Five advantages of Vertical Carousels
Curious about how one or more Vertical Carousels could benefit your business?
The most common benefits of paternoste works are:
- Space-saving
- Order and organization
- Efficiency
- Controlled environment
- Ergonomics
If you or someone in your organization has started discussing an investment in Vertical Carousel In this article, we’ll highlight the five most obvious benefits of this type of Vertical Storage System.
Enjoy the read!
Space savings in Vertical Carousels
For many, the main reason to invest in a Vertical Carousel is the space it saves. The principle is very simple: a Vertical Carousel consists of densely packed shelves that allow you to utilize the full height of your factory or warehouse.
Items stored on shelving units often work exceptionally well for a Vertical Carousel system; with small- to medium-sized items, you get the most out of your investment.
The easiest way to calculate the space savings is to compare a shelving unit with a Vertical Carousel, as shown below configuration (typically a Vertical Carousel):
Machine Specifications | Dimensions / Quantity |
|---|---|
External dimensions of the Vertical Carousel | 3,500 mm x 1,700 mm |
Height | 8,000 mm |
Shelf width | 3,000 mm |
Shelf depth | 600 mm |
Number of Trays | 80 units |
Distance between trays | 200 mm |
In the same amount of space, you can fit a row of shelving units, assuming that standard warehouse design calls for 2 meters between shelf unit:
Shelf specifications | Dimensions / Quantity |
|---|---|
Height | 2,400 mm |
Shelf width | 3,500 mm |
Shelf depth | 600 mm |
Number of Trays | 12 units |
Distance between trays | 200 mm |
Calculation of storage capacity in square meters
Vertical Carousel | ||
|---|---|---|
Floor area | 3,500 mm x 1,700 mm | 6 m² |
square meters of storage space | 3,000 mm x 600 mm x 80 mm Tray | 144 sq ft |
Shelving unit | ||
|---|---|---|
Floor area | 3,500 mm x 1,600 mm* | 5.6 m² |
square meters of storage space | 3,500 mm x 600 mm x 12 trays | 25.2 sq m |
* 2 m between the shelving units; the shelving unit on one side takes up half the space.
In the example above, this means Vertical Storage Systems have 5–6 times the storage capacity of the shelving unit. In terms of storage capacity per square meter, the Vertical Carousel system’s key figure is 24 m² of storage space per square meter of floor space, while the shelving system’s is 4.5 m² of storage space per square meter of floor space.
Order and organization
Improved inventory control is a benefit that users of a paternoster warehouse quickly notice after installation. Order and organization—or improved inventory accuracy—often isn’t the result of implementing system support such as a WMS or warehouse management system, but rather of consolidating items and transactions in a single location.
By consolidating goods, storage, and picking in one location, it’s very easy to be close to a workstation so that warehouse and factory workers can record all their transactions in real time.
The alternative is often to run around the warehouse shelves with a picking list that needs to be entered into the system later—and might get forgotten because you take a coffee break or because the weekend is approaching...
Efficiency
If you're in the market for one (1) Vertical Carousel The main arguments are usually the space savings they offer and the organization they provide. However, if you buy two or more, you can also highlight their efficiency as a strong selling point.
Efficiency can result from good organization, even when purchasing a single Vertical Carousel, but a picking station where one (1) picker operates three Vertical Storage Systems ensures a constant and rapid picking flow for the picker.
Of course, efficiency in terms of picks per hour varies greatly depending on the type of goods and picking method used, but below are some approximate benchmarks for e-commerce picking, for example:
Picking method | Capacity |
|---|---|
Pick from pallet racks | 20–40 picking lines per hour |
Pick from the shelf | 40–70 picking lines per hour |
Picking from a paternoster system / Vertical Storage Systems* | 120–360 picking lines per hour |
*when using 2 or more Vertical Carousels per picker.
Controlled environment
Unlike shelving systems, where products are left out in the open in the warehouse or production area, a Vertical Carousel creates a protected environment for the goods. When goods are stored in a Vertical Carousel, the amount of dust and dirt that comes into contact with them is significantly reduced.
A Vertical Carousel may also be suitable for storing high-value or theft-prone goods. Not only is it easier to monitor for potential theft since both storage and retrieval always take place through the same opening, but a Vertical Carousel can also be locked when not in use.
Ergonomics
The working height of a paternoster warehouse is typically 1,000 mm above the floor, which is an ergonomic height for storage and picking. Unlike with shelving systems, factory or warehouse workers do not need to lift heavy loads from floor level or climb the shelving to reach goods stored on the top shelf.
Get help finding the right Vertical Carousel
Would you like to learn more about how a Vertical Carousel can help you? Contact us using the form below or send us an email info@relevator.se We'll help you find the right machine!