Vertical Lift Modules: Assess Product Fit and Access Capacity

A vertical lift module, or VLM, is a tray-based automated storage system that brings stored goods to an access point. It can change how a warehouse uses vertical space, but the decision depends on product fit and the rate at which the operation needs to access those products.

Understand the Equipment Boundary

The Kardex Shuttle product description explains one manufacturer’s goods-to-person VLM design. Use the manufacturer’s specifications for the exact model under consideration, not generic limits copied from a different installation.

A VLM is one option within the broader automated storage and retrieval assessment. It should be evaluated alongside ordinary shelving and other appropriate approaches, rather than treated as a required upgrade.

Build a Tray-Level Product Profile

• Dimensions and weight of the actual storage units.
• Quantity and compartment needs for each SKU.
• Handling, separation and identification requirements.
• Order-line frequency and products commonly requested together.
• Inbound replenishment activity and available stock coverage.

Use the inventory control guide to keep the profile tied to reliable stock data. Do not automatically select every fast mover: concentrated access demand can create a queue at the machine.

Test Access Demand at the Peak

Ask for a representative order test that includes retrieval, operator handling, confirmation and replenishment. Separate equipment movement time from the complete working cycle. Include multi-line orders and interruptions rather than measuring only an ideal single retrieval.

Check the remaining workflow: products leaving the access point still need accurate packing and dispatch. Request a plan for service interruptions, approved recovery procedures and support availability for the location where the equipment will operate.

Specify the Information Handoffs

The WMS integration checklist covers ownership of quantities, request acknowledgements, retries and reconciliation. Confirm how a rejected retrieval, partial pick or replenishment discrepancy appears to the operator and inventory owner.

A successful machine movement is not the same as a confirmed correct SKU and quantity. Keep the required product checks and traceable stock events in the operating procedure.

Compare Costs Without a Payback Promise

Include installation, integration, training, maintenance, support, spares and downtime as well as the purchase price. Test the economics at lower-than-expected volume. There is no universal one-to-three-year payback that this article can substantiate.

For outsourced fulfillment, ask about capacity, access to stock and recovery arrangements; you may not need to own equipment. Skynera operation of a VLM has not been verified here. Confirm the actual storage solution proposed for your products.

Discuss storage fit and warehouse capacity.