Operating a large warehouse is a complex process. One of the goals of efficient inventory management is getting product from one place to another as quickly, safely, and cheaply as possible. Read on to learn how conveyor systems improve inventory management in all three areas.
Conveyor Belts and Inventory Management at a Glance
There are many benefits to implementing conveyor systems. This is because conveyor systems do the following:
- Eliminate the need for additional employees
- Are more efficient at transferring product between locations
- Can carry heavier loads
- Sort product more accurately
- Lower the chances of workplace accidents
Shorter Transit Times
It’s no secret that machines help make moving product around a lot more efficient. A single worker in a forklift can carry an entire pallet of boxes, where a person alone could only carry one box. However, with a conveyor system, the process is even faster because the transit and the return trip happen simultaneously.
Decrease Workplace Accidents
Conveyor belts can also carry a lot more weight than most workers can. They don’t get tired, need breaks, or drop things by accident. When you let a conveyor system do the heavy lifting in your warehouse, you don’t have to worry about human factors causing mishaps. This also gets rid of accidents that people cause with machinery, like forklift accidents.
Lower Overhead Costs
When you automate your throughput process, you don’t need as many human workers. While you’ll still need a few employees to oversee the machines and make repairs, most of the work is done by the conveyor system. For businesses looking to save money long term, investing in automation is an important cost-reduction strategy.
Improved Accuracy
A fourth reason why conveyor systems improve inventory management is that they’re more accurate than people. Machines don’t sort boxes incorrectly unless there’s something wrong with their programming. Human beings, on the other hand, might misread a label or forget to count a pallet. If you want to eliminate expensive mistakes, automation is the way to go.
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