Month: March 2019

As 2018 ended, the Transported Asset Protection Association announced a five year high of cargo crime incidents resulting in losses of €6.8 million in just 30 days. The Netherlands reported 46 thefts in November 2018, accounting for 15.1% of the global cargo crimes in the month.

As this worrying trend is set to continue, attention is turning toward the most vulnerable links of the supply chain – warehouses and distribution centres.

With large and irregular perimeters, various containers and vehicles affording intruders plenty of hiding places, and unmanned hours at night and on holidays, warehouses and distribution centres are particularly difficult to secure. Yet, the cost of a break-in can be disastrous whether in lost product or damage to expensive equipment.

Geoff Clarke, CEO of Sensurity, a leading innovator in perimeter security, said, “There are few ways to truly prevent intruders from entering your warehouse or distribution centre. Fences can be cut, dug under or climbed over with the help of a tall vehicle. Prevention is futile, so the aim of the game is to detect and deter.”

Fortunately, there are many options for Intruder Detection. But with so many options, how do you know which is best for your site?

There are a range of factors to consider about your site’s needs and the varying ability of Perimeter Intruder Detection Systems to protect your warehouse or distribution centre:

1. Detection probability
In 2019 the best intruder detection systems are achieving 99.9% probability of detection. But this isn’t the whole story. This figure does not consider the ability of an intruder to perceive the system and avoid it, by jumping over or crawling under the detection zone.
Mr. Clarke continued, “We have developed radar systems which are completely invisible and undetectable to intruders and reach heights of up to 10m.”

2. False alarms
Hand-in-hand with detection probability is the False Alarm Rate of a system. Traditionally, as sensitivity of a system was increased for a better probability of detection, the false alarm rate would also increase.
However, thanks to algorithmic processing some systems can now recognise the difference between vehicles, humans running, walking or crawling, animals and weather effects.
Weather in particular is a problem as rain, snow, fog and wind can either lead to a high number of false alarms or completely hide intruders from detection. For example, heavy fog or snow can prevent a motion or thermal detection CCTV camera from seeing an intruder.

3. Space
Some systems, such as standalone microwave radar and CCTV, need to be overlapped to ensure there are no detection deadzones. This creates a large installation footprint and can double the amount of mounting and cabling materials required.

“In recent years our breakthroughs in research and development have established dual-technology radar detection systems, which incorporate infrared to cover the deadzones left by the cigar shaped radar detection zone.” Mr. Clarke explained, “This eliminates the need to overlap the detection zone and cuts the number of units needed.”
Also, where space is restricted due to nearby roads, hedge rows and fences, a system with a narrow active alarm zone is necessary.

4. Budget
Installation of perimeter intruder detection systems varies from “plug-and-play” to digging a trench around your perimeter as is the case with fibre optic cable sensors. As mentioned above, the number of units needed will also impact your installation budget. The Nuisance Alarm Rate and maintenance requirements will impact the cost of labour hours for years to come. Systems working from lenses that are impacted by dirt, such as infrared and CCTV, can lead to a lot of manual callouts, while systems enabled with remote configuration and maintenance capabilities can be particularly useful for unmanned sites.

5. Terrain
Standing water, foliage and vegetation can affect both the effectiveness and false alarm rate of perimeter intruder detection systems. Smart systems using Digital Signal Processing algorithms examine the environment and continuously self-calibrate to account for changes in these factors such as steady growth of grass or trees shaking in wind.

As 2018 ended, the Transported Asset Protection Association announced a five year high of cargo crime incidents resulting in losses of €6.8 million in just 30 days. The Netherlands reported 46 thefts in November 2018, accounting for 15.1% of the global cargo crimes in the month.

As this worrying trend is set to continue, attention is turning toward the most vulnerable links of the supply chain – warehouses and distribution centres.

With large and irregular perimeters, various containers and vehicles affording intruders plenty of hiding places, and unmanned hours at night and on holidays, warehouses and distribution centres are particularly difficult to secure. Yet, the cost of a break-in can be disastrous whether in lost product or damage to expensive equipment.

