Chapter 11
The design of storage and
handling facilities
Chapter 11: Strategic Leadership
Overview
This chapter covers the following topics:
• Introduction
• Initial requirements
• Sizing the warehouse
• Operation and warehouse management systems
(WMS)
• Design process
• Fire
• Security
• Lighting
Chapter 11: Strategic Leadership
Introduction
• Need to understand the principles of the layout of
a facility
• Allows change that is efficient
• Introduces the principles of change or mere
expansion
• Ongoing changes to a facility requiring
adaptation and improvement
• The design for a new facility is specialised and
beyond this text
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Design requirements
• Should be written and reviewed before any
change
• Purpose needs to be explicitly defined:
- Cross dock
- Manufacturing storage warehouse
- Distribution centre (and so on)
• Growth forecast
-Sets the size of any change to cater for the
future
• Purpose of a facility is defined by a PPC
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Operations and WMS
• Define the methods supported by the
warehouse management system (WMS)
and what is most efficient for the
operation.
• Chart the processes.
• Identify limitations.
• Find solutions that are permitted and suit
the operation.
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Design process
• Identify PPCs in the products and
processes
• For each PPC, record:
- Storage requirements
- Handling and moving areas
- Assembly areas for transport loading
and unloading
-Receiving requirements
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PPC combination and
optimisation
• Define for each PPC:
- Which areas are unique to the PPC
- Which areas can be combined and the
impact on space or congestion
-Periods of operation
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Common areas
• If common areas are used in same
period, then require increased space
above single use, but less than proportion
to number of PPCs that will use space.
• Example: a travel aisle for two PPCs
need only be 50% wider than that required
for one PPC use.
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Aisle sizes between/around
racks
• Aisle size is determined by equipment
used and traffic .
• Rack volume to total floor space is
important to know, as directly influences
quantity of product to be stored – must be
able to calculate this.
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Methods – receiving
• Interaction between receipt and put-away
determines size of receiving area.
• Disciplined placing in lines at all times
makes for smaller size.
• Partial receipt before put-away begins
reduces size necessitated by receiving
area.
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Layout of receiving bay
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Movement zones
Defined to cater for all movement that will
occur, reflecting:
• Number of PPCs that will use it
concurrently (defined by periods of use)
• Speed of equipment
• Turning and stopping
• Flows – one- or two-way increase the size
of movement area
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Other requirements
• Pick method
• Loading/unloading doors
• External truck area
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Combining areas
• Requirements for each PPC
• Can use CAD or drawing method
• Drawing method:
- Record areas on paper layouts (cut out)
- Move around on drawing of facility
- Unique areas must be allocated so
temperatures are graded from lowest to
highest and flows are sensibly minimised
- Common areas must be combined
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Other issues
• Fire
• Safety
• Security
• Lighting
Chapter 11: Strategic Leadership