Éolane China Reduces Electronic Component Storage Space by 30% with Modula VLMs

Case Study Summary

Éolane China is an electronics manufacturing services provider supporting industries including medical, industrial control, rail transit, clean energy, consumer products, and construction machinery. As order volumes increased, the company needed to maintain more inventory to support production, putting additional pressure on limited warehouse space and material handling operations.

To increase storage density and improve material retrieval, Éolane installed six Modula Vertical Lift Modules to store electronic components and materials, including SMT reels, trays, PCBs, and specialized packaging. Customized trays accommodate up to 1,500 pieces per tray, while WMS integration, ESD Protection, and visual picking aids support secure and efficient material handling. With Modula, Éolane reduced the space required for storage by 30% while improving inventory management and access to production materials.

The Challenge

As Éolane’s business in China expanded, increasing order volumes required the company to keep more inventory available to support production.

With limited warehouse space, Éolane needed to increase storage capacity while making better use of its existing footprint. The company also wanted to reduce the walking and searching associated with its person-to-goods process and improve the flow of materials between storage and production.

The Solution

Éolane installed six Modula VLMs to maximize vertical space and store electronic materials, primarily SMT reels, trays, PCBs, and specialized packaging materials.

Customized Modula trays were designed around the size and characteristics of Éolane’s electronic components, allowing up to 1,500 pieces per tray. The VLMs also feature ESD Protection to help protect static-sensitive components, while controlled access helps manage who can retrieve stored inventory.

To support daily picking operations, the VLMs are equipped with double-tray delivery, a Sliding Console, Barcode Reader, Alphanumeric LED Bars, and a Laser Pointer. Together, these features reduce operator movement and waiting time while guiding operators to the correct materials during picking.

Éolane also integrated Modula with its WMS, allowing the systems to exchange picking orders and inventory information. This integration supports a goods-to-person workflow, bringing the required materials directly to the operator and improving the flow of components between storage and production.

Key Results of Solarcraft Case Study:

• 30% reduction in storage space: By using vertical storage, Éolane reduced the space required for inventory while accommodating its growing storage needs.
• High-density electronic component storage: Customized Modula trays can accommodate up to 1,500 pieces per tray, maximizing the use of available storage space.
• Less walking and searching: The goods-to-person workflow brings materials directly to operators, reducing the movement required during picking.
• Faster, more accurate material identification: Visual picking aids and barcode scanning guide operators to the correct materials.
• Improved inventory control: Integration with Éolane’s WMS automatically exchanges picking information and inventory updates, helping keep system inventory aligned with actual stock.
• Secure storage for sensitive electronics: ESD Protection and controlled access help protect electronic components and restrict access to stored materials.

“We use customized electronic material racks within the VLM trays. They are designed around the size and characteristics of our products to maximize space utilization and help us manage storage locations more effectively.” – Jessie Li, Materials Logisitics Manager

“The VLMs are operating reliably, and the location guidance system is accurate. Modula’s service team and spare-parts support in Suzhou give us confidence in the system, and we are very satisfied with both the equipment and the after-sales service.” – Michael Wang, Supply Chain Director