Geoff Clarke, CEO of Sensurity, a leading innovator in perimeter security, said, “There are few ways to truly prevent intruders from entering your warehouse or distribution centre. Fences can be cut, dug under or climbed over with the help of a tall vehicle. Prevention is futile, so the aim of the game is to detect and deter.”

Fortunately, there are many options for Intruder Detection. But with so many options, how do you know which is best for your site?

There are a range of factors to consider about your site’s needs and the varying ability of Perimeter Intruder Detection Systems to protect your warehouse or distribution centre:

1. Detection probability
In 2019 the best intruder detection systems are achieving 99.9% probability of detection. But this isn’t the whole story. This figure does not consider the ability of an intruder to perceive the system and avoid it, by jumping over or crawling under the detection zone.
Mr. Clarke continued, “We have developed radar systems which are completely invisible and undetectable to intruders and reach heights of up to 10m.”

2. False alarms
Hand-in-hand with detection probability is the False Alarm Rate of a system. Traditionally, as sensitivity of a system was increased for a better probability of detection, the false alarm rate would also increase.
However, thanks to algorithmic processing some systems can now recognise the difference between vehicles, humans running, walking or crawling, animals and weather effects.
Weather in particular is a problem as rain, snow, fog and wind can either lead to a high number of false alarms or completely hide intruders from detection. For example, heavy fog or snow can prevent a motion or thermal detection CCTV camera from seeing an intruder.

3. Space
Some systems, such as standalone microwave radar and CCTV, need to be overlapped to ensure there are no detection deadzones. This creates a large installation footprint and can double the amount of mounting and cabling materials required.

“In recent years our breakthroughs in research and development have established dual-technology radar detection systems, which incorporate infrared to cover the deadzones left by the cigar shaped radar detection zone.” Mr. Clarke explained, “This eliminates the need to overlap the detection zone and cuts the number of units needed.”
Also, where space is restricted due to nearby roads, hedge rows and fences, a system with a narrow active alarm zone is necessary.

4. Budget
Installation of perimeter intruder detection systems varies from “plug-and-play” to digging a trench around your perimeter as is the case with fibre optic cable sensors. As mentioned above, the number of units needed will also impact your installation budget. The Nuisance Alarm Rate and maintenance requirements will impact the cost of labour hours for years to come. Systems working from lenses that are impacted by dirt, such as infrared and CCTV, can lead to a lot of manual callouts, while systems enabled with remote configuration and maintenance capabilities can be particularly useful for unmanned sites.

5. Terrain
Standing water, foliage and vegetation can affect both the effectiveness and false alarm rate of perimeter intruder detection systems. Smart systems using Digital Signal Processing algorithms examine the environment and continuously self-calibrate to account for changes in these factors such as steady growth of grass or trees shaking in wind.

Geek+ Robotics will be showcasing its latest and most advanced warehousing robotic solutions at ProMat 2019, the largest supply-chain trade show in the Americas, at Booth N6327, in Chicago, from April 8th to 11th.

New products include the C200 Bin-Carrying Robot Shuttle System, an Autonomous Forklift, and the OpenBox System, a platform to build and manage flexible moving lines in manufacturing and fully autonomous navigation in material handling.

Geek Moving System
The Geek Moving System replaces traditional AGVs and reduces labour intensity by flexible material handling and production line deployment. Features include simple installation, elegant industrial design, high-precision navigation and long-lasting battery life, and its compatibility with cage trolley towing, conveyor roller, lifting and human-machine interaction. The Geek Moving System is perfect for various scenarios in manufacturing such as raw materials receiving and transfer, picking, loading and production line interface.

Geek Robot Shuttle System
The new Geek C200 Robot Shuttle System is an innovative and productive tool to identify and pick standard-sized bins and carry them to workstations for picking and packing. The system includes intelligent scheduling, accurate navigation and automatic charging. It is suitable for multi-SKU storage and picking applications and is designed to operate on single layer rack and multi-layer mezzanine racks, fits within existing warehouses, and is easy to adapt to changes in workload by adding and removing robots. Carton or shoe boxes can also be picked by the C200 with single box weights up to 40 Kg. Geek+ also offers a powerful robot management system which the company independently developed for each solution.

