| | Conventional rack, shelving, and drawer systems used in many stamping facilities are a less-than-lean method of storing dies. They consume a lot of floor space, and locating and retrieving dies encroaches on production time. In addition, these conventional methods expose dies to damage. The focus of lean manufacturing initiatives is to eliminate waste that occurs during manufacturing operations and to optimize process flow to improve overall efficiency. Vertical automated storage and retrieval systems address five lean manufacturing goals for stamping die storage options: maximizing space utilization, increasing employee productivity, ensuring safety, optimizing equipment efficiency, and reducing tooling costs. | |
