Weishaupt has invested over €30 million over the past two years towards the modernisation of a highly innovative logistics centre in Schwendi, Germany.
The customer service and spare parts business of the energy technology producer demanded a changed material flow and new technologies.
The project team designed and implemented a new storage concept together with the WITRON project manager, Josef Gallersdörfer.
Modernisation Project
A modernisation of the existing processes during ongoing operation was required, including the construction of a new AS/RS, demanded design skills, creativity, reliability, and speed from both project partners.
The solution was the automated picking system OPS (Order Picking System).
"OPS is particularly interesting for spare parts distribution, as the system supports a wide variety of picking variants. In addition to a serial 1:1 order picking, it also enables a parallel picking into several order totes", Gallersdörfer said.
Well-Designed Eye-Catcher
Weishaupt rebuilt the twelve-aisle AS/RS – six aisles on two levels – including 83,000 storage locations. This is connected to the existing logistics and production areas via a connecting catwalk.
The five picking workstations, as well as the upstream and downstream repacking and packaging workstations, enable employees to carry out fewer secondary activities.
Flexibility was significantly increased by separating the tote flows at the picking workstations from orders with only one item and orders comprising several items, as well as the parallel picking of two orders.
Height-adjustable workstations, plenty of daylight, tilted totes, and transparent user dialogues make work easier, the company said.
Weishaupt can pick, pack, and ship up to 1,950 spare parts packages daily in its new logistics centre, optimised through a volume calculation so that little 'air' is shipped.
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