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Foundry (producer of water/pneumatic pipe couplings and fittings)
Foundry casting storage and retrieval
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Customer needed to add a new production equipment line without adding a new addition to the current building. The casting molds were stored using pullout shelving and located in two different areas, one area was the main storage area and a second area. This second area is where the customer wanted to put the new production equipment. Secondary problems included ergonomic issues and cycle times using the current pullout shelving systems.
Taller pullout shelving was considered but required a man lift to access the higher shelves and therefore would not be safe, ergonomic or result in faster cycle times. Vertical carousels were considered as well but because of the size and weights of the castings, the carousels could not be cost justified.
One (1) 2,000 lb. Capacity Prostak system #P2A-300-192.5-4236-9 and one (1) 2,500 lb. Capacity Prostak system #P2B-300-192.5-4236-10
The pullout shelving was taken down and one of the Prostak systems was installed in the main storage area. This system consolidated the storage from two areas of pullout shelving to one location. This freed up the area for the new production equipment while saving 50% of the space compared to the old main storage area while providing an extra 30% of storage in the Prostak rack systems for future growth. The second Prostak system was installed next to the new production line and was used to store and feed the casting molds to and from the new machine.
The Prostak system provided for better ergonomics through the use of the powered lift and crane instead of manually pulling out the heavily loaded shelves in the old shelving system. Cycle times were reduced because each Prostak system provided better organization and due to the small footprints needed for each Prostak system they were installed right next to each of the respective production lines.
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