Storage/Staging: Series of bins helps organize parts, workers and the facility

A major U.S. commercial and military aircraft manufacturer recently implemented the use of color-coded hopper-front dividable containers for its horizontal carousel system.

The director of distribution and inventory was looking for a simple way to organize, categorize and unitize his huge inventory while also making it look good. The answer was to categorize the parts into different groups and families and to strategically locate parts in different areas of the system.

Parts that were most frequently used were put in the “golden zone,” areas accessible to the worker from waist to shoulder height. Slow-movers were put up top, with slower, heavier items on the bottom of the carousel. The director says the totes and carousels more than doubled the amount of inventory they could store in standard shelving.

He also says picking errors decreased more than fourfold. The carousel system is now the highlight of the facility tour because it is aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. The containers are made with antistatic material and a resin that meets requirements for fire resistance.

Flexcon Container
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