Welcome to Session 107

Best Practices for

Lean Material Handling Optimization
Presented by: Sponsored by:

Frank Devlin
Marketing Manger,
Advanced Technologies

2012 Material Handling Industry. Copyright claimed as to audiovisual works of seminar

sessions and sound recordings of seminar sessions. All rights reserved.
 Why lean?
To compete today, Interest
3%

companies must run

lean operations and do Electricity
5%

more with less.

Example: The operator Maintenance
9%

accounts for 72 percent

of the operating cost Purchase Price
11%

over life of a lift truck.

Labor
Can we reduce that cost? 72%
 Key lean principles
Eliminate wasted time and resources
Build quality into workplace systems
Find reliable, low-cost alternatives to
expensive technology
Perfect business processes
Build a learning culture
 Benefits of automation
Reduce labor costs
Improve throughput
Reduce or eliminate errors
Reduce product damage
24/7 operations without OT
 Lean and conventional AGVs
Conventional AGVs can:
Eliminate unnecessary travel
Reduce errors through systems controls
Reduce labor costs
However, they:
Are difficult to scale
Have limited to no flexibility
Have high upfront costs
Take a long time to implement
 Automated lift trucks

Today, we can automate conventional

lift trucks.
 Comparing ALTs
Automated Lift Truck

Conventional lift truck with unmanned travel capabilities

Operators can be redeployed for useful work

Easily scalable by purchasing additional units

Easily change routes
One operator can interface with multiple units

Unit will do useful work first day in facility

No IT integration
No modifications to facility
 New generation automation better
for lean operations
Conventional lift trucks with unmanned travel
capabilities
Redeploy operators for useful work
Flexible easily change routes and transfer
routes between vehicles
One operator can interface with multiple units
Units will do useful work first day in facility
Easily scalable by purchasing additional units
 Kaizen: Continuous improvement
Clarify the problem to treat the disease,
not the symptom
Dig below the surface to find the root cause of
a problem
Keep asking Why? (at least five times) to
get to the root cause
 Five whys example
Problem: Product damaged during put-
away
Why? Impacts and accidents
Why? Rushing to put away incoming loads
Why? Backlog on dock
Why? Not enough lift truck operators
Why? Attrition and turnover
Countermeasure: Run fleet with fewer
operators
 How?
Use ALT solutions that multiply labor force
One operator can manage 3 to 5 trucks
running a variety of preprogrammed
routes
Operator loads pallets on truck, brings
truck to starting point, selects route,
pushes Start and truck follows selected
route
Operator interfaces with next vehicle or
performs other tasks
 How it works
Operator trains route by driving truck
where it needs to go
Functions are programmed while
driving: pauses, stops, horn honks,
pallet drops, etc.
Multihead camera system records
image data
Software and hardware convert image
data into travel path to guide truck
Once learned, any route can be
repeated as often as needed
 Automated Lift Truck Uses in
Distribution
travels a route executes a variety of
without an operator horizontal travel tasks...
feeding putaway
operations

and supports
Operator in cross-docking
receiving operations
loads pallets throughout the
on unit. distribution center.
Pushes a
button
 Questions for automators
Is the solution:
Efficient?
Flexible?
Easy to deploy?
Scalable?
Affordable?
Is local service and support available?
 ALT efficiencies
Cost savings and operational
efficiencies
Flexible automation solutions
based on current platforms
Automation solutions fully
supported by manufacturer
 For More Information:
Speaker: frank devlin@raymondcorp.com
Home Page: www.raymondcorp.com

Visit The Raymond Corporation in

MODEX 2012 Booths 712 and 605

2012 Material Handling Industry. Copyright claimed as to audiovisual works of seminar

sessions and sound recordings of seminar sessions. All rights reserved.