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Tag: warehouse automation

Axfood  plans Gothenburg eCommerce DC

Posted on by David Priestman

In mid-July 2021, the Swedish food retailer Axfood awarded its logistics lifetime partner Witron Logistik + Informatik an order for the design, implementation, service, and system operation of a food eCommerce DC in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Both companies are thus continuing the OCM (Omni-Channel Machinery) strategy they started with four very specific goals: maximum premium delivery service for end customers of all distribution channels, maximum end-to-end cost-efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. Witron is already implementing the 100,000 sq m  omnichannel distribution centre in Bålsta (near Stockholm) for Axfood, which will bethe largest single project in the history of both companies.

“With the investment in these two distribution centres, we have laid the foundations for our future logistics platform, which will strengthen the entire Axfood family,” explains Klas Balkow, President and CEO of Axfood. “We are ensuring first-class, efficient, and sustainable logistics processes – for us and our nationwide customers – and with this are creating the prerequisites for profitable growth.”

Piece picking competence

From the end of 2024, the Gothenburg facility with a size of 11,500 sq m will provide home delivery to all online customers of the Scandinavian retailer in the region of southern Sweden, supplying approx. 17,000 different dry goods, fresh products, fruits and vegetables, as well as frozen food. In addition to the home shopping orders, the facility in Gothenburg will also handle click+collect orders for Axfood stores across the region. The highly automated food eCommerce DC is designed for a daily picking performance of 412,000 cases, which corresponds to some 6,700 customer orders.

“Witron’s piece picking systems pick almost 20 million single units per day worldwide,” says Jack Kuypers, Senior Vice President North-West Europe of Witron, citing an impressive figure. “In addition to a consistent overall concept – characterised by a high level of cost-efficiency – the competence in the area of end-customer delivery, which has been proven in numerous industries, was a particularly important decision criterion for Axfood.”

The logistical heart is the AIO “All-in-One Order” Fulfilment solution from Witron. The decisive advantage of this innovative piece picking system is that multiple categories such as different temperature zones, different distribution channels, as well as fast and slow movers can be handled in one integrated system – multi-functionally with the same technology and the same staff.

In Gothenburg, for example, e-commerce orders and click+collect orders are consolidated in this way. A total of 89,000 tote storage locations, 44 stacker cranes, and 52 ergonomic pick workstations are connected in a highly flexible material flow across all logistics areas. Due to these numerous advantages, Axfood has already opted for the AIO solution in the omnichannel distribution centre in Bålsta, where it also uses the system to fulfil online orders in addition to store orders.

Picking directly into containers

At the workstations, items from the dry goods and fresh food assortment are picked directly from the storage tote into shipping bags. Frozen products are picked from the storage tote into specially designed insulated containers, ensuring that the cold chain is maintained. The automated consolidation of all orders and temperature zones is optimised by an automated route sequence buffer, which consolidates the customer orders just-in-time and route-friendly for dispatch by Axfood’s own delivery vehicles or service providers.

Continuation of OCM strategy

“The food eCommerce DC in Gothenburg is the consistent continuation of our OCM strategy, which we started at Axfood with the realisation of the omnichannel distribution centre in Bålsta,” explains Jack Kuypers. “Consequently, OCM (Omni-Channel Machinery) is an integrated retail platform. It includes a high-performance logistics centre, the integration of the horizontal supply chain nodes, as well as different vertical channels, and, in addition, an optimiser that makes it possible to easily and efficiently manage the generated network according to various priorities – e.g. time, costs, performance, transport, or volume.

“We combine existing technologies, simultaneously develop a platform from the supplier, over the warehouse, through to the store or end customer, create transparency within the retail network, and enable data exchange between all participants,” says the Witron SVP “all the way to the store – or as here in Gothenburg – to the end customer.”

“With OCM, Witron has succeeded in creating a platform, a high-performance end-to-end retail logistics network, which actually integrates all nodes of our network for the first time,” explains Nicholas Pettersson, Managing Director Logistics at Axfood. “Inefficient parallel worlds and self-sufficient silos are taboo. In addition, the future solutions in Gothenburg and Bålsta will increase efficiency in all logistics processes, reduce food waste, and provide even higher supply quality, as well as better service for stores and end customers.”

