Agricultural machinery manufacturer goes Smart Factory
SaMASZ, a leading Polish manufacturer of agricultural machinery, has created a “smart factory” that relies on the latest robotics and storage technology from Remmert for sheet metal production.
Two Mitsubishi lasers are directly connected to the warehouse via ASTES4 automation. Up to 70% of sheet metal parts can be sorted and palletized fully automatically.
The warehouse is equipped with material stations on all four sides. This allows it to organize the entire material flow from goods receipt to the bending process.
SaMASZ manufactures attachments for grassland farming, municipal services, and winter maintenance. Almost 65% of the products manufactured at the production site in Białystok, Poland, are exported to over 70 countries.
Founded in 1984 and based in Zabłudów, the family business is an excellent example of the innovative strength that the eastern regions of Poland have to offer: SaMASZ exports almost 65% of its production to 70 markets worldwide and celebrated its 40th anniversary a year ago. In 2022, SaMASZ significantly increased its production efficiency by introducing state-of-the-art solutions for sheet metal processing and its intralogistics. A key element is Remmert's sheet metal storage system, which integrates laser cutting machines, pick & place robots and bending machines to create a perfect material flow.
SaMASZ never stands still. The established company with over 40 years of tradition has a strong position not only on the domestic Polish market, but also worldwide. The strong export quota of the agricultural machinery manufacturer from Podlasie is achieved through subsidiaries in the USA, Germany, Great Britain and France, among others.
In any traditional production company, the optimization of intralogistics alone can make a big difference. This has been confirmed by the cooperation with Remmert from North Rhine-Westphalia. The results of this cooperation, which also included consistent investment and integration in robotic systems, have far exceeded the expectations of both sides. They show how even medium-sized companies can automate their production processes and ensure a fast material flow.
Fighting low efficiency
Before the introduction of Remmert's automated warehouse, SaMASZ faced numerous challenges that negatively impacted work efficiency and led to unnecessary operating costs. Another problem was the lack of a dedicated storage room. Storage outside the hall led to corrosion of the steel. In addition, the lack of a WMS system lengthened the logistics processes.
The manual handling of the warehouse processes led to a high risk of human error, delays in the delivery of sheets from the warehouse to the laser and excessive strain on employees. As a result, the company was struggling with low operational efficiency, rising logistics costs, problems in fulfilling orders on time and a lack of flexibility in responding to increasing production demands.
The main motivation for introducing automation was to ensure the quality of the steel by storing it inside the hall, to eliminate the rust problem and to achieve a higher quality of fired parts. Another important goal was to optimize the utilization of the laser cutting machines to maximize their efficiency.
Fully automatic sheet metal processing center
The company SaMASZ uses a modern automated warehouse from Remmert for sheet metal storage. It is equipped with racks for sheet metal in sizes 3015 and 4020. The warehouse, which is over 7.5 meters high and 53 meters long, consists of 24 towers and offers almost 800 storage locations with a maximum capacity of 2,500 tons of sheet metal. Two Mitsubishi laser cutting machines are directly connected to the storage system. A third laser can be added at a later date. State-of-the-art ASTES4 gantry robots form the physical interface between the laser machines and the warehouse. This enables the automatic loading of raw material and unloading of cut sheets as well as the sorting and palletizing of up to 70% of the cut parts. These parts are then transported back to the warehouse to be buffered for the next production steps - and this takes place exactly on the opposite side of the storage system. Several bending machines and material stations are lined up alternately along the 50-metre-long rack line. At the request of the employees, the prepared sheet metal parts are transported directly from the warehouse next to the bending machines. It should be emphasized that one of the bending machines is fully automated by a Yaskawa robot that can process large parts.
"This solution has significantly increased the efficiency and repeatability of the work. For me personally, it is an excellent example of how technology can really support people in their daily tasks," emphasizes Leszek Szulc, board member and production manager at SaMASZ.
On the way to Industry 5.0: SaMASZ still has big plans
Leszek Szulc adds: "The introduction of the Remmert storage system has significantly improved the organization of work at SaMASZ. I believe that this is an example of how investing in modern technology can transform production in the direction of Industry 4.0." But Leszek Szulc is not satisfied with the status quo just yet. The next stage of development at SaMASZ is a comprehensive digital transformation based on the synergy of people, technologies and processes. "The program includes the introduction of an integrated PLM, ERP, WMS and HR system developed in the spirit of Industry 4.0 and using concepts such as Digital Twin, IoT, Big Data or Cybersecurity. The future of the company lies in the further robotization of logistics processes through the use of autonomous AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robots), the introduction of cobots and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)," assures Szulc.
SaMASZ consistently strives for Industry 5.0
The aim is to develop solutions that not only increase efficiency, but also support employees, strengthen the company's resilience and meet the challenges of sustainable development. Mariusz Banachowicz, Area Sales Manager for Eastern Poland at Remmert, agrees: "This important example of international cooperation between experts in their field shows that the 'smart factory' is within reach. A central warehouse for raw materials, offcuts, cut parts and even partially finished products is the basis for automation, which in turn leads to high productivity, efficient use of space and ergonomic working conditions." The key, Banachowicz emphasizes, is the integration of different systems: "Remmert is an important partner when it comes to integrating different machines and software to create a more efficient, better solution. We are delighted to be able to accompany SaMASZ on this successful journey."
About the SaMASZ company
SaMASZ is a family business that was founded in Białystok in 1984 and has developed into one of the leading manufacturers of agricultural and municipal machinery in Europe within four decades. Thanks to consistent investment in its research and development center, the company now offers over 400 types of machines, including disc mowers, tedders, rakes, boom arms, working heads, flail mowers, spreaders and snow ploughs. In Poland, SaMASZ products are sold through a network of around 30 dealers, and almost 65% of production is exported to over 70 countries worldwide.
In recent years, SaMASZ has made a number of investments in line with the idea of Industry 4.0, thanks to which the company is now setting the direction of digital transformation in the industry. The modern factory in Zabłudów, which was put into operation in 2018, is equipped with a fully automated paint shop with a Power&Free transport system and centralized control, which ensures full quality control and repeatability of processes. In parallel, the company is pushing ahead with robotization - there are currently 11 robots in use at the plant, including 9 welding robots that assist operators in key operations. In 2022, one of the most modern laser systems in Poland was put into operation - a fully automated system for cutting, storing and sorting sheet metal, controlled by seven integrated IT systems. This Remmert solution has almost completely eliminated manual data entry and significantly increased production output.