For a warehouse to run smoothly, it needs an organized warehouse packing area. To do that, you’ll want to have a warehouse layout strategy that you’ll want to put in a design first. You can use a warehouse design software to help you get started so that you can envision how the warehouse will be.
What are the five objectives of warehouse design and layout?
Warehouses are designed to where it can receive, dispatch, storage and retrieve products. The reason that a good layout design is important so that it is efficient and has minor mishaps. Here are 5 things that you should consider with warehouse design.
1. Know your own requirements
This is the most obvious objective, but the requirements should be reviewed before the layout gets made. Make sure that all communication between you and the team that is involved in creating the layout. Whether it’s a factory warehouse or a distribution center, both have different requirements of how the packing layout should be. While you’re at it, it’s also essential to test the warehouse design by walking around and see if a layout would work there. If it doesn’t, this is your opportunity to make any necessary changes. Also, consider what your budget will be for the design because some design ideas may not fit into the budget. So, these are the requirements you’ll need to consider when figuring out which warehouse design work for your company.
2. Ensure there is consistent flow
Flow is important in warehouses. If there isn’t a good flow established, it can feel congested and potentially cause loss in productivity. That is something that you do not want to happen in the warehouse. To avoid this loss, the warehouse design should be well-thought-out, so it goes with the flow.
3. Aim for close to zero touches
For handling products, you would want as little touches as possible to ensure quality. Zero is impossible but getting close to it is not. Consider this when you and your team are figuring out the warehouse layout strategy to ensure quality.
4. Always ask for input
Anyone who owns a warehouse has stakeholders, suppliers and others as part of their team. They are a part of your business, so asking for their input and getting their perspective on the layout could go a long way.
5. Maximize the vertical space
When a building is bought to be used as a warehouse or distribution center, you usually know what you are working with. But you can become innovative and maximize the vertical space. You should consider this in your warehouse layout strategy when it comes time to think of how the layout will be.
As a company, it’s important to have a great warehouse layout design so that it runs smoothly, and profits are not affected.
Simple Warehouse Layout
Most warehouses start off with a simple warehouse design because it’s the easiest one to follow. The design should include the floor plan simple layout that is easy to follow and layout. All warehouses should include at least: Loading/Unloading Areas, Separate Reception Area, Organized Storage Area, Separate Picking Area and Shipping and Packing Area.
So, you’ll have to consult with everyone that’s involved in this simple warehouse design and try to maximize the space with every area. For example, the reception area could have three different layout designs, while the picking areas should be next to the storage areas. You can see how the layout should be for the warehouse to run smoothly and efficiently.
It’s easy to work out a simple design, as it’s easy to envision. Just make sure that it’s enough space for your company for handling the products. If you are short on space, it’s always good to maximize the vertical space so the area can stack products that are stackable. If the products aren’t stackable, racks could be installed and the products could be placed on it until it’s processed.
These are a few ways that you can turn a simple design into an efficient warehouse.
Warehouse Design Software
There are many design software that a warehouse designer can use. The software helps the designer visually see what the warehouse could look like. It’s a good idea that the designer gets a warehouse designs pdf so that they have a clear idea of the vision of the layout.
One of the most popular warehouse design software is Smartdraw. Smartdraw allows creating designs of warehouses, facilities and more. You can also look through the extensive design library to get some ideas, and it’s very easy to use. The creator can then get creative with some designs and can save it as a warehouse design pdf to send over for input. What’s even better, is that you can invite everyone who has an input in the warehouse design to a link, where you and the team can collaborate on how to make the design better. That’s an enormous benefit and will make the result better when everyone is involved.
If you are the one who is presenting the design, you’ll want to make sure that the software will let you download files in the format that you need. This way, you are organized and are prepared to show the warehouse design to all those involved.
Types Of Warehouse Layouts
There are three types of warehouse layouts that can be chosen. They are usually U-shaped, L-shaped, and I-shaped. You can come up with those types of warehouse layout design to get an idea of what would work best for the company. Some shapes work great in some spaces, some don’t, no matter how much you want it to.
If you are new to warehouse spaces, you’ll find that the U-shaped layout is most the most preferred type. This is because it’s arranged in a semicircle with shipping and receiving on opposite sides with storage being in the middle. The point of a U-shaped design is to ensure that the employees can move quickly between products.
The L-shaped layout is one that’s not typically used unless it’s an L shaped building. The shipping would be on the one side while the receiving would be on the other side, but at a 90-degree angle. This design makes sure it avoids back-and-forth movements by the employees.
The I shaped layout is one that’s popular with the larger companies. This is because they have higher volume going through the warehouse, so the design needs to have an in and out workflow to run efficiently.
There should be 3 types of warehouse layout ppt presented to everyone involved to decide which layout would work best. Choosing the best layout will go a long way with productivity. With the valuable input, you can go forward and create a flow that works for the company.
Warehouse Setup Ideas
There are so many ideas that can set up the perfect warehouse. The most important factor is how big is the warehouse. The size matters because it’ll give you an idea how to design and set up the area properly.
Small Warehouse Design Ideas
Most businesses start off with a smaller warehouse because it makes the most sense in their budget. In a small warehouse, it’s too easy for employees to run into each other because of lack of space or the poor layout. Luckily, you can avoid this by having a small warehouse design layout that would work well for your company.
To get started with the design, it might be easier to do a u-shaped warehouse layout. The reason for this is that it will maximize the space and create a flow that won’t mess with productivity. You’ll want to maximize the space that’s available and ensure that it works with the traffic flow.
The layout shouldn’t be designed in a way where there’s high congestion at the docking area. This often happens in a small warehouse, so to avoid congestion, employees can offload incoming goods as soon as possible to get into the receiving area.
Other tips for Warehouse Setup
The storage area is one of the main reason a warehouse is needed. But the area needs to be arranged and organized so that employees don’t have to hunt down a product to get it in the picking area. This area should always be easily assessable, and products should always be easy to find.
As we discussed earlier, the flow of the warehouse is extremely important. An unorganized flow means less productivity. With that said, a company wants to focus on having a single line of flow. Why? Too often, employees are running into each other because the flow wasn’t thought out in the warehouse setup. The solution to this is creating a linear path with all the areas.
The packing and shipping room should always have plenty of space. If there isn’t ample space, there will be disorganization and mistakes can happen with shipping labels and more.
A warehouse should always have a free area. Why? If the company gets bigger, it’ll need that room to grow. This is something to consider if there is extra space in the warehouse.