As a general contractor, Witron Logistik + Informatik GmbH is responsible for the entire design, concept, realisation, and commissioning of all IT, control, and mechanical components. A Witron Onsite team with 38 technicians, responsible for service, maintenance, and system operation, ensures the permanent availability of the highly dynamic food eCommerce DC in multi-shift operation.

Motion: the next dimension of hand-eye applications

Posted on by David Priestman

In robotics, a hand-eye system denotes a setup where a vision system is directly attached to the robotic arm, generally behind the very last joint. This approach offers an alternative to the more traditional fixed mounting of the vision system, usually above the working volume of the robot.

Though the hand-eye approach may benefit many applications, its potential has so far been largely limited by standard vision systems. Photoneo comes with an ultimate solution that finally puts an end to these vision-based limitations.

Advantages

The hand-eye approach is very useful in specific applications as it offers a number of advantages over the fixed-vision-system method. First of all, it can cover a much bigger scanning volume as it can be specifically directed to the area of interest, offering much more flexibility than the latter approach. The vision system is thus only limited by the reach of the robot rather than by its own scanning volume.

Scanning distance is one of the main parameters that determine scanning accuracy – a hand-eye vision system with a shorter scanning range can provide a much higher level of detail than a fixed vision system with a large scanning distance. If a customer has a large bin filled with small parts, the highest level of detail will be achieved by using a small scanner with a short scanning range mounted to the robotic arm.

A hand-eye system is also an advantageous option in case an application comprises two or more containers. A standard setup with a fixed vision system would either require a linear axis above the bins or multiple vision systems. A hand-eye system will do with one scanner moving with the robotic arm from one container to another.

Furthermore, bin walls or a vision system mounted above the container in a fixed manner may cast shadows on certain sections of the container, inhibiting proper scan acquisition of some parts. In such cases, a compromise needs to be made for finding an optimal position for the scanner in relation to the bin and sometimes the parts need to be manually rearranged. The hand-eye approach can easily overcome this challenge.

Hand-eye systems present a modern approach with rising popularity, which gains a firm foothold in an increasing number of robotic applications. Its benefits become even more important with the rise of collaborative robotics. However, one should keep in mind that the deployment of the hand-eye approach makes real sense only in specific types of applications.

Important considerations

Though the hand-eye setup provides a number of advantages, there are certain factors that need to be considered before adopting the approach.

Hand-eye systems require a more difficult installation than setups with a fixed vision system. It is also more difficult to find an optimal way to handle the cables that power the deployed vision system.

In addition, because the scanner is attached to the robotic arm, it may restrict the robot’s movements. It is therefore advisable to use a smaller vision system.

Another drawback of hand-eye systems is a higher risk of colliding with the sensor and possible difficulties with finding the optimal position on the robotic arm for the vision system, especially if it is of a larger size.

Moreover, robot movements cause vibrations, which standard high-accuracy area-scan vision systems cannot handle. Because of this, the robotic arm needs to stay still during scan acquisition, which may prolong the cycle time. As a result, the hand-eye approach is not the right solution for time-critical applications.

Of course, there are applications where the hand-eye setup is the best option and that do greatly benefit from this approach. In those cases, the vision-based limitations can be overcome with Photoneo’s revolutionary ‘Parallel Structured Light’ technology.

Hand-eye coordination in motion

The ‘Parallel Structured Light’ technology, implemented in the Photoneo 3D camera MotionCam-3D, enables hand-eye coordination without trade-offs between quality and speed. MotionCam-3D is the only 3D vision system that provides high-quality scans even during the movement of the robotic arm. The camera is highly resistant to vibrations and does not require stopping the robot.

The technology enables the capture of objects moving up to 144kmh, providing a resolution of 0.9Mpx and an accuracy of 300–1250μm, and in the static mode a resolution of 2Mpx and an accuracy of 150–900μm. MotionCam-3D is available in five models – most suitable for hand-eye applications are models S, S+, and M.

The greatest benefit of the novel technology is that the robot does not need to stop to make a scan, which dramatically shortens the cycle time when compared to standard technologies. It thus opens the door to new applications such as instant tracking of the object position.

Collaborative robotics has also been limited by the drawbacks of standard methods. Collaborative robots are slower per se than industrial robots and when combined with the hand-eye approach, the cycle times are prolonged even more. MotionCam-3D overcomes this limitation and works perfectly also if attached to the arm of a collaborative robot.

