Features/Benefits Provided: The five shuttle VLMs equaled 45 storage cabinets in half the floor space! The shuttle VLM automatically scans every tray to make sure it is stored in the least amount of space.

When a major automotive manufacturer decided to introduce the world's first sport activity vehicle (SAV) to the U.S. market, the South Carolina based manufacturing plan was in desperate need of more space. A 900,000 sq. ft. addition was planned to increase production capacity and provide a more flexible manufacturing base accommodate a wider range of models and production volumes. Even with the dramatic expansion, the plant's existing 7,500 sq. ft. storeroom housing spare parts for manufacturing equipment was not allotted any more space. Although drawer cabinets, a pallet stacker, and shelving were already nearly full, the room's vertical cube was largely untouched.

To reach into the storeroom's vertical cube, five shuttle 250NT vertical lift modules were installed side-by-side. The innovative vertical storage units provided enclosed protection for the densely packed trays of parts. When a storeroom associate calls for a part, the correct tray is automatically lowered by an internal elevator to a waist-high extraction platform, where it is advanced out toward the associate for easy part removal (or put away.) To justify the expense the automotive manufacturer found that approximately nine of their existing part storage cabinets fit into one shuttle VLM. Including necessary 42-inch aisles, 45 equivalent cabinets would require about 800 sq. ft. of floor space - twice the space required for the VLMs. Before and after each tray extraction, a light-curtain sweeps the tray looking for parts extending beyond the tray's edges and also for parts taller than the last height detected and remembered by the VLM for that tray. The information helpfully points out unclosed carton flaps, plastic bags sticking up, and other storage irregularities. The curtain also determines the stacking density to be selected when the tray is returned to the stack.

As a result of the storage space gained by installing the new vertical lift modules, the storeroom was able to easily accept spares for all of the plant's new equipment. Should more space be required in the future, additional VLMs can be quickly added. The five VLMs were installed while the plant was operating without shutting down the storeroom.

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