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Material Handling Information - Case Studies - Shiseido
   
Case Studies - Medical Industry Application
Shiseido
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Application
  • 116,100-square foot distribution center for high-end cosmetics.
  • Serves four prefectures in central Japan.
Key Customer Benefits
  • Rapid order filling for high-turnover items.
  • Virtually 100% accurate real-time inventory control and order picking.
  • Reduced order-filling cycle time.
  • Automated replenishment virtually eliminates stock outs.
  • Improved worker productivity and ergonomics.
  • Reduced operating costs.
Material Flow Requirements
  • Provide rapid response to local market information.
  • Reduce order lead times.
  • Improve order picking accuracy.
  • Provide high-quality customer service.
  • Enhance worker productivity while minimizing product costs.
Material Flow Hardware
  • Eight-aisle mini load automated buffer with 17,664 storage locations.
  • Conveyor line serving the mini load.
  • Seven-unit overhead monorail loop system.
  • 50 Radio Frequency (RF) picking carts.
  • Flow rack with 1,296 storage locations.
  • Pallet shelf with 748 storage locations.
  • Rack warehouse with 1,144 storage locations.
  • Medium-weight shelf with 2,160 storage locations.
  • Seven inspection and packing lines.
  • Seven sorting lines.
  • Robotic depalletizer.
Material Flow Process

Input
  • Incoming inventory is delivered on pallets.
  • Slower moving items are stored on pallet shelves or in a rack warehouse with room for more than 1,000 pallets.
  • High-turnover items are depalletized using a robotic depalletizer and sent by conveyor to an eight-aisle mini load automated buffer.
  • Totes stored in the mini load replenish flow racks via a network of seven overhead monorail units on a loop system.
Output
  • Host computer sends pick instructions to 50 Radio Frequency (RF) picking carts.
  • Workers use picking carts to pick items from flow racks and conventional shelves.
  • Picking cart display tells workers what items to pick from what shelf, how many to pick, and into which collection tote on the cart each item goes.
  • Workers scan each item's bar code with the picking cart's built-in reader, which transmits the data back to the inventory control system.
  • If workers pick the wrong item or put it in the wrong bin, an alarm sounds until the error is corrected, ensuring virtually 100% accuracy.
  • After picking, items are delivered to one of seven inspection and packing lines.
  • Completed orders go to one of seven sorting lines for loading onto shipping trucks.
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