Along with rapid growth, the complexity of warehouse operations is also constantly increasing and poses a great challenge in warehouse management as to how to optimize efficiency as well as optimize floor space. So Kardex Remstar’s vertical smart warehouse system consisting of a vertical lift module and a vertical carousel module is an effective storage solution that can optimally solve the challenge posed. However, the decision to choose between these two smart warehouse technologies depends on the needs of each business. Learn more about these two smart warehouses with Autotech through the article below!

Kardex Remstar Vertical Lift Module (VLM) consists of two columns of trays with a mechanical inserter/extractor positioned in the center. The inserter/extractor travels up and down between the stored trays, automatically locating and retrieving them as needed – similar to an elevator with doors that open on both the front and rear.

Kardex Remstar Vertical Carousel Module (VCM) is built with a series of carriers attached in fixed locations to a chain drive. Movement is powered by a motor, which sends the carriers in a vertical loop around a track in both forward and reverse directions – similar to a ferris wheel.

These are two types of Kardex Remstar smart warehouses that automatically store and pick up goods based on the principle of “Goods to person”, Vertical Carousel Modules and Vertical Lift Modules both offer:

• High-density storage of slow to medium velocity items.  A 20 foot tall machine can provide anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 locations (each roughly 6” x 6” x 4”).
• Automatic delivery of required items to a waist-high window for ergonomic, high-throughput picking in just a few steps.
• Full enclosures and lockable access for security.
• Maximized storage in a compact footprint by leveraging a facility’s overhead space.

1. Footprint

Both Kardex Remstar automated warehouse technologies span roughly the same range of widths, not much of a differentiator there. When it comes to depths, Kardex Remstar Vertical Lift Modules can be about twice as deep as Kardex Remstar Vertical Carousel Modules – giving VCMs an overall narrower footprint. Operators will also need to consider the average size of your product, as VLM smart warehouses are more suitable for larger products. For specifics, let’s break down all the numbers for each technology.

A standard VLM smart warehouse is roughly 5 to 15 feet wide by 7 to 10 feet deep. The trays that store the inventory range from 4 to just over 13 feet wide by 2 to 3 feet deep, with a max product height of just over 28 inches. (Think ergonomics: You don’t want the trays to be too deep or the operator won’t be able to reach items with minimal effort.)

In comparison, a VCM smart warehouse ranges from 6 to 13 feet wide by 4 to just over 5 feet deep. Designed for smaller product sizes, the carriers that store the inventory measure from 4 to almost 12 feet wide by 16 to 24 inches deep, with a product height up to 18.5 inches.

2. Heights

Kardex Remstar VLM smart warehouses start at 8 feet tall and can be stacked up to 98 feet high. In contrast, Kardex Remstar VCM smart warehouses start a little shorter, at just over 7 feet, and can reach up to 32 feet tall.

Although both of Kardex Remstar’s automated warehouse solutions are designed to reach as high as your ceiling allows, it doesn’t mean they always should. Often, the taller the smart warehouse, the slower the throughput. So it’s really up to business to determine the height of a smart warehouse that gives business the perfect mix of space savings and throughput. 

3. Load Capacities

The latest Kardex Remstar Vertical Carousel Modules smart warehouses handle up to 1,430 pounds per carrier. Kardex Remstar Vertical Lift Module smart warehouses can be outfitted with trays that handle up to 2,200 pounds each; for applications with heavier loads, lift-assist equipment can be added to a Kardex Remstar VLM. This is a major difference between these two Kardex Remstar smart warehouses. Moreve, Kardex Remstar VCM smart warehouses are more difficult to fit with ergonomic lifts and cranes – so if it’s heavy loads you’re looking to store Kardex Remstar VLM smart warehouses if it’s probably the choice in warehouse management.

4. Throughputs

Any automated warehouse system throughput rates like Kardex Remstar Vertical Carousel Modules and Kardex Remstar Vertical Lift Modules are application dependent. Depending on the configuration of the Kardex Remstar smart warehouse system (mostly unit height), customer’s order profile (single line vs multi), single order or batch picking, etc. can affect the throughput rate.

With Kardex Remstar VCM smart warehouses can achieve a rate of 400 items per hour, and with Kardex Remstar VLM smart warehouses can get a throughput rate of up to 350 items per hour, depending on the smart warehouse installation configuration of each enterprise.

Therefore, effective smart warehouse management as well as achieving maximum throughput from either of these two technologies of Kardex Remstar is dependent on the application, arrangement of inventory, and the integration of Pick- to-light of each business.