Motioncam-3D comes as an ultimate solution for any kind of robotic tasks. Vision-system-based limitations of the hand-eye approach are now an issue of the past. The technology offers the best resolution and accuracy for scanning at fast speed, effective resistance to vibrations, and shorter cycle times than ever.

Dematic appoints new UK and Ireland boss

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic has appointed Steffen Thierfelder as the Market Leader of Dematic UK and Ireland. In this role, Theirfelder will be responsible for sales growth and supporting overall business development to further strengthen Dematic’s position as a global provider of intelligent automation solutions.

Thierfelder, previously Dematic’s Senior Director of Business Solutions for Northern Europe, will report into the EMEA executive team and be responsible for driving Order Intake, Sales and developing the team across the UK and Ireland.

The move comes at a time when European retail is undergoing a significant transition, mainly driven by the growth of eCommerce. As a result, there has been a substantial increase in demand for logistical fulfilment centres with small order pick and pack capabilities.

Theirfelder said: “The demand for scalable automated solutions, not only in the grocery sector but also in e-commerce, apparel, food & beverage and manufacturing is growing at a rapid rate. In this role, my focus will be on helping the sales team to provide the right systems, software and support to our UK and Irish customers during this exciting, and sometimes challenging, period of change.”

Bernard Biolchini (CEO EMEA) added: “We are delighted to announce Steffen’s new role within Dematic. His experience, skills and drive for success will further deliver on our commitment in helping customers realise their long-term development goals. His key differentiator is his ability to develop highly motivated teams while actively managing their succession and retention to drive growth.”

Before joining Dematic, Theirfelder was the Divisional Managing Director at Prettl Pro where he contributed to the significant business growth in the Capital Goods industry. He has also held senior sales leadership positions across Europe and the Middle East.

Theirfelder’s appointment further strengthens Dematic’s commitment to delivering solutions and products covering all material handling requirements, alongside its sister companies Linde MH and Still, to meet the needs of its customers across multiple sectors.

DS Smith invests in AGVs at UK’s largest paper mill

Posted on by David Priestman

DS Smith, the FTSE100 sustainable packaging company, has invested in 10 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to increase sustainability and efficiency at its Kemsley Paper Mill in Kent.

The all-electric Rocla vehicles, supplied by AGV pioneer Mitsubishi Logisnext Europe Oy, operate 24/7 and perform a variety of tasks around the fully automated warehouse including collecting reels from the production conveyor, storing them and picking them for orders. When the AGVs aren’t tasked with work, they automatically switch to ‘housekeeping’ mode, rotating stocks in order of age to maximise warehouse capacity.

The robots, which have an average lifespan of 12 years, can transport paper reels safely around the warehouse at speeds of up to 8mph. They operate with zero local emissions and when their battery level drops to 30%, they complete their current task before going to the Automated Battery Exchange Station where they choose the optimum charged battery as they get ready for another 10-hour shift.

As the largest mill for recycled papers in the UK with an annual production capacity of over 840,000 tonnes, Kemsley is embracing robotic technology to operate safely, efficiently and sustainably.

Ben Jennings, Mill Manager at Kemsley Paper Mill, said: “The recent boom in e-commerce has increased the demand for our papers and packaging. Every day, around 2,200-2,400 tonnes of paper leaves the Kemsley mill and so it’s critical that our talented team has the latest innovations to benefit our people, customers and the environment.”

Petri Petäys, Sales Director at Mitsubishi Logisnext Europe Oy, said: “There is an increasing demand for sustainable, safe, and efficient solutions in the paper and packaging segment, driving interest in our solutions which are optimised over almost 40 years of experience across various industries. What sets apart this project with DS Smith, seamlessly realised with the local support of Logisnext UK, is the dedication and can-do attitude embraced by the Kemsley Mill team. This allowed us to create one of the most efficient implementations even during these challenging times.”

In July 2021, DS Smith announced it had partnered with global industrial technology company Trimble to advance digitalisation at its paper mills across Europe following a successful trial at Kemsley of its powerful data mining platform, Wedge.

Mercadona takes charge of automated warehouse

Posted on by David Priestman

Mercadona has ordered automated intralogistics systems from Cimcorp for four of its distribution centers – Zaragoza, San Isidro, Huévarand Sagunto – and now the first one, in Zaragoza, is up and running.

