new muratec mini-load means more… inventory moving
Muratec’s Ledger A3 is a high-density mini-load with simultaneous loading and unloading of a four-tote carriage system for small, lightweight goods storage and retrieval. Equipped with a high-speed mini-load crane, it stores, picks, and sorts with reliability, delivering high throughput that keeps your inventory moving.
The Ledger fills an industry need for a high-speed automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) for sorting small items at a large capacity. Since its debut at ProMat 2023, Muratec has fielded numerous inquiries about the new Ledger A3 AS/RS. Below are answers to recent frequently asked questions.
Q: What are the key advantages of the Ledger A3 mini-load over conventional AS/RS?
A: With individual or simultaneous loading and unloading of four front-hooked totes, the Ledger A3 delivers double the capacity compared to a conventional mini-load with one or two deep storages. Its front hook design significantly improves transfer speed compared with other transport methods, providing the flexibility to handle inbound and outbound orders.
Q: What products/industries is the Ledger A3 best suited to?
A: The Ledger can move a wide variety of small, lightweight goods in manufacturing warehouses, DC, and 3PL environments. Specifically, storing and retrieving raw and finished goods in the medical and pharmaceutical (syringes, pill bottles), cosmetics (tubes, bottles, jars), food & beverage (confectionery products, candy) industries, and small parts manufacturing.
Q: What sets the Ledger A3 apart from other AS/RS?
A: With its four-tote simultaneous retrieval of small goods, the Ledger drastically reduces loading and transfer time and doubles conventional systems’ storage and shipping capacity. When combined with a G2P system, it can sort and retrieve various small loads quickly and accurately while reducing the number of load touches. It’s perfect for applications requiring more in/out capacity and helps reduce manual labor costs.
Q: How fast is the Ledger A3?
A: Fast! Stacker cranes travel at 984 feet per minute, lift at 360 feet per minute and move up to 400 totes per hour, delivering twice the throughput of a conventional mini-load AS/RS. Customized totes have a maximum storage capacity of 13.4” wide, 18.9” deep, and 17.7” high for transferring various small shapes and sizes, including boxes, bulk goods, and assembly parts.
Q: How does the Ledger A3 improve manufacturers, warehouses, and distribution centers’ abilities to move their products more efficiently?
A: This mini-load is engineered for maximum high-density storage and retrieval for high-throughput distribution applications in small spaces. Its storage and inventory management efficiency is approximately 1.3 times more efficient than a conventional AS/RS. Compared to solutions solely focused on storage efficiencies, such as cube storage, the Ledger A3 can handle higher transfer & retrieval demands with speed and reliability.
Q: Can the Ledger A3 integrate with other AS/RS systems?
A: Working in concert with Muratec’s rail-guided, bi-directional case sortation loop or SHUTTLINER, the Ledger A3 can operate as a highly optimal Goods-to-Person (G2P) system enabling minimal material handling and further boosting throughput up to 4,000 cases per hour. If expansion is required, shuttles can be added to meet new throughput requirements versus adding conveyor lines, making the system easier to configure.
Learn more about Muratec’s Ledger A3 mini-load AS/RS at https://www.muratec-usa.com/ or call 704.977.2243.
Murata Machinery USA, Inc., the North American subsidiary of Murata Machinery Ltd., is a pioneer in machining and a world leader in automation. Established in 1935, Murata Machinery manufactures Muratec-branded machinery and automation systems customized and engineered for high-precision parts manufacturing and material handling within job shops, contract manufacturers, and warehousing industries.