Light screw, long shaft: always in view

Founded in 1950, Göpfert Maschinen GmbH is now a global manufacturer of machines for processing corrugated cardboard. Around 320 employees design and manufacture machines at the Wiesentheid site. With an investment in new warehouses and assembly logistics, the Lower Franconian company is responding to years of positive company growth. "We manufacture exclusively in Germany and rely on high-quality components. Of course, we have to remain competitive in terms of pricing and are constantly rethinking our processes. We have now done this comprehensively with our intralogistics," explains André Göpfert, Managing Partner of Göpfert Maschinen GmbH. The solution was provided by the Klinkhammer Group from Nuremberg.

Goodbye parts lists, hello handheld

Over 300,000 parts - from the smallest screw to a six-metre-long shaft, from a few grams to three or four tons - are stored at Göpfert in various types of warehouses such as cantilever, container, block, lift or pallet warehouses. Previously, storage was done manually. "Before switching to the automated solution, our pickers went to the items with parts lists and picked them onto pallets, containers or directly onto the forklift trucks. They were then taken to the various assembly lines by forklift truck," André Göpfert looks back. "This is actually the standard in our industry, but we wanted to become more transparent, more economical and more efficient." This is why the machine manufacturer's management decided on a new approach. Together, the Managing Partner and the Head of Inventory Management at Göpfert, Daniel Achtmann, found out about solutions and approaches. "We visited various warehouses implemented by providers and discussed them with the users. In the end, the solution from Klinkhammer won out." André Göpfert is satisfied: "Everything went smoothly and on schedule. The service is excellent - and the system's performance data is impressive".

"As we record everything, we know which part is where at all times. We are living Production Logistics 4.0 here."

André Göpfert, Managing Partner

Photo: Göpfert

Central control via WMS

The challenges faced by Göpfert were unusual for the intralogistics sector. Pallet and container goods were to be stored compactly in one place and the flow of goods was to be optimized: from goods receipt for purchased parts to in-house production, quality assurance and marking through to delivery to the various assembly stations. Today, the majority of processes are automated and are recorded and controlled via the Klinkhammer Group's warehouse management system. The system visualization supports the operating and service personnel. It graphically displays target data and the status of the loading units and records all operating messages from the system for statistical evaluation. "We put everything to the test and, with the Klinkhammer solution, we now have a very compact, automated container and pallet warehouse with a pre-zone and picking workstations, including paperless picking," explains Daniel Achtmann. The warehouse management software integrates all warehouse areas - from the tote warehouse to the cantilever and block warehouse through to the lift and pallet warehouse. In addition, the new incoming goods department with incoming goods inspection for external suppliers and the outgoing goods department for new and spare parts are seamlessly integrated and networked with each other.

Living production logistics 4.0

Picking workstation with warehouse management system. The WMS integrates all warehouse areas - from the container warehouse to the cantilever and block warehouse to the lift and pallet warehouse. Photo: Klinkhammer

Ergonomics were also a priority. There are lifting tables at the workstations to lower the pallets if necessary and make access ergonomic. The manual storage areas, which still exist at Göpfert today, are also managed by the Klinkhammer warehouse management software. Each compartment is identified by unique, machine-readable barcodes. A forklift guidance system and handheld terminals make warehousing much more efficient. The components required for the paint shop and pre-assembly are collected in an assembly supply train and taken to the respective delivery destination in production using the trolley ID.

Eight assembly line warehouses and 15 pre-assembly stations are integrated into the Klinkhammer warehouse management software. Frank Klinkhammer, Managing Director of the Klinkhammer Group, on the implemented project: "Göpfert now has an intralogistics solution that stands for end-to-end transparency and fast processes in incoming and outgoing goods." André Göpfert agrees: "As we record everything, we always know which part is where, even if it is being transported on the forklift between halls 12 and 1. We are living Production Logistics 4.0 here and always have everything in view."

www.goepfert.dewww.klinkhammer.com