Geek Autonomous Forklift
Another innovative new product is the Geek Autonomous Forklift. This new forklift realizes self-driving through SLAM navigation and is capable of automated storage and retrieval. Its sensors can detect the measurement and position of the goods on the shelves, pinpoint the pallet slots accurately and carry the goods to the appointed area under the instruction from the scheduling system (also developed by Geek+ Robotics).

Visit Geek+ at Booth N6327. Schedule a meeting with the team here.

SSI Schaefer has delivered a tugger train solution for a high bay warehouse, including miniload system, pallet and bin conveyor technology as well as software.

When designing its new logistics centre at the Czech Republic location in Ostrava, the Brose Group, the world’s fourth largest family-owned automotive supplier, turned to the experts at SSI Schaefer, who prepared an innovative material flow concept for a highly dynamic production supply, which is supported by a highly customised SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) system.

The Brose Group produces mechatronic components and systems for vehicle doors, seats, and electric motors. With new vehicle models increasing customer requirements and proprietary developments, the range of items for production supply continues to expand.

All processes within the logistics centre are designed for ultimate reliability. Controlled by SAP EWM, the fully automated high bay warehouse is efficient with conveyor technology and a state-of-the-art robotics application as well as an automated miniload system, which ensure reliable delivery capability for Brose.

For logistics involving heavy load carriers, SSI Schaefer developed a new, 5-aisle high bay warehouse with 9,750 pallet spaces for single-depth storage. Five Exyz single mast storage and retrieval machines with telescopic load handling attachments guarantee energy efficient storage and picking at a total handling capacity of 200 double cycles per hour.

The warehouse consists of the incoming goods area, the conveyor technology, and processing workspaces as well as a seven-aisle automated miniload system. The latter features a capacity of 23,520 bins for one-deep and two-deep storage. Also located upstream are four train stations where the bins for production supply are pre-sequenced. In a next step, the bins are transferred fully sequentially and automatically to the tugger trains.

“The new solution allows for minimal manual handling, direct, optimized material provision, reduced effort by staff, and improved ergonomics. We have simplified and streamlined workflows, made processes more transparent, and increased throughput with system automation, material flow conversion, and a consistent SAP solution. We are extremely satisfied with this intelligent solution for a fully automated production supply” commented Claudia Vogel-Daniel, Project Coordinator, Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Coburg.

Sitma Machinery, a company from Spilamberto (Italy) specializing in the design and construction of machines, systems and complete lines for the Packaging, Post-Press, DM/Transpromo and e-Logistics sectors, is strengthening its commitment to eco-sustainable technologies. In recent years, Sitma has invested heavily in finding a packaging alternative to traditional thermoplastic materials, and has been developing a solution that can reconcile sustainability, production costs and mechanical performance.

Paper, plastic or bio-plastic?

Sitma has always considered the environmental impact of its work, placing it at the center of product development strategies. Each of the four “pillars” around which the company’s activities revolve is in fact concerned with the use of packaging materials that are likely to contribute to global pollution, particularly in the case of plastics.

For this reason, the company has decided to carry out comparative studies, evaluating the pros and cons of different materials in search of the optimal choice in terms of both performance and sustainability. Putting aside the traditional thermoplastic materials, whose technological development has come to an end, it is now paper and bio-plastic which are being taken into consideration.

Each of the two solutions has a series of advantages: the first case involves a highly recyclable material obtained from natural renewable sources and with a reduced carbon footprint. However, paper requires special precautions due to its various mechanical properties. In the case of bio-plastic, we have an eco-compatible material with inherent characteristics that make it ideal for packaging, but it’s expensive, both in the production and recycling phases, as it requires avoiding contamination with “common” plastics during these operations. Furthermore, the raw materials that contribute to its construction are obtained from crops that primarily serve (or could serve) as a food source.

Paper as the preferred solution

Considering this study, Sitma endorses the paper option. Its intrinsic characteristics, including its biodegradability within a matter of weeks, in addition to the aforementioned renewability of the production source, make it the solution with the greatest benefit for the environment.

In fact, choosing paper means promoting the development of the forest industry as a supply source, simultaneously supporting the recycling chain and ultimately encouraging the emergence of professional entities oriented toward a sustainable approach. Using packaging material with a high level of sustainability means not only meeting the needs of the environment but also responding to consumer expectations.

