Day: 7 May 2020

German production companies have an unrealized demand for automated material flow systems, according to a survey by conveying roller and motor specialists Interroll.

There is still a high potential for increasing productivity in medium-sized German manufacturing companies: Not even one in five manufacturing companies in Germany achieves a degree of automation of more than 75 percent in internal material flow. At the same time, end-users attach particular importance to simple and robust systems for pallet handling. These are some of the findings of the Production Logistics in Medium-Sized Businesses survey, which Interroll conducted in Germany in 2019 to identify what users want in terms of appropriate solutions.

Automation and robotics are key technologies for greater competitiveness, quality and sustainability in industrial production. In order to optimally tap the productivity potential of these technologies, the internal flow of materials plays a central role. This applies not only to the supply of materials to assembly lines or robots, but also to the most seamless connection of storage and picking areas with incoming and outgoing goods. Most large companies have recognized this challenge. But what is the actual situation with automation in medium-sized companies?

Interroll’s survey ”Production Logistics in Medium-sized Companies” identifies a clear need to catch up in this area: The average degree of automation of internal material handling at the companies surveyed is only 53 percent. Not even one in five companies (19 percent) achieves a level of automation of over 75 percent for these processes. Nearly one in 10 companies (9 percent) has been very reluctant to invest in these processes and has an automation level of just under 25 percent. In the case of handling processes, this even applies to every fifth company. This situation in the companies suggests that there is a backlog demand for the appropriate equipment. If this reluctance to invest is not broken, these companies are likely to face competitive disadvantages in productivity.

Interestingly, the survey also shows this situation in the susceptibility of warehouse processes to failures, which the respondents reported. For example, the number of companies with a degree of automation of less than 50 percent doubles to 48 percent compared to 24 percent of companies with a higher degree of automation. But even those who automate are naturally not completely safe from disruption. Here, software malfunctions (40 percent) and the incorrect operation of complex systems (32 percent) are among the most frequent causes of impairment.

Simplicity and robustness are particularly important for users

Incidentally, easy operability of conveyor modules also plays an important role for the survey participants in pallet handling. Sixty-one percent of the production planners even consider this feature to be the most important factor in these processes. Across all those surveyed, the durability and robustness of pallet conveyor technology (58 percent) accounts for the decisive advantage of a solution. And those who believe that those responsible in medium-sized companies are not open-minded about future trends are mistaken: 67 percent consider predictive maintenance and professional service to be the most important criterion for ensuring smooth production processes, even before applications with a long service life (53 percent) and modularized products (50 percent).

In the survey commissioned by Interroll and conducted by the agency Faktenkontor (Hamburg), a total of 200 production companies in Germany were surveyed by telephone in 2019.. The focus was on companies with 50 to 500 employees and a turnover of up to 500 million euros. The companies came from a wide range of sectors, including mechanical engineering and the food and consumer goods industry. Technical decision makers, such as technical managers, production managers and production planners were particularly addressed.

With the results of this survey in mind, Interroll is actively working on a new solution – the Smart Pallet Mover, or SPM- to better organize and automate the “last mile” in manufacturing areas.

This new interface will improve the connection between the different phases of the material flow, that is, the movement, organization, input and output of pallets. The SPM can be deployed not only in proximity of manufacturing machines but also between different production cells within the same manufacturing process.

HANSA-FLEX, a leading hydraulic systems supplier based in Bremen, Germany, has prepared its packaging line for the future. In cooperation with the strapping specialists from Mosca, a networked, end-of-line, full-scale solution that is capable of much more than securing goods for transport was completed within a year. The project entailed intelligent strapping machinery with a fully automated parcel distribution system that combines state-of-the-art conveyor and strapping technology with automated data processing and Industry 4.0. This system practically eliminates errors over the last few metres of the packaging process, before the goods are reliably sent off to the customer.

It all started with a blank sheet of paper. The mission was to re-engineer a packaging line to make it 100% reliable, error-free and process-optimised. The products to be strapped included a variety of hydraulic systems ranging from hoses to seals and complex hydraulic components. Each day, around 1,000 parcels are processed and prepared for delivery at HANSA-FLEX headquarters in Bremen. Most of these packages come in different sizes and weights. They are delivered to end customers and to HANSA-FLEX branch operations by three different CEP service providers.

In the past, the last few metres of the HANSA-FLEX packaging process required a lot of manual labour. Employees picked up each package from one of the picking stations and carried it to the shipping department where – step-by-step – it was weighed, labelled and strapped for secure transport. Afterwards, the workers placed each finished package on a stack for collection by one of the three delivery service providers.

