Automation technology makes shipments icing on the cake

Shiseido's distribution center uses automated multi-label application technology to reduce manual work and greatly increase productivity.

The wholesale distribution center of Shiseido (USA) Cosmetics Co., Ltd. in Oakland, New York, proved to be more efficient after installing its second automated Production Line. Since the implementation of this plan, the workload of labor has been greatly reduced in both domestic and international shipments, and the company has received substantial returns for this purpose. One of the biggest gains is that in the season with the highest demand, production has increased nearly 9 times. In the first four months after the implementation of the plan, the cost savings can offset 40% of equipment investment. The goods come from major suppliers and there are more than a dozen different sizes and configurations. Under the guidance of a bar coder, specific products are listed by tags, and the goods shipped are then sorted and placed on shelves of 180,000 square feet of distribution center channels. In the usual months, 4 to 6 workers are required to handle all ordering business, and the goods to be shipped are picked up from the shelves as required. However, in times of high demand, 30 temporary workers are needed to supplement the lack of normal staff. When workers load and unload goods on the shelves, not only forklifts are busy transporting wooden pallets on each channel of the distribution center, but also one to three labels need to be attached to each shipped box before leaving the center. Ms. Nancy Pry, Shiexido’s distribution executive director, said: “This is a special issue because we want to make sure that each shipment is shipped and leaves the distribution center within 24 hours of ordering.” These three labels are the Uniform Code Council ( The 128 code of the Uniform Code Council, the RPS/FedEx label required by the packaged express mail company, and a tag with unique content to identify the order information after the completion of the shipment and the location of the various stages. During the peak period, the staff can work up to 1800 tags per day or 600 pieces of goods shipped. Another complicated issue is the need to paste each tag into the exact location. For some customers, sticking labels a few inches away from the required location will result in a deduction of $75 per item.

In order to solve this phased problem, Ms. Pry invited Labeling Systems and the system supplier AtlanticHandling Systems to work with the company's internal project team to develop an optimal solution together. After that, the company established a system of timely delivery. The new production line began to use an ergonomic, foot-operated lifting table. The table was manufactured by Southworth Product. The side of the wall was a wide aisle. Is a row of shelves. The operator drove the forklift truck to the workbench and unloaded the goods for shipment to TGW-Ermanco's zero-pressure stacking roller conveyor at a speed of 105 ft/min.

When the first box arrived, due to the effect of SICK's photosensitive sensors, the entire transport logistics operation was even better. The goods to be shipped are transported to a 6-foot-long measuring belt and each shipment is simulated using the speed differential principle. Once separated by a suitable gap, the cargo to be shipped is moved to the 90-degree Ermanco total shaft power curve and enters the 1680 square foot process/tray packaging area.

After passing through another conveyor belt 13 feet long, the distorted rollers mounted on the conveyor belt can be used to shift the package to the other side and pass smoothly through another sensor to a 17-foot-long conveyor belt, directly facing a pair of LSI companies. 20.62TB label printer/labeller.

The system is based on LSI's application platform and uses Zebra Technologies thermal sensor printers. Each machine provides 50 recipe storage locations and adjustable product sensor delays. During the operation, one of the printers, the f, di, can use two or three labels, and the second machine serves as a backup. Thanks to the use of speed-synchronized conveyors, these machines can accurately and securely print labels and stick labels.

The goods being shipped pass through another total axis power curve, pass the SICK scanner, compare the programming data, check the accuracy of the label, and check the exact position on the shipping container. If there is a change, the box will jump to the right angle, and it will be sent to the gravity roller conveyor belt through the belt conveyor, and then sent to the waste table for inspection.

Other packages to be shipped move in accordance with SICK sensor instructions, and the 57-foot-long zero-pressure stacking conveyor is coordinated with the speed of the top line of the production line. There is a zone next to this horseshoe production line that can stack 40 48x40 in. Wooden tray. Boxes that have already been packed will be loaded onto these trays from the conveyor belt.

After the newly installed device took effective measures, during the first five months of operation, Shiseido Co., Ltd. used a full-time official work to complete 250,000 cases of packaging and processing tasks. And the return situation is zero. In the busiest hours, the highest packing record in a day is 5,300 boxes, and the number of workers involved in picking and packing the goods does not exceed 6 people. Ms. Nancy Pry believes that the new system has greatly improved overall benefits, including delivery time to customers. In the long run, it is hoped that the concept of printing and application will be integrated in the process of the goods picking up the production line and in the shipping process of the whole box, which will be reflected in the form of a label on the packing box.

Source: Modern Packaging