Efficient parts-picking keeps fleets on the move in Maryland county
Montgomery County, Md.’s Division of Fleet Management Services operates 24/7 to keep equipment working. The division maintains a fleet of over 2,205 automobiles, 454 heavy pieces of equipment, 390 transit buses and 212 units of user-agency-owned heavy gear.
When a new heavy equipment and transit fleet facility was designed, there was little space allocated for the parts department. “The plan had more service bay space but less space for parts,” explains Keith Powers, Program Manager II. The county needed a solution for their parts department that would allow them to keep parts on site and quickly accessible.
The parts room that measured 9,800 square feet in the old setup was reduced to 5,800 square feet in the new facility. Two Shuttle vertical lift modules (VLM) from Kardex Remstar, each standing 14 feet tall, integrated with pick-to-light technology and inventory management software, allowed the division to maintain its parts inventory while reducing its footprint by 41 percent. The two Shuttle XP VLMs sit side-by-side at the new facility, occupying a 112-by-112-inch area.
A TIC (Transaction Information Center), integrated into the access opening of each unit, directs the operator to the exact location of the part within the tray. The unit’s LED light bar not only indicates the exact cell to pick from, but also displays the part number and description. Pick-to-light technology speeds the picking process and increases pick accuracy to 99.9 percent, according to the company.
Power Pick Global inventory management software drives the VLMs and is integrated with the fleet management information system. “It was a necessity for us,” Powers said of the parts management system. “It allows us to maintain parts inventory in less space while increasing picking efficiencies.”
For more information, visit Kardex Remstar's website.
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