“All of these different steps made the end of our packaging line inefficient and prone to errors”, explained Frank Oetting, Central Warehouse Manager at HANSA-FLEX in Bremen. “It was time for us to find a new solution. One that was not only up-to-date, but also an investment in the future.” In search of a suitable partner, HANSA-FLEX contacted Mosca, a technology leader for strapping systems based in Waldbrunn, Germany. The hydraulics supplier was already using standardised strapping solutions supplied by Mosca. Now a customised application was needed to meet all of the customer’s specifications.

From initial design drawings to system launch in one year’s time
The Mosca team with their end-of-line expertise and the HANSA-FLEX team with their wishes and requirements sat down with the blank sheet of paper. Frank Oetting: “We knew exactly what we needed and worked with Mosca to develop the initial drawings.” A year later, he found himself standing in front of a fully automated strapping and package distribution system that reliably and precisely handles all of the end-of-line packaging operations that once required manual labour.

The heart of the new system is the EVOLUTION SoniXs TR-6 Pro, a high-end Industry 4.0 model manufactured by Mosca. This fully automated strapping machine with network interface was integrated into a conveyor system developed exclusively for HANSA-FLEX. Now the packages are simply placed on the conveyor with an order label – the system does the rest. An inclined roller conveyor aligns the packages and transports them to the EVOLUTION SoniXs TR-6 Pro. The machine automatically recognises the size of the boxes and secures them with double strapping. Mosca also supplies the white strapping material customised with the HANSA-FLEX logo. The strap ends are welded using Mosca SoniXs ultrasonic technology – which does not require a warm-up phase and saves energy.

End-of-line packaging runs like clockwork
Downstream processing is also carried out without human intervention. A scanner reads the order label, a calibrated scale weighs the package, and a printer creates the shipping label with all the information for the package delivery service. The system also attaches the label to the package. All data related to the shipment is forwarded to the HANSA-FLEX ERP system so that the order can be automatically invoiced by the respective CEP service provider. Three different conveyors assign the packages to the corresponding service providers. If a label is incorrect or illegible, the package is sorted out on a fourth conveyor and checked by an employee.
Mosca Area Sales Manager Wolfgang Dürkoop is responsible for HANSA-FLEX support: “Since the current workload does not require continuous operation of the system, we integrated an automatic start-stop system to help our customer lower energy costs.”

Close cooperation and open communication
The fact that this large-scale project was implemented so quickly is a direct result of the close cooperation between HANSA-FLEX and Mosca. Frank Oetting: “We have a lot in common in the way we work. We roll up our sleeves, tackle the problems and openly share information.” This hands-on approach made it possible to master the toughest project challenges without major difficulties. “A key factor was the interface to the SAP system that processes the shipping data and automatic invoicing”, Oetting explained. It was important to ensure that this functioned reliably and was designed in such a way that it could also be integrated into other applications with similar requirements. Wolfgang Dürkoop: “We worked with our system experts to develop a viable solution.”

Similar application for strapping pallets
It wasn’t long before HANSA-FLEX required a similar application for its Geisenfeld plant, where goods needed to be automatically strapped on pallets and assigned to the company’s shipping department or warehouse. “Once again we worked with HANSA-FLEX to create and implement a concept consisting of the strapping machine, conveyor system and data processing,” explained Michael Zimmermann, Head of Mosca System Sales for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In this case, the conveyor system was built in an H-shaped layout so that goods can be placed on it from two sides. The system independently aligns the pallets, identifies the required strapping program based on the order label, and conveys the packages to a Mosca EVOLUTION SoniXs KZV-111-20 machine that vertically straps the packages to the pallets. Weighing, labelling and assignment to shipping service providers or warehouses are carried out on the fully automated conveyor system.

Concept, production and maintenance from a single source
The promising solution clearly meets the needs of the staff at the HANSA-FLEX sites in Geisenfeld and Bremen. “It was important for us to procure the entire system from a single source. And Mosca offered us exactly what we needed”, said Frank Oetting. Except for a few components, the system solutions at both plants were produced exclusively by Mosca. “We provide complete maintenance along with support for conversion and expansion work”, explained Wolfgang Dürkoop.

Thanks to its modular design, the system can be expanded at any time. “Flexibility is what makes this model ideal for our application,” says Frank Oetting. The company is already planning steps for the future, when conveyor technology will be used to connect the individual picking stations to the system. This will eliminate the need to manually place the packages on the system.

The system workload can be significantly increased in its current state. Wolfgang Dürkoop: “The EVOLUTION SoniXs TR-6 Pro can strap up to 900 packages per hour. With our solution, HANSA-FLEX is well-equipped to handle major production increases in the future.”

