Warehouse storage solutions provider Logistics Systems Engineering (LSE) has successfully designed and installed what it says is South Africa’s first ninth-generation Tornado vertical lifting module (VLM), from pan-European storage products and solutions provider Gonvarri.

LSE installed the Tornado VLM at the premises of electrical components manufacturer ACDC Dynamics. It was delivered and installed by the end of the second quarter and was specially designed for ACDC to improve efficiency at its Edenvale-based warehouse, in Gauteng.

LSE’s scope of work included machine specification design, functional design, delivery, installation, commissioning and personnel training.

“The Tornado VLM is an ultra-fast, virtually noiseless, computer-controlled storage and transfer lift,” says LSE CEO Fred Albrecht, adding that ACDC needed a “proven, almost maintenance-free solution”.

The project required a specialised solution, owing to ACDC’s site having a limited amount of space in which to fit the VLM.

The Tornado VLM uses minimal floor space, nonetheless, as the innovative storage system automatically optimises loaded goods on trays, which also significantly increases picking rates while providing security for high-risk items.

The solution was also ideal for ACDC because it required a system that facilitated faster picks, which LSE ensured by incorporating the latest finite element analysis data into the system.

With a floor footprint of 13.6 m2, the Tornado could fill 243 m2 if it were designed as a horizontal unit, but by virtue of its vertical design, it saves up to 87% of the space needed for conventional racking and shelving, providing ACDC with maximised storage capacity.

Adjustments can also be made to the Tornado VLM system, as programming rules can be changed from ‘first in, first out’ to ‘first expiry’.

Client requirements evolve, and the unit can cater to warehouse management system rules, says Albrecht.

Outperforming

Expectations

“Only once it was installed and operational, did we realise the machine’s speed and versatility – a definitive advantage compared to conventional VLMs, as it enabled us to better serve clients,” lauds ACDC CEO Mario Maio.

The solution’s capacity also enabled ACDC to increase its productivity in terms of storing.

The Tornado VLM is 12.1 m high, carries as many pallets as the four other VLMs currently in ACDC’s warehouse and is almost three times faster.

“The technology and features incorporated into the Gonvarri Tornado VLM are beyond any other solution we have experienced or reviewed,” Maio adds, noting that the new VLM is also aesthetically pleasing and well-engineered.

The most important consideration for ACDC was a safe automated, high-density storage system that could offer a 15 m option, should the need arise. Therefore, these features had to be incorporated during the design phase.

Additionally, in terms of standards, the VLM has a European Commission (CE) declaration of conformality, which was achieved in accordance with the EN15095.

“Simply put,” says ACDC warehouse manager Floris Venter, “it provides a risk-free environment and can be managed by a dedicated controller.”

Made to Manoeuvre

Although this specific VLM-type is used by pharmaceuticals companies for scheduled drugs and by police departments to store and retrieve confiscated firearms, ACDC uses the VLM for small electrical components, focusing on medium- and fast-moving items.

The high-density storage system measures every tray and immediately registers to which cavity the tray must be sent.

This allows for the trays to be filled with stock and the system optimises the volume by height, saving storage space. “There is a maximum of 25 mm between every loaded tray.”

Venter adds that, consequently, ACDC can effortlessly stock items, and the system will consistently optimise the volume – a capability that is not achievable using conventional racking.

Further, Albrecht points out that this technology “is unique and cannot be found elsewhere in the South African market”.

The solution is competitively priced and was “well within” ACDC’s budget.

“With any leading business, the company cannot simply look at return on investment (ROI) – it requires the right technology partners, which can deliver what the business needs, and ACDC received more than it expected.”

Maio adds that the best technology usually costs more money, and ACDC did not seek the cheapest solution. However, the solutions that provided the shortest ROIs in full, the lowest total cost of ownership and highest efficiencies were all part of LSE’s VLM offerings.

“It was the right decision, and we are looking to continue to invest in the roll-out of ninth-generation Tornado VLMs,” concludes Venter.