Around 8,000 different items are stored in four Hänel lean lifts with a height of 13 meters over three floors to save space. The goods receiving area is located on the first floor and the orders for production are prepared on the two floors above. All stored items are recorded in the ERP system with their stocks and warehouse items and are managed exclusively via SAP. This is achieved by seamlessly connecting the Hänel lean lifts to SAP. Stock removal orders are created and released directly in SAP. Thanks to the connection of the lifts via SOAP interface, lift control is directly linked to SAP. Here, the SAP dialog is displayed in real time on the high-resolution touchscreens of the controllers using the SAP template from prismat. The Hänel controller itself thus becomes an SAP terminal.

Once the user has selected and confirmed the item on the control system, the extractor takes the corresponding multifunctional container directly to the picking area. The exact storage location on the multifunctional container is displayed graphically on the control system so that picking can be carried out without confusion. The removal of the article is confirmed directly in SAP at the Hänel control system and the warehouse stock is automatically updated. Each item is provided with a label and compiled into an order. This is then transferred to production on the same floor.

Graphic display of the storage locations in the SAP template
The items to be stored are recorded directly at the lift using a barcode scanner. SAP records the type and quantity and allocates a free storage bin in the lean lift. The corresponding multifunctional container is brought to the picking area. In the SAP template in the Hänel control system, the storage position on the multifunctional container is graphically displayed to the user. Large quantities of electronic components are stored in the Hänel storage lifts. For this reason, the lean lifts have an ESD design and the multifunctional containers have an antistatic coating to protect the sensitive components from overvoltage damage. The safety aspect is an important factor for Hänel storage systems; thanks to the high-speed doors, picking can be carried out simultaneously at all three removal points on each lift. Another special feature is the sprinkler system with smoke detectors in the Hänel Lean lifts, which ensures rapid firefighting in the event of a fire. In addition, the sliding doors close automatically to prevent a chimney effect.

Removals over three floors
In addition to the four storage lifts for production, there is another Hänel Lean-Lift for pallet storage. Because the pallets are removed at ground level, entire pallets can be stored and retrieved using pallet trucks. "The Hänel storage lifts in conjunction with the SAP connection make our warehouse management highly efficient. We have permanent control of the entire inventory," says Armin Bauer, Warehouse Manager, Helmut Fischer GmbH Institut für Elektronik und Messtechnik.

Conclusion
In addition to the enormous space savings and the warehouse organization over three floors, the seamless SAP connection without additional middleware was decisive for the purchase of the Hänel lean lifts. This lift also has an unloading point on each of the three floors and is also equipped with Hänel EcoDrive technology. This lift will also be connected to SAP in the near future.

This article appeared in materialfluss SPEKTRUM 2021.