cause process changes mean changes
in the way people work, and that means
changing habits as well. Initial success-es may make subsequent steps easier.
The most effective green and lean
material handling results will be ob-
tained by using these tools where they
make the most sense rather than re-
verting to old habits. Tug and cart ap-
plications that also save energy and
contribute to greener manufacturing
are a double win.
Larry Tyler is co-founder of Kinetic Technologies Inc., 1350 Rockefeller Road, Wickliffe,
OH 44092, 440-943-4111, info@ktecinc.
com, www.ktecinc.com.
TRANSMISSION MANUFACTURER BALANCES TUGS AND FORKLIFTS
A large manufacturer of commercial
HVAC systems placed its bulk components for installation on industrial carts
staged in the line at each workcell (see
Figure 6). This allowed the operators to
easily retrieve their next unit using an
overhead jib boom and manually rotate
the deck to allow easy access to the
large dunnage from one side.
Previously full dunnage was dropped
and empties retrieved by forklifts. This
created an unsafe situation for assemblers, who were often standing in the
narrow aisles where forklift operators
were maneuvering the loads.
OTHER APPROACHES
Several manufacturers are implementing material handling strategies known
as “mother/daughter” (M/D) cart delivery systems to improve their operations
(see Figure 7).
The M/D cart delivery system typically has two small carts within a larger
cart. Bulk parts can be manually or
forklift-loaded onto the two daughter
carts in the stock or storage area. One
or two complete M/D frames can be
towed by a tugger to line-side positions
and “dropped” for the assemblers to
use, or daughter carts are removed and
positioned for use in the cells.
The M/D approach simplifies delivery. It allows the daughter carts to be
unloaded without disconnecting carts
in a train and permits the selection of
any daughter cart in the mother train
without regard for sequence position,
simplifying loading for delivery.
Figure 6
A rotational deck cart is being loaded with compressors for delivery to assembly.
Figure 7
A mother/daughter (M/D) cart delivery system typically has two small carts within a larger
cart. Bulk parts can be manually or forklift-loaded onto the two daughter carts in the stock
or storage area. One or two complete M/D frames can be towed by a tugger to line-side
positions. Here, an operator unloads a daughter cart from its mother cart deck.