Installation and commissioning at the Zaragoza distribution centre was finalised just before Easter, which is always the busiest time of the year for Mercadona. One might assume that Spain’s leading grocery retailer would want the installation team to stay on site – in case of any issues – but trust in Cimcorp’s automation is so high that the Mercadona team has decided to fly solo.

Javier Blasco (pictured), Warehouse Purchasing Coordinator for Mercadona, says: “Our goal is to serve the orders of our stores with the highest-possible quality, and we must know how to do it on our own. We had the confidence do to it this way, because the robustness and reliability of this solution had been verified during assembly and commissioning, and our staff are trained to use it. The simplicity of the automation makes it easy to use and there is no need for a big team.”

Mercadona has ordered the same automation for four of its distribution centres. All four of the new logistics facilities will have different climate zones for packed meat products and for fruit and vegetables.

Using the same independent automation modules and scaling the amount of modules to meet the capacity needs of each individual logistics centre, Mercadona gets many benefits.

“Having modular solutions has advantages, such as all personnel knowing the installation regardless of which city it is in. Additionally, the solutions can be scaled up and the processes standardized more easily,” says Blasco. “The best part has been the sturdiness of the application; we haven’t had operational surprises with real orders and we’ve been able to provide a guaranteed service to our stores.”

Lifetime learning leads to partnerships

Last year provided many obstacles, but professional project management ensured the installation was ready on schedule and, most of all, respected the safety regulations. Jarkko Hakkarainen, General Manager of Cimcorp Iberia, says: “It is important that we are able to keep things in order even if things are not proceeding as planned. In these situations, quick response time and good adaptability are essential skills.”

Even though Covid-19 created some challenges and limitations, the installation was ready on schedule, and it was completed while respecting everyone’s health and safety. Blasco says: “The installation has really been made in the expected manner.”

Cimcorp supplied automation to Mercadona back in 2013, when it implemented a fully automated order picking system for fresh produce at the retailer’s DC in Guadix, near Granada. However the now finalised installation in the Zaragoza distribution centre is the first time that Cimcorp has acted as system integrator for the leading Spanish company.

Hakkarainen says: “Designing optimal handling and control systems is only the first step in implementing intralogistics automation. Project management is a hugely important element in the successful delivery of robotic solutions, but also in developing long-term partnerships.”

Automation secures employee and food safety

In Cimcorp’s fresh food solution there is no need for shelving, which reduces costs and enhances employee and product safety. “In our solution, overhead gantry robots handle food crates that are stacked on the floor. So when you need to clean the area, there’s no need to climb up ladders and check every shelf,” explains Hakkarainen. “Everything is on the floor, where it is safer and more ergonomic to clean.”

Food safety and a temperature controlled supply chain are always essential when dealing with groceries. “Mercadona always prioritises hygiene and quality in all products, whether in conventional or automated warehouses,” says Blasco.

Mercadona’s approach to the benefits of the automation is very human. The accuracy and quality of picked pallets, as well as shortened lead times are always reflected through the effect on people. “The biggest advantage is the reduction in errors to guarantee a better service for our stores and customers. The main benefit of automation is to secure employee safety and avoid excessive workload,” says Blasco.

Better service level through last-moment fulfillment

Although the total cost of ownership, purchase price and cost of operation affected the decision making while sealing the deal, Blasco wants to highlight that, for Mercadona, it is always about people – both employees and customers. “Even if the economic values are important, they’re not the first priority – we prioritize good customer service, taking care of our personnel and doing things in a sustainable way.”

To satisfy the diversity of delivery orders coming into logistics centres, grocery retailers need a fulfilment strategy capable of prioritising orders as they come in. Any last-moment requests entering the supply chain will demand a shorter shipping and fulfilment cycle.

“These orders have to be dealt with, without negatively affecting the rest of the fulfilment operations,” says Hakkarainen.

So how did Easter go? Smoothly and according to plan. “There were no major problems – as expected. Nothing remarkable happened,” Blasco says.

ARIBIC digitalisation project saves AGV sensor data

Posted on by David Priestman

As automated guided vehicles (AGVs) navigate through warehouses or production halls, they become real data collectors. Data that is, however, immediately deleted again. “This is a huge waste,” says Bengt Abel, project manager at Hamburg-based intralogistics provider STILL. The international research project ARIBIC (Artificial Intelligence based Indoor Cartography) therefore aims to identify methods to make profitable use of this valuable information.

