What is the Difference Between Vertical Carousels and Vertical Lift Machines?

 

The term "vertical carousel" may be familiar to you if you have experience working in the material handling industry. The terms "storage carousel" or "vertical rotating shelf system" may have been used to distinguish it from a horizontal carousel. It's obvious that one moves up and down while the other moves sideways. But what about vertical lift machines/modules? Is that the same as a vertical carousel?

No, they are not. Vertical lift machines have a more sophisticated implementation of the same function—automating storage by moving upward rather than sideways. When your storage facility has high ceilings, which equates to anything above 3 metres or so, this is a sensible application.

Conventional storage solutions struggle with vertical height. Operators can either remove objects from the floor using the low shelves, or they can use ladders or lift trucks to access the higher shelves. In either case, it's a laborious and possibly hazardous procedure.

A taller-than-wide automated storage system can make the best use of the high ceiling while requiring the least amount of floor space. But there are significant distinctions between the operation of a vertical carousel and a vertical lift machine/module, often known as a VLM.

But Why Do People Refer to Vertical Lift Machines as Vertical Carousels?

Even though the technology is different, devices that are the first of their kind frequently end up standing in for the entire category. For instance, long after digital recording equipment took the role of tape-based recording devices, people still talked about "taping" things. The same is true of "vertical carousels," which were popularised in the 1950s and introduced at that time. Although vertical lift modules were added subsequently, the term "vertical carousel" had already been entrenched in the minds of many.

Some Key Differences Between a Vertical Lift Module and a Vertical Carousel

● Trays

A vertical carousel has trays attached to a rotating chain where the parts are stored. It transports objects of comparable size and weight, much like a Ferris wheel. Similar to a vending machine, a vertical lift machine/module uses independent moving trays.

● Weight :

Balance is required in vertical carousels to prevent too much weight from landing on one tray. Vertical lift machines can retrieve items more quickly because they do not need to balance their weight.

● Storage space:

A vertical carousel's shelves cannot be moved. Therefore, it can be wasteful to place tall things on the same shelf as short ones. Trays on vertical lift machines can be of various heights. For example, smaller goods can be kept in one tray and larger ones in another. As a result, storage space is not wasted.

● Balance:

Due to balance concerns, vertical carousels available in Australia can only reach heights of roughly 7 metres. If the height is up to 16 metres or more, it can be reached with vertical lift machines/modules.

● Movability:

Compared to vertical carousels, which must move the full set of shelves, the vertical lift machine is far more productive and operates more efficiently.

● Technology:

Although vertical carousels are still produced in Australia, they are currently regarded as outdated technology. They were an improvement over conventional storage methods, but their time has mostly passed.

Conclusion

So, if you're looking for an automated storage system, you should probably buy a vertical lift machine if your ceilings are high enough and go for a horizontal carousel if they aren't. Vertical Carousels Australia offers a comprehensive selection of both vertical lift machines and the most technologically sophisticated horizontal carousels for sale.

Contact us for more details if you are interested in choosing the ideal solution for your business! We'll be pleased to go over the various options we offer so you can get the most out of a vertical storage solution.