In 2015 NEPTEK supplied a fully automated picking conveyor system to TRANSPHARM in Pretoria West, South Africa for the order fulfilment of medical supplies. The system is controlled by a Siemens S1500 PLC and HMI Screen. Items are picked manually from the shelves per order slip and placed into a picking tote and placed on the conveyor. The filled tote is conveyed from the shelving to a centralised packing area where the order is processed and packed to be dispatched. Empty totes are placed on a return conveyor line that brings them back to the pickers.
The system consisted of mainly powered roller and belt conveyors with a portion of the conveyor system raised to allow pedestrian access underneath. All the merges are automatically controlled allowing totes to be inducted onto the main line when there is a gap.
The system improved overall efficiency by over 30% and reduced the amount of double handling significantly.