The data collected via sensors and cameras can be used in the ARIBIC cloud to create continuously updated 3D maps of warehouses or production facilities. “Via this real-time sensor data, we create a live digital twin of the environment and can thus display and share relevant information virtually in real time,” says Bengt Abel, describing the basic idea of the research project. In contrast to today’s method, where a rigid 3D image of the environment is created from a snapshot, the images generated by the ARIBIC platform (3D map creation engine) remain dynamic and always up-to-date.

“As the truck or AGV travels through their surroundings, their sensor technology detects even the smallest changes and forwards them to the ARIBIC platform. These changes, such as a moved rack or a newly placed pallet, are immediately taken into account in the artificial intelligence-based interior mapping and fed back into the system,” says the STILL expert.

Enormous benefits for users

High-resolution 3D maps with semantic information are primarily needed for the localisation and navigation of automated guided vehicles in their working environment. Operators of warehouses or production halls thus know where their vehicles are at all times. This information, in turn, can be used to optimise warehouse or factory planning. For example, it becomes clear in which areas of the warehouse traffic is high or low. It also shows which aisles are more frequently blocked. With these results, racks can (initially) be moved virtually or production areas rearranged.

Bengt Abel: ” With this new possibility to permanently record the working environment, operators will be able to optimally plan and utilise their warehouses and production halls in the future. For the first time, they would get a detailed insight into what is actually happening in their warehouses.”

According to the STILL expert, countless other fields of application are conceivable that build on the ARIBIC results: “We already have great ideas today. But I am quite sure that there will be a great many more in the future.”

The ARIBIC project

The ARIBIC project was launched in March this year. Completion is planned for the fourth quarter of 2023. In addition to the consortium leader STILL, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Toronto with its STARS laboratory and the Canadian sensor manufacturer LeddarTech are also involved in the international research project. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).

STILL will also be contributing the OPX iGo neo, their successful autonomous order picker, which is already well equipped with sensors and camera technology. Yet that is not all, as Bengt Abel emphasises: “Our early commitment to the areas of automation technology, robotics and digitalisation is now paying off. For years we have already been working on a variety of sensor solutions for our industrial trucks, which are now gradually being implemented in series production. An important prerequisite for being able to participate in such a project in the first place.”

Jumbo automates fresh food logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

The Dutch food retailer Jumbo is realising one of the most modern automated fresh food logistics centres in Europe with Witron Logistik + Informatik GmbH. From the beginning of 2024, the 40,000 sq m facility in Nieuwegein will supply all stores in the Netherlands and Belgium with almost 2,900 different fresh items – dairy items, cheeses, meat products, tapas, salads, chilled beverages, and much more with a shelf life of at least eight days.

The central distribution centre (CDC) is designed for an initial peak picking performance of more than 850,000 pick units per day. A modular expansion for future growth is already part of the overall concept. Furthermore, additional COM robotics lines are being installed in the existing dry goods warehouse during ongoing operations.

“The expansion of our store business, the growth of online shopping, and the increase of our product range – both fresh food and dry goods – demand short response times and high process flexibility. This is where we benefit from innovative and automated logistics systems, which we can scale efficiently as our requirements grow,” explains Karel de Jong, Director Supply Chain at Jumbo Supermarkten.

In an ambient temperature range of +2°C, the Witron robotic solutions Order Picking Machinery (OPM), Car Picking System (CPS), and All-in-One Order Fulfillment (AIO) automate all material flow processes for all product groups, product sizes, and distribution channels. In the shipping area, the roll containers are consolidated and made available in a mechanised shipping buffer via stacker cranes and heavy-duty lanes – in line with the tour, in the correct sequence, and just-in-time for dispatch.

In addition to high cost-efficiency and flexibility, the logistics designers from Witron focused particularly on reduction of heavy physical processes. And it is precisely here that the use of leading edge picking and IT solutions provides significant relief. In the future, case picking onto roll containers will be handled by the OPM system with 24 COM robotics lines, in line with store requirements and without the need for personnel. An expansion to 30 COM robotics lines is already considered in the concept.

Thanks to the AIO solution, worker walking distances are reduced to a minimum despite highly dynamic piece picking processes, with tote supply and removal from the pick fronts being handled by stacker cranes and conveyor systems. Heavy and bulky products are loaded onto roll containers by the employees in a route-optimised manner – controlled via the CPS – in line with store requirements. Here, too, pallet replenishment in the pick aisles is controlled by automated stacker cranes.

