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After having explored the innerworkings of many parts departments, we have been able to identify daily tasks that can prevent a team from being efficient, cause potential injuries, and break the flow of a smooth operation.

Finding the right solution for your operations can help avoid bottlenecks, protect your employees, and even save your operations from unauthorized personnel. We’ve chosen three solutions to discuss in this blog. A Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor for those transporting inventory between several levels, a Tire Conveyor to move these bulky items, and Wire Partition to keep all your operations secure from unauthorized personnel.

Let’s explore how these three solutions can benefit your parts department, leading to a well-run dealership.

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor

If you are operating between several levels in your parts department, this automation solution is a great time saver. A Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor, or VRC, is a material handling solution that smoothly transports materials from one floor level to another. Similar to an elevator, inventory is loaded onto this technology, and moved up and down levels. Only freight is allowed on the VRCs, no workers, in order to reduce the risk of injury.

VRCs can be customized with regards to lifting speed, the carriage size, load capacity, and the lift height based on how many levels you have and the height of each level.

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors are a popular automation solution used to avoid workplace injuries. In parts departments, objects such as tires, car hoods, or other such heavy and bulky items need to be moved around. When needed, a worker needs to retrieve these items, otherwise these items need to be stored carefully.

Moving these items around can be hard on workers and dangerous if there are slips and falls while transporting these items around. The VRC is a great way to take this hard labor off your parts department team. It keeps employees at ease, knowing that they can skip the stairs and instead use this helpful material handling solution for heavier items.

A VRC can also save time throughout the day. Instead of having to slowly navigate the stairs, a worker can move the objects onto the VRC, click a button, and meet the VRC on the second level to unload the objects. Then, the reverse can be done just as easily.

Tire Conveyor

Similar to the benefits of the VRC, a tire conveyor offers efficiency and safety for a parts department. A tire conveyor can be installed at an incline, to connect two floors together. This slim conveyor is meant to easily move tires – bulky and heavy objects that need to be on hand in parts departments.

A tire conveyor typically uses roller supports along the conveyor to hold the tires in place as they move up and down. This belt system makes it easy for workers to load tires onto the machine, select the direction and speed on the control system, and watch as the tires move from floor to floor.

These conveyors can easily be reversed to bring the tires from the top floor down a level. Tire conveyors are great at saving plenty of time throughout the day and help to avoid injuries as workers don’t have to manually carry tires from floor to floor.

Wire Partition

Our last recommendation for your parts department is a wire partition. Wire partitions are used for parts departments as a security measure. Parts and inventory stored in your dealership can be pricy and necessary to have on hand for services. These wire partitions are like a fence that goes around your department, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to the parts.

This sturdy material comes equipped with a lock and can be customized to your space. The wire partition can be designed to accommodate your current setup and can be made to fit around any structures you may have on your walls and ceilings.

These wire partitions especially come in handy when early morning deliveries take place. That way, packages can be left inside your facility, but outside of your parts department. It takes the stress out of the day knowing that no one unexpected will be wandering into your parts department.

Select a Smart Solution for Your Parts Department

Between these three solutions, your parts department can greatly improve its day-to-day operations. The VRC, Tire Conveyor, and Wire Partition are made for efficiency and safety, leading you to see positive changes in your dealership.

If you’re seeing bottlenecks in your parts department operation, it’s time to start looking into solutions that could help avoid this. Reach out to our team at Industrial Shelving Solutions by giving us a call at 1-800-875-6201.