur due to human factor and thus both inventory accuracy and accuracy rate of order preparation almost reaches up to 100%.
- Address optimization: The system, in idle times, carries the fast moving items to the addresses closedto exits by following the defined algorithms, so that the items could be retrieved faster.
Automation Systems for Garments on Hanger (GOH)
These are the automated systems ensuring the garments on hanger to be carried, stored, sorted according to orders and brought to dispatch area without human touch. This automated system that Ekol provides for its customers from textile and fashion industries, not only reduces the costs of storage and handling of garments on hanger but also increases the order accuracy rate up to 100%.
Vertical Lift Systems
This system is using platforms (trays), each of which is free to move/to be moved, as storage equipments. Automated lift systems ensure that the trays are stored vertically, the space between the trays is reduced to minimum level and by the way the storage space is used in most efficient way. Additionally, this system brings products to be picked up in front of the operator who is picking orders, so the walking distance of the operator is reduced to minimum. In order to increase operation quality and reduce usage of resources (space and staff) Ekol uses the vertical lift systems in operations where product range is wide and security and hygiene requirement isat the highest level.
Sorter Systems
Since sorting operations are labor-intensive and thus open to make mistakes, Ekol is focusing on more automated solutions for this process, and using automated sorting systems designed for different stock units.
Pick by Voice
It is a system that enables picker to receive commands from the system through a headset and also to give feedback to the system through a microphone. Ekol uses this system that enables picker to free his hands and eyes during order picking process, particularly in the operations of its customers from FMCG industry.
Pick by Light Systems
It is a system that ensures to indicate address and quantity of products to be picked at the location through a led screen,and to advise the system about the result of the picking process through the buttons on it. This system, which does not require the staff to carry any equipments for picking or sorting processes, is used within Ekol for the operations in textile, retail and health industries that require detailed order preperation.
RF Hand Terminal
RF hand terminal provides the staff to receive work orders from the system in relation to the processes within the warehouse and to enter the results into the system in relation to the work completed. These terminal provides workers to connect WMS at any process in the warehousewithout using any PC terminal, by the way physical activities in the warehouse and the records of these activities in WMS are managed in real time .
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