All logistics areas are connected by an efficient, 14km-long conveyor network, which includes a total of 9,500 pallet store locations and more than 600,000 tote- and tray storage locations, as well as 138 stacker cranes.

As the general contractor, Witron is responsible for the design and realisation of all mechanical, IT, and control components. A Witron OnSite team ensures a permanently high system availability.

Things are going great at Jumbo. Thus, the second-largest Dutch food retailer was not only able to expand its market share to 21.5% in 2020, but also increase its sales by 15% to €9.68 billion. In addition to many stores in the Netherlands, the number of Jumbo stores in Belgium was also further expanded.

The high pace of expansion naturally has an impact on the logistics processes. Therefore, Witron Logistik + Informatik GmbH, the general contractor from Parkstein, Germany was also awarded the contract for the expansion of the National Distribution Centre (NDC) in Nieuwegein, which supplies all Jumbo customers with 14,000+ items from the dry goods assortment, in addition to the implementation of the new fresh food central warehouse.

The existing installation will be expanded by 12 additional COM robotics lines (making a total of 32 COM robotics lines) and enables store-friendly picking of 2.6 million cases per week onto roll containers by Mid-2022. With reference to the OPM area, this corresponds to almost 60% more throughput.

The entire conveyor system as well as the automated high bay warehouse, located in front of the COM machines, will also be expanded by 6,000 locations and the automated tray warehouse by 176,000 locations. The technology will be integrated into the existing building with a size of circa 45,000 sq m.

“The expansion of the logistics centre was already fully considered in the original concept phase,” explains Jack Kuypers, Senior Vice President North-West Europe at Witron. “Based on the strong growth of Jumbo and the rapidly measurable economic success of the already operational OPM system for the customer, we are realising the upgrade earlier than originally planned.

“The OPM, DPS, and CPS solutions installed at Jumbo ensure a very high store and customer service for all distribution channels. Therefore, we are proud that we could make an important contribution to Jumbo’s positive business development as a life-time partner.”

Europe Snacks revolutionises warehouse operations

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Europe Snacks, a major European snack company, has overhauled its warehouse operation in London putting employee health and safety at the heart of its design.

The aim was to improve how goods were stored and moved within the warehouse. This had previously been done with forklift trucks, and although this was efficient, there was a belief that using bespoke mezzanine goods lifts to easily and quickly move the goods between floors would deliver an even more efficient system.

Europe Snacks operates on a 24/7 schedule, and our task was to provide the solution to lift pallet loads, weighing up to 750kg to the upper mezzanine level on a high-intensity duty cycle.

The whole project, from concept to final installation, took just 12 months. Comprehensive training for Europe Snacks‘ diverse workforce was also provided. Ben Francis, UK Distribution Manager, said: “I was particularly impressed with the training that was provided. It was instructional, but very clear and that’s essential for our workforce. Their safety in the warehouse is a key consideration.”

Scissor Tables UK designed, manufactured and installed customised lifting platforms to move goods up to the mezzanine floor, providing an ergonomic solution for warehouse staff. The goods lifts are also operated using a single touch control making them even more efficient to use.

The mezzanine goods lift has integrated both lower and upper levels as a means of transporting pallets of crisps goods between production to Goods Out. The lifts were surface mounted, removing the need for pits ensuring building work was kept to a minimum.

As identified in initial consultation, reducing the activity of the forklift within Goods Out has been fulfilled – increasing safety for employees.

Francis continued: “There’s no doubt this has been an investment for the future in our warehousing capabilities. But it’s also been a real sign of our commitment to the staff’s health and safety – this investment has led to a boost in morale across the whole warehouse.

“These two hydraulic goods-only lifts have revolutionised our warehouse logistics. We are now able to move our goods in a much more structured way, creating a safe and efficient environment for our colleagues. It’s been so successful, we’re considering installing similar solutions at our other warehouses across the UK.”

7 steps to a successful retrofit project

Posted on by David Priestman

In this article, written by Markus Kammerhofer, Director Sales Retro, TGW Logistics Group, we look at the most important factors for a successful retrofit intralogistics project.

Promising faster delivery and establishing resilient supply chains is only possible with state-of-the art intralogistics systems. Yet anyone planning a retrofit project needs to find a competent partner and to keep a few rules in mind.

Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the opening of the first high bay warehouse (HBW). The trailblazer was Bertelsmann’s “Book Silo,” opened in Germany in 1962. Since then, thousands of HBWs have been built and some of them have been going for decades. But whether HBWs or automated mini-load warehouses, this fact remains: after years in operation, practically no system still exists in the same form as when it first opened. Steel components may be sturdy, but IT and control elements as well as mechatronics must be regularly updated to the state of the art. And with rapidly changing product ranges, volumes and customer demands, modernisation and expansion become inevitable.

Fundamentally, retrofit activities can be divided into three subcategories: adjustments, expansions and modernisation. The first subcategory consists of measures that often need to be taken within months of a system being put into operation, so that the company can keep up with new market requirements. Expansions are particularly important for companies that experience strong growth after go-live. Regular modernisation of the control systems and IT is generally necessary every four to five years because the technology changes. The mechanical equipment often does not have to be renewed until after ten or more years.

E-commerce growth, increased automation: the rising number of intralogistics systems means growth in the retrofit market as well. TGW now handles almost five times as many retrofit projects annually as it did ten years ago. Another important driver is the system users’ increasing awareness that they can only keep up with the competition if they adapt to their customers’ needs. And those who promise shorter and shorter delivery times have no choice but to establish a resilient supply chain. Unplanned system downtimes are a nightmare for supply chain managers, and long cycle times are a clear competitive disadvantage in today’s world of high-performance logistics.

Putting off retrofitting means taking risks. For one thing, spare parts could run out or technology could become unavailable. For another, knowledge is lost over the years when, for example, the IT experts who still know how to work with the programming languages C and C++ retire. Younger software specialists often do not have such expertise. The situation is similar for controls systems.

As the speed at which technology changes continues to increase, companies are gearing up for the future. Even just upgrading the software increases functionality. A new warehouse management system enables better connectivity with other systems, such as manufacturing execution systems, supply chain management systems and enterprise resource planning systems, allowing for a more continuous data flow. The goal is to be able to exchange information along the value added chain in real time. On top of that, with increasing regularity companies are looking to integrate autonomous technologies such as automated guided vehicles or robots into their overall system. That can only yield optimal results if the system is running on state-of-the-art technology. Modern warehouse management systems also have the option of touchscreen controls.

The advantages: they are easy to use and it does not take long to train employees. This is also true of the continuous zoom option for system visualisation. These days, users can zoom in down to the system’s sensor level to find defective components, for example. Maintenance is also faster and easier after a retrofit because modern components have been integrated into the system.

Since the subject of sustainability has come to the fore in politics, society and business, it has also become one of the drivers of retrofit projects. Generally speaking, these projects are inherently sustainable investments because they not only extend the lifespan of a company’s systems but also increase the company’s efficiency. Many companies have adopted ambitious programmes aimed at long-term emission reduction. They are more conscientious than before about resources and carefully and thoroughly examine every link in their supply chain to find out where they could cut down on emissions. In doing so, they delve deep and compare things like the energy consumption of different storage and retrieval machines or conveyor system elements.

The bottom line is, companies should not debate whether or not to undertake a retrofit, but rather when and how. Of course they have to budget for it. But what is the alternative? If the competition can fulfil customer wishes faster and better, the company runs the risk of losing customers, and in this digital age the competition is often no more than a click away. For example: in the past, a user would be satisfied with one delivery containing 50 order lines. Today, that customer wants the same volume delivered to ten different places, at ten different times, just as they have come to expect from the well-known B2C platforms. The customer wants to take advantage of that flexibility in their own company too. Looking at it that way shines a different light on investing in a retrofit and the corresponding return on investment.

Once a company has recognised the need for a retrofit or an expansion, they need to find the right partner to carry it out. Over the course of its more than 50-year history, TGW has worked out the most important success factors for such projects. Alongside experienced project managers, a structured plan and a functional specification, defining the migration phases is among the important success factors for a project. Additionally, employees need to be well trained so that the people working on-site are deeply familiar with the system. Another important factor is choosing the right moment for a retrofit. There are managers who assume they can wait until their systems are approaching the breaking point before thinking about it. But they are forgetting an important aspect: the lead time for a project can be up to a year and is often even longer now due to the corona pandemic.

