Riding the rail

摘要

Whether you're adding capacity to a crowded factory or trying to increase the throughput of a choked warehouse, floor space is valuable. That's when it's time to look up. And that's where an overhead automated electrified monorail (AEM), also known as an overhead electric monorail system (EMS) fits in. Quietly, these AEMs move and buffer raw materials, components and finished parts between workstations and storage/staging areas well above the work floor fray. Monorails are most widely used by the automotive industry. But they have also been pressed into service by several other industries to support manufacturing, distribution and time-pressured maintenance operations. Monorails, however, are not inexpensive, typically costing substantially more per foot than alternatives such as overhead conveyor and power-and-free systems. And that is exactly what has kept monorails in the background when many are considering their overhead materials handling alternatives. But it doesn't have to be that way. The trick is to understand how this innovative technology suits your specific needs.