5. Pick-to-light

To reach those top throughput speeds, both types of Kardex Remstar smart wearhouse need to be outfitted with light-directed picking technologies, such as pick-to-light. These devices are placed inside the retrieval window and light up when needed, telling the operator where the required items are located so he or she can retrieve it quickly with little to no search time.

6. Slotting

In addition to depending on the unit configuration, Pick-to-light technology, to achieve the highest throughput rate, the slotting for both Kardex Remstar smart warehouses is also extremely important.

By regularly going through your entire inventory data of a smart warehouse, filtering out items that are commonly picked together simultaneously, and optimizing the ideal position to store each item, you can achieve a higher throughput speed. This process should ideally be implemented as early as possible before your inventory starts to pile up.

A smart warehouse with proper slotting will keep the most frequently picked (and co-picked) items stored together on the same tray or carrier.  This allows the operator to effectively smart warehouse management by making more picks on each level before moving on to the next, creating shorter travel time and cutting the overall processing time.

In a well optimized Kardex Remstar VLM automated warehouse setup, the items that are most often picked are placed closest to the window to allow inserter/extractor to function with minimal travel distance and time. Whereas in a Kardex Remstar VCM automated warehouse setup, the carrier trays holding the items that are most frequently picked are placed next to each other, so the chain does not need to move too far to gather all the required items.

With two Kardex Remstar automated warehouses consisting of a vertical lift module and a vertical carousel module, there are many more ways to optimize your throughput rates, such as multi-colored picking or cross picking to ramp up process flow.

Consideration 1: Product mix

As both Kardex Remstar smart warehouse systems store goods in a different manner, the weight and size of your warehouse goods, and how you mix them are the primary deciding factors on which VLM smart warehouse and VCM smart warehouse you adopt.

For the Kardex Remstar VCM smart warehouse, the bins are spaced equally in fixed locations. To maximize storage density, operators can adjust the height and width of each shelf level individually to separate your products for organization and slotting purposes, but need to be adjusted manually, which will require time and effort. Kardex Remstar VCM smart warehouse is suitable for storing goods of similar size that are of a regular height of approximately 8 inches and under, with little to no height fluctuations.

More sophisticated than VCM smart warehouses, Kardex Remstar VLM smart warehouses use a height sensor that measures how tall the items placed in each storage tray are every time it’s put away. The integrated software calculates the appropriate coordinates of height and distance, then directs the Kardex Remstar VLM to store the trays dynamically – as close as one inch apart – to maximize storage density.

For example, if the tallest item you place on a tray measures 6.2inches tall, the Kardex Remstar VLM smart warehouse will store it in a 7 inch space inside the machine. If that product is picked and the next tallest product remaining in the tray measures 3.5 inches tall, the VLM smart warehouse will automatically place the tray in a 4 inch-tall location. The machine prioritizes compressed storage to give you the highest storage density possible.

Therefore Kardex Remstar VLM automated warehouses are a better option if product mix constantly fluctuates, and if product mix is pretty consistent in size, Kardex Remstar VCM automated warehouses are again a better choice.

Consideration 2: Operation, construction and product handling

Because of their construction, operation and product handling differences, Kardex Remstar VCM smart warehouse and Kardex Remstar VLM smart warehouse will bring different benefits consistent with the purpose of each business.

1. Select a Kardex Remstar VCM smart warehouse solution when:

• Ceiling heights under 25 feet
• Stored parts sharing relatively similar dimensions
• Items that can be hand-picked without lift assistance

2. Select a Kardex Remstar VLM smart warehouse solution when:

• Ceiling heights up to 100 feet
• Highly variable sizes and weights of stored parts
• Frequently changing inventory mix
• Heavy items that require lifting assistance for the operator to safely handle

With the capacity to be a leading industrial machine manufacturing company specializing in providing automation solutions in many industrial fields in Vietnam such as Mechanical engineering, Electronic, Automotive, F&B, etc.

Autotech Machinery is currently collaborating with Kardex – the world’s leading partner in automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), to deploy the Kardex Remstar smart warehouse system in Vietnam, helping the storage process, shipping your business just got easier. From now on, share with us about your warehouse needs to get the best support from Autotech.

Read more about Kardex Remstar products distributed by Autotech in Vietnam:

https://www.auto-tech.vn/home-new/en/autotech-distributor-kardex-remstar/

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