TGW approaches customers when their systems have reached 85 percent capacity so that specialists and the user can develop a solution together that will afford the desired benefits in good time. The experts also make sure that retrofit specialists are trained in such a way as to accumulate comprehensive know-how. Furthermore, the products used in the projects are specially designed for retrofits.

In summary, here are the seven most important success factors for a retrofit project:

  1. Consider the lead time and start early enough
  2. Choose experienced partners and project managers
  3. Develop a structured plan
  4. Integrate specially developed retrofit solutions
  5. Create a comprehensive functional specification
  6. Clearly define migration phases
  7. Intensive employee training

Markus Kammerhofer is Director Sales Retro at TGW. He holds a degree in Computer Science and has been working for TGW since 2012. In April of 2013 he took over the Retrofit Sales department, and since the autumn of 2017 he has managed the Lifetime Services Competence Center Retrofit with a view to expanding TGW’s retrofit efforts worldwide. Kammerhofer has more than 20 years of professional experience in an industrial environment. His focus is on software, processes and automation engineering.

Drone to bring autonomous inventory warehouse solution

Posted on by David Priestman

RAWview Drone Systems Ltd, a UK-based drone automation specialist has announced a new partnership with doks. innovation GmbH, a Germany-based developer of autonomous drone-based inventory management systems.

Thanks to ground-breaking technology, the fully autonomous inventAIRy XL drone system is now able to navigate through even the most complex of warehouse layouts to each individual rack location, where the contents are scanned and reconciled against ERP or WMS records, all without any human supervision or intervention and without any reliance on GPS. This is achieved by combining a drone with barcode scanning sensors, a ground vehicle for autonomous navigation and a docking station for autonomous battery charging. The result is an elegant solution that overcomes the biggest limitations of drone-based inventory control: flight endurance, unsupervised operation, and fully autonomous navigation within GPS and light-deprived environments.

Key selling points of the solution:
• Longest operating endurance on the market – 5 hours of fully autonomous operation, compared to approximately 20 minutes of other systems
• Highest workrate on the market – a single inventAIRy XL unit can scan in excess of 2000 rack locations per autonomous mission, compared to approximately 120 rack locations of other systems
• Zero modifications required to facility’s infrastructure
• Autonomous recharging – other systems require manual swapping and recharging of drone batteries
• Ability to operate completely unsupervised and in darkness, ie. between shifts or when warehouse is closed
More importantly, by combining their expertise, the two companies are taking away another major pain point of warehouse operators who are looking to implement drone-based inventory control – the time and resources required to fully deploy and integrate drones into inventory processes.

Traditionally, the process of finding and implementing an appropriate drone solution for autonomous inventory reconciliation is time-consuming, complex, and expensive. In contrast, this partnership gives warehouse management teams access to a 360-degree solution that encompasses pre-deployment feasibility, supply and installation of hardware and software, and ongoing customer support. This means warehouse operators can seamlessly and cost-effectively transition to fully autonomous drone-based inventory control, with virtually no disruption to their normal operation.

Joe Waldron, Product Integration Director at RAWview said:

“As warehouse and project management teams seek to reduce cost, improve safety, and protect themselves against falling labour resources, they are increasingly turning to task automation technologies – one of the latest innovations in this space is drone-based inventory reconciliation.

“During initial conversations with doks. innovations’ management team, it quickly became clear that both companies shared the same fundamental goal – to help businesses work safer, smarter, and more profitably. However, a shared goal was only the starting point; we needed to be sure that the technology behind our solution would meet the aspirations of our customers, and having conducted extensive analysis across the drone technology ecosystem, we concluded that doks. innovation offered a completely unique proposition, which is perfectly placed to resolve our customers’ most challenging inventory management problems, and one that will help us to meet and exceed our customers’ ROI expectations.”

Benjamin Federmann, CEO of doks. innovation added: “As any warehouse manager will know, manual inventory counts are ill-suited to high volume and high velocity operations. With accelerating supply chains, warehouses are forced to assign more time and labour resources to stocktaking activities. Furthermore, scanning thousands of bin locations manually is inevitably prone to human error, which leads to discrepancies in WMS inventory records. Manual inventory operations also present very real safety risks to warehouse employees. These are the issues we set out to eliminate with the inventAIRy XL system.

“Welcoming RAWview as a sales and support partner means that customers receive a critical layer of hassle-free implementation, service, and support – all provided by a leading drone technology specialist.”

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