The flexibly scalable storage and picking system is continuously adapted to the growing demand and offers more storage capacity and maximum reliability through redundancy as well as a short amortization period with optimum use of space.

In recent years, Stihl Tirol has invested heavily in the expansion of the Langkampfen production site. The continuous improvement of production, systems and processes has resulted in successful development. Process optimization during series production has reduced disruptions, improved material flow and increased efficiency. Production capacities could be increased at short notice in order to meet market demand.

Optimum use of space in the grid

The company opted for an automation solution with order fulfillment based on the goods-to-person principle. "We were looking for a system that could support and cover the company's growth, could be expanded flexibly and indefinitely during ongoing operations and offered us long-term investment security," explains Christoph Krismer, Head of Logistics Distribution at Stihl Tirol. "After comparing various miniload technologies and solutions, we opted for Autostore technology. Storage in a grid ensures optimum use of space. The flexibly adaptable capacity and performance meet our requirements."

The first Autostore system in Austria was planned and implemented by system integrator Element Logic Germany from Bad Friedrichshall. "Element Logic is the first official Autostore integrator and was therefore able to contribute numerous reference applications and system experience to the project," explains Krismer. "That was the right decision. From planning to delivery and installation, everything went flawlessly and according to the planned schedule and scope."

Robots store and retrieve

With this storage concept, the containers are stacked on top of each other in shafts and stored and retrieved by small robots. The system impresses with its efficiency and flexibility. The container stacks are stored in a standardized aluminium grid up to 5.40 metres high. The robots work on its surface. Depending on the container height, up to 16 or 24 containers are stacked on top of each other in a grid. The compact overall system with integrated picking stations - the ports - offers a 60 to 70 percent improvement in space utilization compared to conventional miniload solutions.

The system layout can be adapted to existing structural conditions. If capacity and throughput requirements increase, the system can be scaled during operation by adding additional robots, ports or bays. In this way, Autostore systems achieve the highest storage density of all available miniload solutions. With an average energy requirement of 100 watts per robot per hour, these systems operate economically compared to other miniload solutions.

Continuous expansion

Storage locations for a total of 66,500 containers have been set up in Langkampfen. A total of 26 robots now operate three conveyor ports for storage and four carousel ports for retrieval. The storage and retrieval capacities are each 400 containers per hour. The containers can be divided into up to 32 compartments and are stored randomly. Containers further down in the stack are accessed via transfers; this is easy because the orders are picked in waves. In combination with the high storage density and high throughput rate, Autostore systems are considered the fastest order fulfillment systems on the market per square meter of warehouse space.

The article appeared in materialfluss SPEKTRUM 2022 (7/22).