A low-cost, passenger-oriented airline broke ground on a 100,000-square-foot support operations and training facility. Located at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the airline’s new location would serve as a vital hub for training, distribution, and equipment repair.

Due to the massive distribution responsibility the new construction would undertake, it was essential that JetBlue obtain an automated materials handling system that would effectively store and provide parts for critical flight equipment. In addition, this new materials handling system would have to efficiently operate under stringent OSHA and industry regulations, have low maintenance requirements, and prove user friendly to airline staff.

After closely working with Muratec, airline executives decided that an Automated Storage & Retrieval System (AS/RS) best suited the needs of the new construction. A versatile integration system, Muratec’s AS/RS provided several beneficial capabilities including significantly minimal cycle times, worker safety and operator control, and the ability to store various shaped parts.
The airliner chose a one aisle, mini-load AS/RS after reviewing Muratec’s automated solutions. The system has 62 bays and 40 levels; initially totaling 4,960 locations. Additionally, the system utilizes two stacker cranes, each with an extractor, to store and retrieve totes. Allowing for small parts storage, each tote contains dividers which enables a total of 47,644 storage locations.

Not only did the AS/RS fulfill the mechanical needs of the airline, it also provided an ease of operation and various customized features. Parts retrieval was simplified by forming two administrative terminals to allow supervisors to enter needed parts into the automated system for a particular day’s workload. Confirmation of the right parts are realized when workers scan a barcode on the tote exterior.
Making the process even more efficient, touch screens display the location of needed parts within the tote and confirm that the retrieval operation is complete. Built-in safety features alert workers by touchscreen if the tote exceeds safe height and weight requirements for pickup. Muratec built the AS/RS with the capability to give system administrators control in emergency situations. For instance, if a vital part is needed for an aircraft at a terminal, the system allows workers to obtain the part quickly by overriding other parts orders in the system’s queue to save crucial time and expedite aircraft maintenance.
The AS/RS also contains a total fire suppression system, including a one-hour fireproof enclosure and deluge sprinkler systems at conveyor entrances.

Muratec’s Automated Retrieval and Storage System’s performance innovative and reliability has provided the airline’s facility with an efficient blend of safety, dependability, speed and control.