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| EKS Series communicates with warehouse management system  The Jungheinrich EKS 210/312 are equipped with state-of-the-art RFID technology. It enables warehouse management systems to identify the stacker's position precisely and automatically navigate the forklift to the right location in the aisle at all times. This translates into significant gains for warehouses, in terms of both flexibility and productivity. Whereas the EKS 312 is a new iteration of an order picker series that has garnered success on the market for years, 2009 will see the 2 Series experience a world premiere."The introduction of this new series pays tribute to the changes in logistics and the significant rise in the importance of order picking in recent years, " comments Sebastian Riedmaier, Head of Product Management and Product Marketing in the Warehousing and Systems Sector at Jungheinrich. He adds that development work focussed on meeting the demand for high pick performance, long usage periods and utmost flexibility. Says Riedmaier: "This is why we opted for two different forklift concepts." The New EKS: RFID Provides Warehouses with Flexibility and Productivity Jungheinrich's new EKS 210/312 vertical order picker comes standard with the RFID warehouse navigation unit showcased for the first time at CeMAT 2008. This enables the truck to communicate both with the ground and the warehouse management system. "The warehouse management system feeds information directly to the stacker's control unit," Sebastian Riedmaier explains. The "Horizontal Positioning" and "Rack Height Select" modules are the warehouse navigation system's basic elements. The order picker receives pick jobs from the warehouse management system, and all the operator needs to do is accept them with the click of a mouse from the terminal. The warehouse management system then transmits the next pick position to the forklift's control unit. The driver makes his way to the aisle in which the goods are located. Once the aisle has been reached, the stacker commences its semi-automatic approach to the storage location. "Once the desired shelf position has been approved by the operator, it is approached via the shortest route and at optimal speed while minimizing energy consumption," Riedmaier continues. "All the driver has to do now is press the drive button." According to initial tests, the system has the potential to increase handling turnover rates up to 25 per cent. Furthermore, this reduces the driver's workload, as he can relax as he is taken to the right spot without having to "chart a course." Similarly to the "pick-by-light" principle, a lamp lights up on the side of the truck facing the target location once it has been reached. This signals the driver whether he has to pick the order from the left or right shelf. Says Riedmaier: "The result is a considerable improvement in pick quality." write your comments about the article :: © 2010 Construction News :: home page |