Ten nimble robots in action

Because paperless processes in industry, trade and administration are increasingly shaping everyday working life and thus also changing the demand for office supplies, the office supplies cooperative Soennecken responded by expanding its range of products. To store these products temporarily, Soennecken eG needed more storage capacity in its logistics center in Overath and a storage and picking system that would allow quick access to all items.

Up to 50 percent space saving

The company initially examined various alternatives, reports Klaus Schneider, Head of Company-wide Process Management at Soennecken: "We didn't want to build a new building or add on, but rather make even better use of our logistics center, which was only completed in 2009. We therefore needed a system that would make the most effective use of the available space for our growing range of products, yet be scalable and integrate as smoothly as possible into the existing material flow." The decision was made in favor of an AutoStore warehouse, which would ideally meet the requirements: such a system requires only about half the space of a conventional warehouse with shelving and thus offers a space-saving storage option for many items. It can also be easily integrated into the existing system and can be scaled with little effort: Additional robots ensure higher performance, and expanding the grid increases the capacity of the warehouse. The design of the new AutoStore solution was initiated by the Soennecken process team led by Eduard Ebert, responsible for process and quality management in logistics, Dirk Leischner, Head of Technology and overall project manager, and Klaus Schneider. According to the process team, the excellent customer advice and the high level of IT and process expertise were among the reasons why Unitechnik Systems was once again awarded the contract for the implementation. In addition, the system integrator knows the plant down to the smallest detail from previous projects.

Ideal for small-volume products

The AutoStore warehouse consists of a modular aluminum construction - a self-supporting grid within which the plastic containers are stacked on top of each other. The grid can be adapted as required to the available space. In the warehouse in Overath, there are 50 positions in length, 17 positions in width and 13 positions in height. The total storage area is therefore just under 300 square meters, the volume around 1,300 square meters with space for 9,500 containers. Each container can be variably subdivided into up to four compartments.

Organize with foresight

In addition to processing storage and retrieval, the robots are constantly busy with the forward-looking reorganization of the warehouse. For example, containers required in the near future that are relatively far down are "dug out" and made available on the upper level. If the demand for an item changes - due to seasonal fluctuations, for example - the AutoStore warehouse control system reacts automatically and adjusts the arrangement of the bins accordingly. The organization of the warehouse is therefore constantly optimized with regard to the call-off quantities of the articles. The result is an ideal warehouse for medium and slow movers.

Ten robots are currently used to operate the warehouse, achieving a throughput of up to 250 containers per hour. The battery-operated robots move along rails above the grid. They have two sets of wheels with which they move across the warehouse in a transverse and longitudinal direction in order to be able to approach any coordinate in the warehouse. The robot only ever has access to the top container of a stack.

Pick up to 21,000 items effectively

Detailed planning for the project began in the fall of 2015, with the general contractor responsible for implementation from spring 2016. AM-Automation was commissioned with the planning, delivery and installation of the AutoStore system. The system was up and running by the end of September. As the integration of some elements would have affected ongoing operations, many work steps were carried out at weekends.

With the AutoStore system, Soennecken is now able to store and effectively pick up to 21,000 different items in the logistics center. This has created space for 6,000 additional items on an area of just under 300 square meters. And last but not least, the expansion has created particularly ergonomic and therefore health-promoting workstations.

Dr.-Ing. Ralf Lüning