Horizontal carousel

A long oval loop of shelves or bins turns slowly at floor level, rather like a baggage belt with shelves. When you ask for an item, the loop turns until the right bin stops in front of the person at a fixed spot. The person stays put and the stock comes to them; this is called a horizontal carousel.

Because the loop is long and low, a horizontal carousel needs floor length but little height, so it suits rooms with a low ceiling where a tall machine would not fit.

Two or three carousels in a row can serve one person: while they work from one, the others turn to the next position, so the time spent waiting for a bin to arrive is hidden behind the picking. It is a long-established form of automated picking, still used for small parts, tools, files and pharmacy stock.

When it pays off

It pays off for small items in a room with low headroom, where a few people pick all day from a modest range. Linking two or three carousels so that one person works one while the others turn raises the number of picks per hour. It pays off less for a very large range, for heavy goods, and where floor space is precious, because it needs length on the floor.

What the warehouse system does with it

The warehouse system sends the task and the machine reports back. Typically the WMS says which bin to present, for which article and order, and receives a confirmation once the picker has taken or put away the quantity. When several carousels serve one person, the WMS or the carousel controller sequences them, so that the next bin is turning while the current one is worked.

Who makes it

Intertex, Kardex, Modula, White Systems

In alphabetical order. Not a ranking or a recommendation.