Horizontal Carousels
SUPERCHARGE YOUR OPERATIONS
Horizontal Carousels
The Modula Horizontal Carousel (HC) delivers unmatched performance and dependability for high-speed picking operations, especially in spaces with height constraints. Designed to enhance productivity and precision, the Modula HC simplifies and accelerates your picking processes like never before.
Understanding Horizontal Carousels
Horizontal carousels are an evolution in automated storage technology, designed to maximize efficiency, optimize storage, and enhance picking accuracy. These systems bring a new level of operational effectiveness by combining precision-engineered hardware with intelligent software to automate storage and retrieval processes. By utilizing advanced technologies, horizontal carousels help businesses transform previously underutilized space into highly efficient, organized storage areas.
The sophisticated control software integrated into horizontal carousels ensures that operators have rapid, reliable access to items, which reduces picking times and minimizes operator movement. This streamlined approach to material handling delivers significant productivity gains while maintaining an ergonomic, safe working environment. The overall result is a reduction in labor costs, an increase in throughput, and a solution that can easily adapt to fluctuating demand.
What Is a Horizontal Carousel?
A horizontal carousel is an automated storage system designed to maximize space while increasing picking speed and accuracy. Unlike vertical lift modules, a horizontal carousel is a series of bins or trays that rotate horizontally on a track, bringing the required items directly to the operator. This goods-to-person system ensures that picking times are reduced, and operators can stay in one place, significantly improving workflow and minimizing wasted movement.
System Configuration
Horizontal carousels consist of enclosed carriers mounted on an oval track system. Each carrier contains multiple bins or shelves configured to your specific storage requirements. The automated system rotates these carriers to present stored items directly to operators at ergonomic workstations.
Operational Design
The system’s integrated software controls carrier movement based on picking requirements. When orders are received, the carousel automatically positions the correct storage location at the operator station. Pick-to-light technology guides operators to exact item locations while visual displays provide item information and quantities, ensuring high accuracy and efficiency in order fulfillment.
Key Benefits of Modula Horizontal Carousels
Modula Horizontal Carousels stand out in the industry due to their reliability, user-friendly interface, and impressive ability to increase throughput. Here are some of the key benefits they provide:
Save Time
With Modula Horizontal Carousels, picking processes are faster than ever. Depending on the configuration and picking accessories, employees can achieve up to 550 lines per hour. By utilizing pod systems, one employee can manage multiple carousels at once, reducing labor costs and boosting operational efficiency.
Save Space
Optimize your storage capacity by minimizing dead space in traditional systems. The Modula HC features adjustable shelves in 2-inch increments, allowing precise customization for your specific products. This design ensures maximum storage density, even in limited spaces, while simplifying organization.
Reduce Risks
Prioritize safety and reduce injury risks with Modula HC’s ergonomic design and safety features. Automatic doors and safety cut-offs keep operators safe while minimizing movement within the warehouse. By delivering parts directly to operators, the HC reduces the chance of accidents and product damage.
Increase Security
Protect your inventory with Modula HC’s advanced security features. User profiles restrict access to specific bins, ensuring only authorized employees handle sensitive items. The system logs every movement, providing full traceability and enabling quick resolutions for any discrepancies.
Manage Inventory
Simplify inventory tracking with built-in item monitoring capabilities. Every item’s movement is recorded, reducing manual tracking tasks. When integrated with Modula Premium Software, the HC connects seamlessly to your ERP system, offering real-time inventory insights and improved control.
Enhance Accuracy
Achieve nearly flawless order fulfillment with Modula HC’s advanced visual aids. By guiding operators directly to the correct items, the system ensures up to 99% picking accuracy. This eliminates costly human errors and builds trust through consistent, reliable results.
Unlock the potential of your storage space – Contact our team for a free consultation!
