Horizontal Carousels with Inventory Management Software
One of the stand-out features of a horizontal carousel is its inventory management capabilities. If you’re trying to build, modernize, or retrofit systems to enhance inventory management, a horizontal carousel featuring this software solution is an excellent option.
A horizontal carousel features a series of bins and shelves that mount to an oval track the rotates in more than one direction. That way, it can deliver inventory to the operator’s workstation or pod. If the operator works in a pod, they typically use between two and five carousels depending on the throughput rate.
Using this type of storage and retrieval system naturally updates inventory in real-time. In doing so, companies can see what’s available for allocation and the location of specific inventory items. Inventory management software also features access controls to ensure no one compromises inventory accuracies.
Understanding Automated Inventory Management
Keeping manufacturing and order processing floors running is the key to a company’s success. Using the right tools to reduce waste, including the time it takes for manual operations, helps companies increase profits.
Companies incorporating an automated inventory management system means that they’re using a software application. This application allows them to add, delete, edit, and transfer items in real-time. These systems also allow companies to pull inventory counts from their suppliers using information that feeds into a database.
Horizontal carousels feature designs that are beneficial for improving inventory management when they meet the following specifications:
- Easy-to-use interfaces that don’t require advanced training, documentation, or support
- Automation that eliminates manual processes companies typically must conduct for inventory management
- A database that’s reliable, secure, and provides accurate data in real-time
- Performance enabling actionable and fast inventory control and monitoring
Companies managing warehouses or manufacturing floors require workforces to keep tabs on all operations. Barcoding using inventory management software plays a critical role in how companies can accurately track their inventory. These numbers are essential because they allow companies to track their inventories in real-time.
Why Facilities Should Use a Horizontal Carousel and Inventory Management
A horizontal carousel is ideal for high-speed and automated delivery, picking, and sorting. These systems use heavy-duty bins that deliver to the operator automatically. In doing so, they reduce labor costs, save space, speed throughput, and improve inventory control and accuracy.
Automated storage and retrieval systems work exceptionally well when operators need to pick items, especially when the system combines with a pick-to-light or other inventory management solutions. Combining a horizontal carousel with inventory management software creates highly efficient batch picking.
Beyond that of increasing picking productivity and space savings, automated inventory management is another benefit facilities should embrace for the following reasons:
Increase in Data Accuracy
Because operators don’t have to enter information manually, that means there’s less room for human error. Using automated inventory management eliminates the need for manually entering data because the software takes care of everything.
Provides Real-Time Inventory Visibility
A company cannot determine where they stand regarding their inventory unless they’re using order tracking software. Companies can use real-time inventory feeds to determine how much inventory their suppliers have and how much the company needs.
Time Savings
There’s no longer the need for updating inventory in spreadsheets when using automated inventory management solutions. Instead, these counts update automatically to add or subtract inventory when it’s picked or received.
How Powered Storage Inventory Management Increases Efficiencies
Data is one of the essential features of inventory management software. Implementing this solution allows companies to access an arsenal of reports. Those reports give companies access to data that allows them to make better forecasting decisions.
Inventory management is a vital contribution to a company’s everyday operations. Because inventory management can reduce friction along a supply chain, that means companies can cut costs while simultaneously increasing efficiency.
Using an inventory management strategy helps keep customers satisfied and happy because the entire organization is moving better. These types of efficiencies help increase the company’s bottom line, which is a challenge in itself. Ensuring that inventory is where it should be and arrives at its location efficiently is a challenge many companies face continually.
Powered storage increase efficiencies because operators receive what they need directly at their workstation or pod. Inventory management software ensures that the system’s counts update automatically each time an operator picks something from the horizontal carousel.
Benefits and Features of Inventory Management For a Horizontal Carousel
Software that integrates into a horizontal carousel provides exceptional inventory management capabilities to system administrators. Companies can see how much inventory they have in real-time because they’re using barcode scanning and software-assisted processing.
Inventory management software is also beneficial because it counts cycles continuously while simultaneously allowing companies to trace products using a transaction history.
Additional benefits include:
- Prevents the possibility of unexpected delays or stockouts
- Provides maximum security for a company’s products
- System administrators can manage individual or group access controls
Incorporating an inventory management system into a horizontal carousel allows companies to track all incoming and outgoing stock. That way, they can avoid the expense of overstocking or losing business. Several features within these systems help companies control, manage, plan, and track their inventory. For example, inventory control features handle items companies already have in stock and play an integral role in supply chain management.
Additional features include:
- Receive an automatic low stock alert
- Automatically order new items when stock levels fall below a specific number
- Put-to-light software ensures operators that are manually restocking the horizontal carousel put things in the correct place
How Inventory Management Benefits the Military
Inventory management systems allow military professionals to track their stock items, including medical supplies and parts for assemblies. They can achieve this using mobile barcode scanners that feed information into a database. Inventory management systems allow users to compile inventory data securely and in real-time. That way, they can generate reports and increase their inventory performance.
These systems add value to all military branches and contractors and ensure they meet current and future needs. Not only are these systems efficient for tasks relating to inventory management, but they’re also beneficial for tracking inventory that’s specific to the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines. Automated storage and retrieval systems featuring inventory management software benefit the government, military, and private sectors in the following ways:
- Improving visibility into resources necessary to meet inventory requirements
- Maintaining a database of items that are in-process, in-storage, in-transit, and in-use
- Improves efficiencies for physical moving, processing, and tracking inventory
- Ensures inventories are ready to support audit activities
Software Technical Features and Design
Choosing the right software solutions means a company must look at its inventory requirements, its current tracking, and how the software can solve any potential issues. Several different software solutions are available depending on the type of horizontal carousel the company uses, how many carousels operators are picking from, and how many operators work within the warehouse.
General Technical Specifications:
- Picking accuracies increase up to 99% using simplified data entry methods and various optical indicators.
- Picking efficiencies increase through optimization of the picking process.
- Modular structures and versatile options allow for adjustments when companies need to change requirements.
Inventory Management Solutions
Distribution and manufacturing are both always going to have inventory. Companies can reduce the cost of doing business by keeping inventories moving and tracking their accuracy using inventory management software. For example, automated software can do the following:
- Assign documents and images to the material
- Categorize inventory by material families
- Conveniently manage user rights
- Create, edit, and manage inventories for picking and retrieval
- Display material images and possible storage spaces
- Export order data
- Import master and order data
- Import retrieval lists
- Records stock corrections, picking, and retrieval
Many companies turn to in-house engineering teams for advice regarding inventory management solutions. Architects and designers provide valuable information about how inventory management systems are beneficial to the athletic, educational, legal, medical, military, and technical industries, and more.
It’s possible to integrate powered storage solutions featuring inventory management systems into a company’s existing footprint when they have expert designers on staff. There are several architectural and design phases when companies incorporate a horizontal carousel into their existing floor plan.
Architectural and design phases:
- A thorough site evaluation to determine which horizontal carousel and inventory management solution is best
- CAD drawing depicting how and where to incorporate these inventory management solutions
- Presentation of plans
- Integration of the horizontal carousel into the company’s existing footprint
- Installation of the horizontal carousel
Harness Inventory Management Solutions with Horizontal Carousels
Southwest Solutions is an innovative leader in designing, supplying, and installing a horizontal carousel featuring inventory management solutions into businesses. Contact one of our professional design experts by email or call us at 800-803-1083. They’ll walk you through which solution is best for your business.