France-based Encarna Formation specialises in operator training for a wide range of construction machinery, which includes, forklift operators and truck mounted aerial platform drivers. The company, which began trading in 2012, has recently relocated from Albertville in the French department of Savoie to the Tétrapôle, commercial centre at Tournon, also in Savoie.

The move was accompanied by new investment by the firm, which included three new forklift trucks from Hyundai Material Handling – two 15BT-9s and one 70D-9. The investment forms part of the company’s strategy to expand its training portfolio to facilitate with the new CACES (certificate of safe driving skills) training reforms, which came into effect on 1 st January 2020.

Anne-Céline Tardy, director of Encarna Formation, explained, ” Until the end of last August, Encarna Formation (the name is made up of ” Engin Cariste Nacelles” – the French terms for forklift truck operator) was based at Albertville. Since then, we have purchased some land and have relocated our business and set up a new base in Tournon.”

Anne-Céline continued, “ The move was due to changes in national recommendations for CACES training in January of this year, which is our company’s key area of activity.

The new training reforms meant that we needed to change the scope of training in order to operate several forklift trucks or construction machines concurrently, which is something we could not offer from our existing premises. We were also required to have a platform, a bridge crane and other equipment.”

“The changes meant that, amongst other things, we needed an area of 200 m2 for the forklift training side of the business. So, we had to move if we wanted to continue to carry out CACES training. We were looking for land close to Albertville because, as a company, we are very settled here; we are close to Maurienne, Beaufortain, Val d’Arly, and at the same time near Haut-Savoie, Faverges and Annecy. Strategically, we did not want to go far from Albertville and Tournon is five minutes away.” Added, Anne-Céline.

Encarna Formation is now located on a 1,200 m 2 site, which includes a 600 m 2 depot and 300 m 2 of office space and training rooms. Anne-Céline Tardy also entered into an agreement with the local community, whereby the training centre can use 10,000 m 2 of their land for training on construction machinery.

Some 3,000 trainees undergo training each year at this centre, 500 of them doing CACES forklift operation training. “Our forklifts and machines are operated by many different people and are really put through their paces during the four-day training course – they are in use for six to seven hours every day,” commented Anne-Céline.

With all of these factors in mind, Anne-Céline required robust, reliable, and highly manoeuvrable forklift trucks, which also offered value, alongside excellent quality. Hyundai Material Handling ticked all the boxes and more and she purchased two 15BT-9s and a 70D-9 for the business.

The machines also needed to handle various categories of training. ” At our site, we mainly use category three forklifts (having a capacity less than or equal to 6,000 kg) and category four (capacity over 6,000 kg). We have a portfolio of around 400 customers, including key factories such as Usitech and Staübli, who run a large fleet of forklift trucks, and who therefore also need operators,” explained Anne-Céline Tardy.

“Our trainers and the trainees are very happy with the fleet of machines that we provide for them. We have had good feedback about the Hyundai forklifts. Whether it’s the 15BT-9, the electric forklift weighing in at around 3.12 t, and able to handle loads of 1.5 t, or the 70D-9, the diesel forklift weighing in at over 8 t, these forklifts are very manoeuvrable, they are quick to get to grips with, they have spacious cabins, have excellent visibility for safe operation, and they are very well equipped as standard,” Anne-Céline concluded.

Available with working widths of 108 and 123 cm and equipped with a 260-litre tank, the new Scrubmaster B260 R provides a cleaning performance of up to 8,600 m2/h and complements Hako’s ride-on scrubber-drier family. The company says this high-performance machine ensures long operating times in large areas – for example in warehouses or industrial facilities. Modular extension options ensure high levels of flexibility and clever details provide more comfort and efficiency.

When developing the Scrubmaster B260 R, Hako has applied its own high standards in terms of quality, performance and ergonomics. This new ride-on scrubber-drier has been designed to benefit the user: All operating elements are within easy reach and allow intuitive use. The 1-button operating system starts all functions at the push of a single button. Filling, cleaning and maintaining the machine is just as easy: for example thanks to the quick-fill solution tank, the squeegee (folds up manually) with a patented self-cleaning system, as well as the automated, tool-free changing of brushes. Both the back- and armrests and the seating position can be optimally adjusted to suit the driver’s individual needs. This is how not only the new Scrubmaster B260 R but also the entire ride-on Scrubmaster family took the hurdles of AGR’s (Aktion Gesunder Rücken e. V.) demanding test procedures and have subsequently been awarded the AGR quality label as particularly back-friendly products.