Ideal Applications for Horizontal Carousels
Horizontal carousels shine in settings that require fast, repetitive picking, especially when managing a high SKU count. Here are some examples of environments where Modula Horizontal Carousels are a great fit:
- E-Commerce Fulfillment: Rapid order fulfillment is critical for e-commerce businesses. Horizontal carousels provide fast access to small items, making them ideal for processing large volumes of orders.
- Automotive and Spare Parts: Managing thousands of small parts efficiently is always a challenge. Horizontal carousels allow for precise organization, quick picking, and easy inventory management of these small, varied items.
- Manufacturing Assembly: Keeping assembly lines moving smoothly requires quick access to parts and components. Horizontal carousels ensure that essential parts are always within easy reach, minimizing downtime and boosting productivity.
- Pharmaceutical: HCs are great for many pharmaceutical companies who typically don’t have high ceilings and have very high dollar medical parts that they need to secure and have 100% reliability to retrieve.
Accelerate Order Fulfillment with Batch Picking
With Modula WMS, operators can streamline order fulfillment by creating batches of orders and completing them simultaneously. When the horizontal carousel presents an SKU, the operator picks the total quantity needed for all orders in the batch.
Batch picking lights at each order position guide the operator to the correct location and display the quantity to place in each order. This ensures that the operator visits each SKU location only once per picking session.
This approach significantly improves accuracy, minimizes errors, and reduces retrieval time, boosting productivity by up to 65%. The putaway process can also be automated in a similar manner, optimizing efficiency even further.
Technical Specifications
Modula Horizontal Carousels come in numerous configurations and can be grouped into "Pods" ranging from 1 to 4 carousels. The two models, the MD and MG, have the following specifications:
CAROUSEL SPECIFICATIONS
| Upper Tracks | 01-1/4″ Solid 304 SS |
|---|---|
| Carousel Drive | Direct Drive, Cyclonic Gearing |
| Drive HP | Single or Dual 3HP |
| Max Live Load Capacity | Single Drive 40,000 lbs / Dual Drive 80,000 lbs |
| Carousel Maximum Speed | 85 FPM |
| Automatic Safety Doors | Standard |
| Operator Interface | Touchscreen Tablet |
| Other Operator Controls | Multi-Function Button, E-stop |
| Other Control Device | Product protrusion sensors, door open sensor |
| Color – Carousel Frame Structure | RAL 7021 Black Grey |
| Color – Door System | RAL 7035 Light Grey |
POD SPECIFICATIONS
| Carousels per Pod | 1 to 4 |
|---|---|
| Controls Platform | CoPilot Based Controls |
| Control Cabinet | Single NEMA 12 per pod |
| Control Cabinet Operater Controls | CoPilot Touchscreen, Master HMI, E-stop, Maintenance Lockout Key |
| Power Options | 230V 3-Phase or 480V 3-Phase |
| 8 Foot High Perimeter Fencing | Standard (Includes one access gate) |
| Fencing Color | Black Wire Mesh Panels with Safety Yellow Posts |
Options:
- Powder Coated Bins and Shelves
- Bin Top Dust Covers
- Door-Mounted LED Shelf Level Indicator Bars (Requires WMS software)
- Batch Picking Workstation
- Batch Picking Pick-to-Light System
- WMS Software Packages
- Perimeter Fencing Modifications
- Non-standard carousel center-to-center distances (to accommodate building columns and other restrictions)
- Special provisions for building columns within carousels
Notes:
- Bin height of 96″ may require a mobile step to access upper shelf elevations
- Bin Capacity = shelves + reinforcement bars + covers + product (* if equipped)
- Live Load Capacity = bin QTY (bin capacity + bin weight empty)
BIN SPECIFICATIONS
| Specification | MD | MG |
|---|---|---|
