Outside of the manufacturing and processing industries the warehousing and logistics sectors have become massive markets for the material handling industries. Most typically people will be familiar with images of vast parcel sortation system in the like of Amazon and DHL. Powered roller and belt systems with barcode reader for sorting require complex PLC’s.
Sortation Systems
Large logistic facilities see miles of powered roller and belt conveyor with bar code or QR readers that route the parcels and packages to their specific destination. The systems require complex PLCs to coordinate the mechanical equipment in order to do this. As warehouse space becomes scarcer the demand for using the empty space increases, so chain transfers, lifts and mezzanines route parts into restricted spaces. At the end of the sortation lines, telescopic belt conveyors do exactly as there name suggests and extend out into lorry trailers for easy loading and offloading.
Mezzanines
With storage space at a premium, mezzanine floors are increasingly popular for storing and or processing goods and parcel. Often in combination with large pallet racking they are fed by forklift truck or through special goods lifts. If pallets or trolleys are placed on mezzanines by FLT then there needs to be a break in the mezzanine barrier which in turn is a very critical health and safety risk. Mezzanine pallet or safety gates act as an either automated or manual safety barrier.