Avoid packing line bottlenecks

Werma provides andon light based monitoring systems that have long been a staple in the manufacturing industry. They alert supervisors to problems and disruptions in the production line allowing for prompt resolution, minimising downtime. But swap 'production' for 'packing' and suddenly the potential for such products in the logistics industry, particularly in the massively growing online retail sector is clear.

At peak time, packing stations must be kept operating as efficiently as possible if DCs are to maintain the throughput necessary to cope with what can seem a tidal wave of orders. Little wonder then that Amazon and co have cottoned on to this solution.

Werma UK MD Simon Adams explains: "We have discovered enormous potential to identify bottlenecks and speed up the processin the logistics market - on packing lines and stations. A lot of time can be wasted by people walking away to get help or material supplied to their station. We've adapted a very simple product to a very wide range of applications in the logistics market that allows workers to signal for and get help while remaining at their station and remaining productive.

"At Amazon, a green light means 'I'm packing', an amber light means the packer estimates within 15 minutes he will run of packing materials. A red light means there is a breakdown. Amazon measures productivity in units per second, so packers must be kept busy."

Werma recently launched AndonSpeed, its new intelligent call for action andon light system for warehousing and packing operations, at the LogiMAT exhibition in Germany.

As well as signalling operational condition changes, it also documents and analyses non-productive events. Bottlenecks can be identified, processes optimised and counter measures instigated.

Simon explains: "The product allows supervisors and managers to measure performance in terms of breakdowns and throughout. At the moment, for the most part data has to be taken down on paper and therefore vulnerable to inaccuracy, whereas with our system it is automatically recorded, is 100% accurate and impartial.

"It can help companies see patterns over time, for example, if one line is slower due to a personnel issue, or if lines tend to run out of packing material at certain times of day.

"It's also good for staff. It gives the person at the packing bench the opportunity to intervene, he can press a button and request help when he sees a problem coming, then he's done his part and it is over to supervisory team to act.

"In essence, the solution provides useful, actionable intelligence. What's more, it's a standalone system, it doesn't have to integrated into your ERP or WMS. It gives you a quick, ready-made, hands-on, intuitive report."

The different events or requests are commonly signalled with red/green/amber lights - this could be a request for new material to be delivered, assistance required or that work is running out. Little training is required to understand the significance of the warning lights which can be a significant factor if the workforce is largely inexperienced or seasonal.

Furthermore, the system is low cost - between £200-250 per workstation to equip. "It is a simple low cost system but the benefits can be measured in terms of payback within weeks," says Simon.

Simon concludes: "From our point of view, logistics operations still suffer from time wastage and inefficiency due to poor response to calls for action. This can cause blockages on packing lines, for example. Yet warehouses are mature systems-wise. You don't want to tinker with expensive systems, digging up cabling etc. One of the key attractions of this solution is that it is grafted on to the existing system without disruption."