| Bin Inside Width | 24″ | 36″ |
| Bin/Shelf Depth | 18″ & 24″ | |
| Shelf Adjustment Increments | 2″ | |
| Shelf Nominal Heights | 84″ & 96″ | |
| Product Clearance | Shelf spacing minus 1.5″ | |
| Maximum Bin Capacity | 1,200 lbs | |
| Maximum Capacity per Shelf | 250 lbs | |
| Bin Volume 18″ Deep x 84″ High | 21 Cu Ft | 31.5 Cu Ft |
| Bin Volume 18″ Deep x 96″ High | 24 Cu Ft | 36 Cu Ft |
| Bin Volume 24″ Deep x 84″ High | 28 Cu Ft | 42 Cu Ft |
| Bin Volume 24″ Deep x 96″ High | 32 Cu Ft | 48 Cu Ft |
| Bin Wgt Cap per Cubic Ft (18″ x 84″) | 57 lbs/ft³ | 38 lbs/ft³ |
| Bin Wgt Cap per Cubic Ft (18″ x 96″) | 50 lbs/ft³ | 33 lbs/ft³ |
| Bin Wgt Cap per Cubic Ft (24″ x 84″) | 43 lbs/ft³ | 29 lbs/ft³ |
| Bin Wgt Cap per Cubic Ft (24″ x 96″) | 38 lbs/ft³ | 25 lbs/ft³ |
| Bin Construction | 20 gauge galvanized solid sides and back wall | |
| Bin Weight Empty, 84″ High, 18″ Deep | 115 lbs | 145 lbs |
| Bin Weight Empty, 84″ High, 24″ Deep | 124 lbs | 156 lbs |
| Bin Weight Empty, 96″ High, 18″ Deep | 126 lbs | 156 lbs |
| *Bin Weight Empty, 96″ High, 24″ Deep | 137 lbs | 168 lbs |
| Bin Cover Weight, 18″ Deep | 3.7 lbs | 5.5 lbs |
| Bin Cover Weight, 24″ Deep | 5.1 lbs | 7.5 lbs |
| Shelf Construction | Solid surface, 18 gauge galvanized steel | |
| Shelf Weight, 18″ Deep | 7.9 lbs | 11.2 lbs |
| Shelf Weight, 24″ Deep | 10.1 lbs | 14.3 lbs |
| Reinforcement Bar Weight | 1.5 lbs | 2.2 lbs |
Transform Your Operations with Prestige
Since 1970, Prestige has delivered innovative storage solutions across the Southeast. As an authorized Modula dealer, we bring significant expertise in horizontal carousel implementation and integration. Our experienced in-house installation teams and project management capabilities help guarantee successful system deployment.
Prestige stands apart through our technical expertise, comprehensive service, and commitment to long-term partnerships. We manage every stage of horizontal carousel implementation, from initial site evaluations to ongoing maintenance and support. With a deep understanding of warehouse operations, our team develops tailored solutions that drive measurable improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and space utilization.
Let’s evaluate your facility’s requirements and design an automated storage solution that drives operational excellence. Our team will conduct a detailed site assessment, analyze your current processes, and develop a custom horizontal carousel solution aligned with your business objectives. Contact Prestige today to begin optimizing your warehouse operations.
FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
How do horizontal carousels integrate with existing warehouse management systems?
Modula horizontal carousels feature advanced software that integrates with major WMS and ERP systems. Our technical team manages communication between your existing systems and the carousel control software, enabling real-time inventory tracking and automated order processing.
What maintenance requirements should we expect?
Horizontal carousels are designed for reliable operation with minimal maintenance requirements. Prestige provides preventive maintenance programs, emergency service, and ongoing technical support. Our technicians ensure your system maintains optimal performance throughout its lifecycle.
How does order picking work with a horizontal carousel?
Operators work from ergonomic stations where the carousel delivers items directly to them. Pick-to-light technology guides accurate item selection, while the control software optimizes picking sequences. This eliminates walking and searching time while significantly reducing picking errors.
Prestige is an Authorized Modula Dealer
Prestige has certified installation and service technicians on staff to ensure your system is functioning seamlessly well beyond the commissioning date.
