In Part 1 of this blog, we explored the broad automation trends transforming beverage distribution; from how operations are adapting to SKU proliferation and sustainability goals, to the technologies redefining order fulfillment and shipping. That first installment was designed to give a wide-angle view of the landscape.
In Part 2, we will delve deeper into the systems themselves, examining the specific technologies that enhance beverage throughput, boost accuracy, and empower operations to meet the growing demands of customers.
As industry expert Joseph Harris of Conveyco explains, “sustainability is the goal, but automation is the means of achieving it.” These systems—including layer picking, descrambler conveyors, multi-lane buffer systems, palletizing sequence control, and Goods-to-Person (G2P) solutions—are the driving forces that enable it all to happen.
Layer Picking Systems: Driving High-Volume Case Movement
Layer picking systems are foundational in high-volume, mixed-SKU beverage environments. These technologies, which include forklift-mounted attachments, as well as robotic arms with specialized end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), can move an incredible 1,600 to 1,800 cases per hour.
Layer picking systems generally direct cases either onto a starter rainbow pallet or into a temporary case-based buffer, which may include conveyor lanes or Goods-to-Person systems. From that point, the cases are sequenced and integrated with other product flows before reaching the palletizing cells located at or near the shipping docks.
But designing these systems goes far beyond speed. According to Harris, the most important success factors are:
-
Downstream design: ensuring proper SKU mix coverage while avoiding unnecessary software complexity.
-
Software intelligence: A robust Warehouse Execution System (WES), like Conveyco’s New Dawn WES, is key for managing upstream and downstream flows, syncing cases from multiple automation areas, and hitting precise timing targets.
-
Customized EOAT: End-of-arm tooling must be tailored to the unique product dimensions and packaging in your operation, a design detail that carries inherent risk as packaging evolves over time.
Ultimately, layer picking technology is highly effective at feeding buffering systems or G2P systems. It can also be utilized to build “starter pallets,” which can be shipped as-is or further topped off downstream at systematically assisted ergonomic workstations or potentially even by robotic case picking cells.
Descrambler Conveyors: Turning Layers into Orderly Flows
After layer picking, descrambler conveyors, singulating cases into a case conveyor flow. These are then fed into buffer lanes or queuing lanes directed by software logic. This step is critical for enabling seamless handoff to downstream conveyor automation, reducing manual labor and minimizing mistakes.
When paired with layer picking, descramblers “work magic,” as Harris puts it, feeding conveyors with clean, ordered case flows ready for accumulation, sorting, and outbound palletizing.
Multi-Lane, Multi-Tier Buffer Systems: Real-Time SKU Sequencing
Multi-lane, multi-tier (MLMT) buffer systems provide dynamic SKU allocation to the short-term buffer lanes and sequencing capabilities at scale. Cases, typically arriving in batches by SKU in layer count slugs, are sorted into and accumulated in hundreds of buffer lanes. These lanes may be stacked in multiple tiers to maximize space, also known as storage density.
With a capable WES, these systems constantly reallocate buffer lanes and release cases in the exact sequence required for downstream processes like palletizing and shipping.
Designing MLMT systems necessitates extensive modeling and emulation to guarantee that the software can effectively manage your existing SKU mix, as well as any expected future modifications, without encountering bottlenecks. This forward looking approach helps future proof the system.
Palletizing Sequence Control: More Than Just Stacking Cases
Smart palletizing focuses on building stable outbound pallets by minimizing the height of the center of gravity, enforcing product stacking rules, protecting product integrity, and optimizing trailer space. Heavy or durable items must be stacked on the lower levels of the outbound pallet, while lighter or fragile items get stacked on the upper levels. This approach minimizes damage and improves transport stability.
The key to successfully managing optimized outbound pallets is full system synchronization, which circles back to the importance of a powerful WES. Conveyco’s New Dawn WES was crafted by experienced logistics experts to handle complexity, guaranteeing that all operations—from picking to buffering to palletizing—function in seamless harmony.
Goods-to-Person (G2P): Raising Accuracy and Responsiveness
One of the most transformative technologies in beverage automation is the tray-based Goods-to-Person case buffering and sequencing system. In these solutions, each case is handled individually, often riding on a tray with a unique License Plate Number (LPN) for precise tracking.
Using trays offers major advantages:
-
Near 100% inventory and sequencing accuracy: Every case is tracked, even if the sequence is not “perfect” in real time.
-
Reduced scanning requirements: Trays allow for four-sided labeling, eliminating the need for multiple scan tunnels. Harris notes that this can reduce scanning technology by 67% or more throughout the system.
-
Consistent, reliable handling: Trays simplify load-handling devices, which lowers capital investment, reduces product damage, and even helps capture leakage from awkward or “leaky” products.
These systems can fulfill orders or pallet builds in minutes, with first cases often emerging from automated racking in seconds. Properly stratifying fast moving SKUs near entry and exit points further boosts responsiveness and throughput.
Potential G2P benefits include:
-
Reduced labor and minimized operator strain through ergonomic workstations
-
Increased inventory and order accuracy
-
Optimized storage density with multi-deep storage and facility-height utilization (up to 36' or even 110' tall)
-
Faster exception handling for damaged or leaking product
-
The ability to build the exact or nearly exact sequence by utilizing the intelligence and capabilities of G2P technology, whether it involves AMRs or multi-shuttles.
The Common Thread: Software Is the Key to Success
Across every well designed automation system, one principle holds true: automation hardware is only as effective as the software orchestrating it. A versatile and smart Warehouse Execution System, such as New Dawn WES, guarantees that every element—technology, layer picking, buffers, Goods-to-Person (G2P), and palletizing—operates in a harmonious and synchronized manner.
This is especially critical in beverage distribution, where throughput, SKU complexity, and product handling requirements are constantly evolving.
Let’s explore how the software powering automation can empower your beverage operation to thrive, today and tomorrow. Contact us today!
