| EAS (Experimental Applied Sciences) |
SIC: 5122 |
Systems Integrator: FloStor Engineering (Hayward, CA)
Boosting Performance and Productivity
EAS relies on new conveyor
installation to help expedite the flow of its nutritional supplements to a
growing customer base.
 EAS
is all about individual performance. The company's nutritional supplements
are designed to bring out the best in athletes and active people
everywhere.
EAS strives for peak performance in all of
its operational areas as well. However it found that one key part of the
business, warehousing and order fulfillment, was in need of substantial
enhancement.
This Golden, Colorado-based company had
been shipping orders from an outdated facility that had one forklift and
one conveyor line. Orders had to be moved and tracked manually � an
approach not very well suited to a fast-growing organization with
customers across North America and around the world.
Management moved to address the situation.
They knew that they wanted an order-flow system that could keep up with
current order volume while having plenty of expansion room for future
demand. They wanted a system that was reliable and ergonomically friendly.
They also wanted an operation that responded to customer needs in a fast
and accurate manner.
EAS achieved all of these goals with the
opening in May 1999 of a new modern distribution center in Golden. The
141,000 square-foot facility seamlessly integrates a variety of conveyor
equipment from Hytrol. It employs the latest scanning equipment and
computer controls to ensure shipment accuracy and productivity. It also
allows workers to focus on their jobs without having to worry about the
risk of injury from heavy lifting or excessive manual handling.
"The installation and operation has
gone extremely well," says Shelly Phillips Metz, Vice President of
Logistics and Distribution for EAS. The facility is processing 1,800 cases
a day, she adds, with the capability to handle more.
Meeting the Objectives
Design
and installation of the new conveyor system was a team effort between EAS
and FloStor Engineering of Hayward, California. FloStor is a systems
integrator and distributor of Hytrol conveyor equipment.
 To meet the critical objective of reliable and
continuous flow of product, the team decided on an integrated series of
proven Hytrol conveyors. These included gravity, horizontal power, and
live roller units. The live roller accumulating conveyor, Model 138-SPEZ,
has the EZ Logic feature. This exclusive feature from Hytrol senses
product presence and controls accumulation and release of product from
zone to zone. Other equipment includes power-pivot diverters and ball
transfer tables.
The order-picking process begins in what are called the "7-Zone Production Lines." Guided by a touch
screen computer and scanners, operators pick orders into boxes that rest
on gravity lines on either side of the EZ Logic accumulating conveyor. If
there are multiple boxes in an order, the operators are careful to keep
them together as a "train." Orders are passed from zone to zone
on the gravity conveyors. As soon as a single order or train of orders is
complete, they are placed on the takeaway conveyor in the middle.
The boxes then move out of the picking zone and through
an Accu-Sort scanner that triggers the power-pivot diverters. The
diverters send the orders down one of four lanes, depending on the
shipment method to be used � FedEx, USPS, LTL, and so forth.
The first stop for each order is a verifying station. At
this point the order is verified, filled, and sealed. The order then
proceeds to the manifest stations. Working on ball transfer tables here,
operators do a final scan of the order and prepare it for the appropriate
carrier.
Advantages of the System
 In operation
for just over a year now, the new installation has already delivered
multiple benefits. "We've experienced higher shipping volume, better
order accuracy, and a noticeable reduction in wrong orders shipped,"
reports Metz. Any order that is received by 2:00 p.m. is shipped out that
day � accurate and complete.
The personnel working at the Distribution
Center have benefited, too. All of the lifting now takes place in the
individual's ergonomic target zone � that is, from the shoulders to the
bottom of the hands. In addition, people on the lines only need to cover
16 feet, keeping walking and fatigue to a minimum.
One other important benefit bears
mentioning. EAS did not lose a single day of shipping during installation.
FloStor was able to manage the project so that shipping could continue on
an existing line while the new system was being completed.
The teamwork has paid off. EAS now is
fulfilling orders at the same peak performance level that its products
deliver to customers.
The Distribution Center at Golden
Order-picking
process begins on the "production lines." Orders here are moved
on gravity conveyors from zone to zone. When completed, they are placed on
takeaway conveyor in the middle. The boxes proceed out of the picking area
toward the power-pivot diverters, which send them down one of four
shipping lanes. Orders pass through a verifying station and then to the
manifesting stations. At this point, the order is ready for shipment.
Facts and Figures
Company: EAS
(Experimental and Applied Sciences)
Facility: National Distribution Center
Location: Golden, CO
Size: 141,000 square feet
Employees: 30 (one shift)
Key personnel: Shelly Phillips Metz, V.P.-logistics and
distribution; Rusty Anderson, D.C. manager.
Product handled: Nutritional supplements, promotional items,
printed materials.
Throughput: Approximately 1,800 cases per day
Types of conveyors: Gravity, horizontal power, live roller (EZ
Logic) power-pivot diverters, ball transfer tables.
Shipment method: Parcel, LTL, truckload
Conveyor supplier: Hytrol Conveyor Inc., Jonesboro, AR
Systems controls: Serra Systems Inc., Healdsburg, CA
Systems Integrator: FloStor Engineering Inc., Hayward, CA
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