Small Parts Storage, Big Opportunity:
What You Need to Know About Vertical Lift Modules
When inventory is spread across rows of shelving, a surprising amount of time can go into simply getting to the product. Employees walk up and down aisles, search for the right bin, reach into shelving, and often use ladders or lift equipment to access items stored higher up.
A vertical lift module (VLM) takes a different approach: instead of having the employee go to the product, it brings the product to the employee.
The SSI LOGIMAT® from SSI SCHAEFER is a great example of this highly efficient approach to managing your inventory. Here’s a look at some of the practical reasons a VLM is a popular option for small-parts storage.
Less walking, more picking
One of the biggest advantages of a VLM is relatively simple: employees don’t have to spend as much time walking around looking for things.
With traditional shelving, an employee might receive a request for a part, walk down an aisle, find the right shelf, locate the bin, grab the item, and then walk back to their workstation. Do that hundreds of times a day and all those trips start to add up.
A VLM changes the process. The employee requests the item through the system, and the machine retrieves the appropriate tray and brings it to the operator.
It’s the basic goods-to-person concept: the product comes to the picker rather than the picker traveling to the product.
Over the course of a day, reducing all that walking can make a big difference.
Put Your Vertical Space to Work
Most warehouses have something in common: there’s a lot more space above the products than there is between the aisles.
Traditional shelving doesn’t always make the best use of that vertical space. A VLM is designed specifically to take advantage of it.
The SSI LOGIMAT can be configured to heights of up to approximately 79 feet, allowing trays to be stored vertically rather than spreading inventory across more floor space.
In fact, a VLM can require up to 90% less storage space compared to traditional methods.
That means you can make better use of the space you already have. By bringing inventory up and out of the floor space, a VLM can significantly increase storage capacity while keeping products organized, accessible, and easy to retrieve.
For a space-constrained facility, that can be especially valuable. And for a new facility, it could mean getting the storage capacity you need without making the building quite as large.
Safety & Ergonomics
Walking isn’t the only issue with traditional shelving.
Employees may also spend their day bending down to reach lower shelves, stretching to reach higher ones, or climbing steps to get to products that are stored above shoulder height.
A VLM brings the selected tray to an operator access point, so employees aren’t constantly reaching into different levels of shelving.
The LOGIMAT is an ergonomic solution that eliminates the need for operators to bend, stretch, or use steps and ladders to access stored goods.
It’s a relatively simple change, but one that can make repetitive picking work more comfortable.
Accurate Picking, Made Easy
When picking from traditional shelving, there are several opportunities for error.
An employee has to find the right aisle, locate the right shelf, identify the right bin, and then select the correct item.
A VLM handles much of the locating automatically. Once an item is requested, the system retrieves the appropriate tray and presents it to the operator.
And there’s another useful feature: laser guidance.
Vertical lift modules like the SSI LOGIMAT can be equipped with a laser pointer that indicates the item’s position on the tray, making it easier for the operator to identify exactly which bin to pick from.
For operations handling lots of similar-looking small parts, that extra guidance can help reduce picking errors while making the process faster and more intuitive.
Ready to learn more?
If your employees are spending a significant part of their day walking to inventory, searching through shelves, reaching for products, or dealing with limited floor space, it’s worth considering how a VLM could benefit your business.
Our team of storage experts are ready to help you take your operation to new heights. To learn more about our products and services, contact us today.