Numerous studies show that in selecting consumer goods, users increasingly reward eco-sustainable solutions, a trend that is growing not only in Western countries but also in developing nations. Also contributing to this trend are increasingly strict international regulations (within the EU, for example) aimed at reducing sources of air pollution. In this context, being able to guarantee packaging with “zero impact” is a critical factor in obtaining an important competitive advantage.

Sitma’s next step was to update its packaging solutions to be able to use paper as an alternative to films or bio-films — materials that can still be used by the company’s line-up of systems — thus providing its customers with convenient and less invasive alternatives.

Paper packaging technology: A “win-win situation”

What are the specific benefits that Sitma can guarantee its customers who decide to take the paper route? First of all, versatility: the company has developed a process that allows the packaging of differently sized objects on the same machine, encompassing a market that ranges from envelopes, to packages sent via e-commerce, to consumer goods.

Specifically, the pilot area in which Sitma has developed paper packaging is that of magazines, but the company is also implementing this technology in the logistics and general packaging sector, supporting the transition to the use of paper by promoting envelopes, for example, as a type of packaging.

Thanks to the retrofit created by Sitma, the use of paper does not require changing machines or production lines in most cases. It also guarantees quality packaging, obtaining a product whose features conform to the standards of film packaging in terms of protection, aesthetic requirements and customization options. Sitma has indeed developed the system so that it is backward compatible with the plastic or bio-film machines already in use. The software sector can also be integrated with pre-existing platforms, thus eliminating costs deriving from the new purchase.

Last but not least are the benefits to the environment: Sitma technology is in line with the regulations for reducing the carbon footprint of industrial processes, which are increasingly moving toward a Product Lifecycle Management approach: controlling emissions all the way from the supply of raw materials to the end of the line. From this viewpoint, Sitma is looking with great interest at compensation projects for certified CO2 credits, both inEurope and outside Europe, with the ambitious goal of obtaining Carbon Neutrality Certification.

Industrial data capture specialist Datalogic says that its Ulyxe laser marking system has been chosen by Gibson Technology to enable consistent and reliable marking of components used in its high-performance race engines.

Once the need was identified, Gibson Technology worked closely with specialist supplier Laser Lines, to understand more about the different laser marking systems that were available. “Performance and reliability are critically important attributes in the class of racing engines that we design and manufacture here at Gibson Technology”, explains Operations Director, John Manchester. “In case there ever is a problem with a component, we need to individually mark each part used in each engine with a unique manufacturing batch number to provide full traceability of when a part was produced, the material specification that was used and the engines that the components have been fitted in.”

Gibson Technology needed to be able to mark anything from carbon fibre, titanium and steel, through to aluminum and plastic in a variety of shapes and sizes. “The consistency and accuracy of the marks across different parts was a very important consideration for us,” states Manchester. “However, the speed and ease of marking was also extremely important to ensure that other areas of the manufacturing process were not delayed.” Gibson Technology had previously used dot peen technology to mark parts, however the system proved to be extremely time-consuming and was difficult to use, making the whole process inefficient.

“To help Gibson Technology feel assured that they were choosing a solution that would best meet their requirements, we arranged an onsite demonstration,” comments Chris Ogden, Industrial & Scientific Laser Division Manager at Laser Lines. “During this consultative meeting, we were able mark a range of different materials for Gibson so they could see the quality and consistency of the marks first-hand and evaluate the ease of use.”

Manchester comments “The Datalogic Ulyxe laser marking system came out on top. While there were many different systems out there, the speed and accuracy of the marks produced by the Datalogic system was far superior to the other competitors.”

In addition to supplying the laser marker itself, Laser Lines also provided an appropriate sized workstation to Gibson Technology that would enable them to mark both small and large parts and provide the required levels of safety for operators when the machine is in use. Training was also delivered by the Laser Lines engineer on the same day that the system was installed and calibrated to ensure the client was up and running as soon as possible.

“Being able to mark parts in the manner we do now has already had a big impact on our operations,” Manchester surmises. “Reducing the process time from the shop floor through to inspection to actual assembly has been a big advantage to us. It was always really important for us to identify a machine that we knew would be accurate, consistent and reliable and certainly with the Datalogic solution we have met all those requirements.”