Finding Better Manufacturing Equipment

Supply Room Storage Solutions: Choosing The Right Bins For The Job

20 July 2015

Clarence Gray

Operating a supply room in a manufacturing plant involves structuring the space so that parts of all sizes and types can be found with ease. When a department head or other authorized personnel requisitions a specific part, being able to verify that it is in the inventory and fill that requisition helps to prevent placing new orders that only serve to drive up the inventory expense. With the use of the right type of heavy-duty storage bins, organizing the space effectively will be much easier. Here are a few qualities that those bins must provide.

Durability

One of the key elements in choosing any type of bulk bins for a supply room is durability. The last thing you need is having to replace those bins every couple of years. Opt for materials that are sturdy enough to bear the weight of the items they will hold. From bins designed to store large quantities of screws to bins that will only hold one or two large gears, make sure the bins will not buckle under the load. 

Layout Possibilities

The layout for the supply room must be efficient. That means being able to get to parts needed right now. Many managers choose to structure their supply rooms so that the parts most often requested are closer to the front of the rooms. In light of the fact that 6% of items stocked in a typical manufacturing plant supply room account for around 80% of the room activity, it does make sense to invest in heavy-duty storage bins that will hold those most popular items.

One possible solution is to go with stackable storage bins which fit neatly near the front of the space set aside for the inventory. Stackable bins can easily be arranged in rows, with each row given an alphanumeric designation. Each bin in a row can also have a specific name to match with the parts stored in the bin. 

For example, the manager may get in an order for a specific type of flywheel or machine belt. A quick check of the computerized inventory shows that the requested part can be found in Row B, Bin 26. The manager can quickly go to the right bin, extract the part, and provide it to the requesting department. At that point, the only remaining task is to adjust the inventory so the issuance of the part is properly recorded.

Bin Design

Bins come in more than one design. Some come with one open side and an open top. This configuration works very well for parts that are smaller and usually needed in larger quantities. When an order comes in for a thousand screws of a certain size, it is easy enough to reach into the bin and extract ten bags filled with a hundred screws each. 

Other designs are equipped with drawers that will pull out with ease. Consider using this solution when there is the need to protect the parts from the open air. Machine components that are heavily oiled and wrapped to protect them are good examples of what could be placed in a bin that sports a drawer. 

Keep in mind there is no one choice for storage bins that will fit every supply room. The combinations of sizes and features must be chosen based on the type of goods that are necessary to the ongoing operation of the plant facility. By taking the time to explore the qualities and characteristics of bins based on size, load bearing capability and general design, it is possible to find the right storage solutions. Once they are in place, those solutions will serve the business operation well for many years to come.

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