More transparency for production logistics

The advantages of a functioning Kanban can be seen on many levels, but under real conditions there is often a lack of clarity regarding the actual stock on the FIFO shelf. Is there enough stock on site to produce current orders? Are Kanban cards lost or not collected? Are replenishments arriving on time? Is the material being replenished to the correct shelves? These questions often lead to so-called safety stocks being created in order to avoid a production standstill at all costs.

The search for more transparency

The SmartBOX transmits the data from the sensors via an intelligent wireless network. Photo: Werma

The internationally successful family business Schmidt Technology from St. Georgen in the Black Forest also addressed these questions. The company develops and produces cutting-edge technological products in the fields of writing instrument technology, machines and sensor technology. Within the production of writing refills, preliminary products from the injection molding sector are supplied and processed as required. "We don't produce from stock here," Production Manager Ulrich Heck clarifies immediately. The question of whether this supply is oversized or undersized was the starting point for achieving greater transparency in this area of production logistics.

The solution: StockSaver from Werma

The prefabricated injection-molded parts await further processing in the containers of the FIFO roller racks for mine production at Schmidt Technology - without intermediate storage. In order not to over- or undersize the production of these pre-products in injection molding, a high level of transparency regarding the number of pieces and the demand in the FIFO rack must be guaranteed at all times. This is the only way to ensure that post-production can be initiated in good time.

A sensor in the FIFO shelf ensures full transparency of the material stock. Photo: Werma

"At the beginning, we initially focused on E-Kanban," explains Steffen Moser, Lean Manager at Schmidt Technology. "But the actual presentation of the current situation and transparency for all employees involved had to be ensured," the Lean Manager continues. Schmidt Technology found out about the new StockSaver retrofit solution very early on through its contact with Werma. Sensors monitor the number of containers in the FIFO roller rack as a reporting point in the logistics chain. This data is transmitted wirelessly and displayed in the StockSaver software supplied.

StockSaver offers far-reaching resistance to errors as scanning processes are no longer required during removal, double bookings are no longer made and calculated stocks are excluded as a source of error.

The intelligent reporting points in the FIFO rack ensure full transparency of the material stock and protect against incorrect stocking or idling thanks to automated material requests.

The test run with Werma StockSaver

For an initial test run at Schmidt Technology, 17 shelves were equipped with three sensors and one shelf with four sensors. These record the containers and transmit the status information to the StockSaver software via a robust wireless network using a so-called "SmartBOX" - this creates a "digital twin" of all integrated FIFO roller shelves and ensures maximum transparency regarding the material available in the FIFO shelf at the workplace at all times.

"Even the beta version of the software for the test is running without any quirks or teething troubles, and the same applies to the hardware."

Stefan Moser Lean Manager Schmidt Technology

In addition, the requirements list within the StockSaver software informs logistics automatically and in good time about the requirements and priority of replenishment. This information no longer has to be obtained manually by the logistics department. Evaluations and the option to export data also help to improve processes in the long term.

Information that was not previously available becomes transparent

At Schmidt Technology, the requirements list is grouped not only by urgency but also by type of material, "which has made preparing and picking much more pleasant, easier and less stressful for our employees. I didn't previously have information such as replenishment time, how often a shelf compartment was emptied and restocked," says Lean Manager Steffen Moser. "The beta version of the software for the test is already running without any quirks or teething troubles, and the same applies to the hardware," says Moser happily.

Werma

Werma Signaltechnik GmbH + Co KG is a globally growing company with more than 310 employees at seven locations. Founded in 1950, the family-owned company is one of the world market leaders in the field of signaling technology. The company has established an industry standard with its modular signal towers. Today, Werma supplies optical and acoustic signaling devices as well as related systems for process optimization in industry and logistics. Unique in the world, signal towers are now networked with each other and represent a simple, retrofittable alternative for machine data acquisition (MDA) systems.

Further applications in prospect

It is already clear that StockSaver will also be used in a newly planned production line in another Schmidt Technology division. "We are already seeing many advantages there compared to other alternatives when we use StockSaver as a solution for a transport Kanban. In addition, the implementation worked really well, Stock-Saver is easy to use and easy to understand. The ability to evaluate, export and analyze data makes it possible not only to react, but also to act," says Steffen Moser. "It's great that the evaluations are so transparent and provide us with many starting points for further improving our processes," adds Managing Director Oliver Schmidt. "Thanks to StockSaver, we can uncover a wide range of optimization potential and also have the potential to shorten throughput times and reduce the stock in circulation while maintaining parts availability in the future."

www.werma.dewww.schmidttechnology.de