Blick updates its G2P system

For years, Blick Art Supplies’ most productive parts picking technology has been multiple pods of goods-to-person (G2P) carousels. Originally manufactured in the early 1990s, these carousels were designed to produce about 250 lines per hour of each picks.

The equipment continues to contribute such high value even though it’s beyond the normal 10-year life expectancy due to the following combination of interventions: Field rebuilding techniques, which are required to eliminate the impacts of mechanical wear; regular control upgrades required to work with modern warehouse control system/warehouse execution system (WCS/WES); and the replacement of unsupported legacy WCS/WES software with current goods-to-person automation software.

In Blick’s case, the company asked a pallet shuttle systems and custom rebuilt horizontal carousel and vertical carousel systems provider to assess the situation. The provider discovered that semi-static components, such as carriers, shelves and superstructure, had experienced negligible wear. The same was not true of moving components like load wheels, yokes and links though, which showed significant wear on some machines.

As a result, the provider developed a plan to replace worn machine parts en masse. A field rebuilding kit was carefully prepared and shipped in advance to ensure fast execution. The process was executed over extended weekends, spaced out to minimize disruption.

Due to the process, the before and after differences were so dramatic that operators expressed surprise regarding how quietly and smoothly the carousels ran once the work was completed.

The welfare of older carousels often rests on unsupported software and computer interface hardware, leading them to become vulnerable to age-related failure. The systems provider has developed solutions to upgrade old controls and software. In Blick’s case, the systems provider offered a current Magic Warehouse package—and only a few replacement carousel interface controllers were required. Blick’s updated system has been operating smoothly for more than two years—with many positive returns expected.

Major capital investment has been eliminated, which would otherwise have been required to remove and replace the existing carousels. There hasn’t been any major facility disruption or production time lost to a complex remove/replace cycle. Ongoing labor productivity/savings have also been delivered by the carousel systems.

AS/R Systems
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