Whether it is high levels of pedestrian traffic – along with considerable amounts of waste – in large lobbies, cleaning during business hours, or various types of residue in major-industry production facilities: each job site holds its very own challenges for professional contract cleaners. With its modular machine concept, the new Scrubmaster B260 R meets all these challenges easily. Four different scrub units are available for every cleaning requirement: from a cylindrical brush to 2- or 3-disc brush units and a heavy-duty 3-disc brush unit for use on rough, sanded floors. Optional attachments allow extending the machine’s functional features even further: for example with the pre-sweep/vacuum unit, which enables sweeping and wet cleaning in a single working step.

The new ride-on scrubber-drier Scrubmaster B260 R cleans reliably and is particularly economically efficient. This machine masters even inclines of up to 15 % in cleaning mode effortlessly and provides best possible cleaning results. The sophisticated safety concept makes this scrubber-drier the ideal choice when it comes to cleaning industrial floors: Thanks to optional safety features such as side bumpers (lateral collision protection), a BlueSpot work light and an overhead guard, the Scrubmaster B260 R meets even the most stringent requirements in terms of occupational safety.

Available with working widths of 108 and 123 cm and equipped with a 260-litre tank, the new Scrubmaster B260 R provides a cleaning performance of up to 8,600 m2/h and complements Hako’s ride-on scrubber-drier family. The company says this high-performance machine ensures long operating times in large areas – for example in warehouses or industrial facilities. Modular extension options ensure high levels of flexibility and clever details provide more comfort and efficiency.

When developing the Scrubmaster B260 R, Hako has applied its own high standards in terms of quality, performance and ergonomics. This new ride-on scrubber-drier has been designed to benefit the user: All operating elements are within easy reach and allow intuitive use. The 1-button operating system starts all functions at the push of a single button. Filling, cleaning and maintaining the machine is just as easy: for example thanks to the quick-fill solution tank, the squeegee (folds up manually) with a patented self-cleaning system, as well as the automated, tool-free changing of brushes. Both the back- and armrests and the seating position can be optimally adjusted to suit the driver’s individual needs. This is how not only the new Scrubmaster B260 R but also the entire ride-on Scrubmaster family took the hurdles of AGR’s (Aktion Gesunder Rücken e. V.) demanding test procedures and have subsequently been awarded the AGR quality label as particularly back-friendly products.

Whether it is high levels of pedestrian traffic – along with considerable amounts of waste – in large lobbies, cleaning during business hours, or various types of residue in major-industry production facilities: each job site holds its very own challenges for professional contract cleaners. With its modular machine concept, the new Scrubmaster B260 R meets all these challenges easily. Four different scrub units are available for every cleaning requirement: from a cylindrical brush to 2- or 3-disc brush units and a heavy-duty 3-disc brush unit for use on rough, sanded floors. Optional attachments allow extending the machine’s functional features even further: for example with the pre-sweep/vacuum unit, which enables sweeping and wet cleaning in a single working step.

The new ride-on scrubber-drier Scrubmaster B260 R cleans reliably and is particularly economically efficient. This machine masters even inclines of up to 15 % in cleaning mode effortlessly and provides best possible cleaning results. The sophisticated safety concept makes this scrubber-drier the ideal choice when it comes to cleaning industrial floors: Thanks to optional safety features such as side bumpers (lateral collision protection), a BlueSpot work light and an overhead guard, the Scrubmaster B260 R meets even the most stringent requirements in terms of occupational safety.

Logistics software specialist inconso and leading providers of collaborative robotic solutions, Fetch Robotics and Locus Robotics, have combined their strengths and entered strategic partnerships. As a provider of comprehensive supply chain software solutions, inconso expands its product portfolio with an integrated approach for implementing autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in warehouses.

In this strategic partnership the Körber Business Area Supply Chain, which includes inconso, acts as a global reseller, advisor and integrator of Fetch’s AMR solutions and cloud robotics software. “Our partnership with Fetch Robotics allows us to extend the automation opportunity for our customers across the wide range of workflows involved in material movements in the warehouse,” says John Santagate, vice president of robotics at Körber Supply Chain – Software.

Fetch Robotics is considered a leading provider of cloud-based robotics solutions that bring the speed, agility and cost advantages of cloud computing to intralogistics. Fetch Robotics’ solutions and services are deployed in leading distribution, fulfillment, and manufacturing centers around the world. By combining autonomous mobile robotics with the power of the cloud, the Fetch Cloud Robotics Platform provides on-demand automation solutions for material handling and inventory management.

Within the Business Area Körber Supply Chain, the partnership with the provider of autonomous mobile robots Locus Robotics is also being expanded. Locus Robotics’ expertise is primarily on the use of collaborative robots in retail and third-party logistics (3PL). Both partnerships enable simplified integration projects for the smooth interplay of software and hardware components. The result is a truly flexible automation platform – providing immediate value by simplifying operations and maximizing productivity along the supply chain.