medical device storageA manufacturer of dental implants and other medical devices was quickly growing in size and orders. This also meant that their small space was also quickly running out of room. With more than 100 employees, they were ready to expand their storage with their business. But how would they continue to grow their company with so little space? Rich Reimer at Southwest Solutions Group worked with this manufacturer to find a solution that would work specifically for them: a vertical carousel, perfect for storing and organizing dental implants and medical devices in far less space.

Vertical Carousel Provides A Space-Saving Solution

Rich saw that one thing in particular would help the manufacturer immediately overcome their space constraints and improve productivity and throughput at the same time. He suggested a highly efficient vertical carousel, which are ideal for storing medical devices and finished goods. With a compact design, the shelves or drawers within the carousels rotate up or down via the shortest path and automatically deliver stored items to the operator at an ergonomically-placed work station. Since the vertical carousel is so easy to use, employees spend less time searching for products stored on wire shelving. The operator simply pushes a button to rotate the carousel to bring items to him or her instead.

Within the fourteen foot tall, eight foot deep vertical carousel, staff was able to store the same amount of numerous wire shelving units in a fraction of the space. By installing just one carousel, they were able to reduce the amount of floor space used for wire shelving from half to 20%. Now that space is used for shipping stations on both sides of the carousel (pictured) to provide an ergonomic right-to-left flow during product processing and picking. Since they need to quickly prepare orders for shipping, they’ve also been able to save a lot of time by having everything they need in one area.

With still more space available, employees who didn’t have one before were given workstations to add another level of productivity gains and employee comfort. They plan on adding another carousel in the near future in order to transfer more of their wire shelving storage and continue growing and streamlining their processes more efficiently.

vertical carousel storing dental implants

Improved Storage Conditions & Compliance

As with all medical device manufacturers, the company must also comply with record-keeping and quality control processes as mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It ensures that damaged, contaminated, obsolete, or otherwise inadequate products are not distributed. When combined with warehouse management software, the vertical carousels also provide picking solutions and electronic documentation for stock rotation. This prevents expired devices from being shipped and distributed, while picking validation is set up to ensure accuracy. Electronic tracking also reduces or eliminates the need to store paper files. Paper easily takes up space and can get lost, damaged, or misplaced.

Another disadvantage of traditional static shelving is how easily dust accumulates on stored products. In some applications, dust accumulation may not be a concern. However, it was of great importance to the staff that their products were always in the best condition for their customers. Shutter doors enclose items within the carousel, protecting them from dust and other environmental factors that cause deterioration or are unsightly. No one wants to receive an order covered in dust or warehouse debris. Additionally, vertical carousels are equipped for storage applications that require environmental control, such as coolers or freezers.

The staff is extremely happy with their solution and has filled the carousel with over a dozen overflow racks. Now it’s a much simpler process to pick, sort, organize, and package items. With the additional space extra work stations for employees, they are able to quickly respond to and satisfy customer needs.

Contact Us About Vertical Carousels for Medical Devices

Southwest Solutions Group provides design and installation services for applications just like this one in a wide variety of industries. We will also provide you with a free consultation to determine your exact needs and specifications before the design process begins. For more information or to speak with a specialist, call us at 1-800-803-1083 or send us a message today.