Remmert SUCCESS
The company‘s success stories
Warehouse technology that continues to grow
Example: BEUMER Gruppe
Successful industrial companies adapt to shifting market conditions repeatedly. In order to do this they need maximum flexibility in in-house logistics and production. Those companies, which are especially flexible, are those that have applied growth technologies from the very beginning. For example, take the intralogistics manufacturer BEUMER: Its storage processes are effective and economical – although the technologies applied were already implemented in the 80‘s. In the mid-80‘s, BEUMER integrated two fully automated Remmert storage systems at their headquarters in Beckum with which material was initially supplied manually to various laser and sawing machines. After the turn of the century, the company decided on a modernisation of warehouse storage systems and a more enhanced automation of the material process in order to optimally prepare manufacturing processes for new demands. Therefore, in the course of the retrofit, Remmert connected the processing machines both mechanically and in terms of IT technology to the storage systems.
Objective
Approximately 10 years passed again after the first process structuring. “During this time, we have continually expanded our production output and more than doubled our sales”, Martin Hörster, director of technology at the BEUMER group, reported. “Therefore, our existing material flow and production processes had to be readjusted and modernised once again to our current performance data.”
Solution
Remmert developed the new material flow concept along with BEUMER. It was designed, among other things, to expand the sheet metal storage in the direction of bar storage in order to gain additional sheet metal capacity. Initially, this required the relocation of the bar storage. Within a very short period of time, the automation experts from Remmert disassembled the entire complex, reassembled the system at a 90 degree angle with one less bay, and reconnected the sawing machines to the bar storage system. The space gained next to the sheet metal storage area was then used for expansion purposes. Remmert complemented the storage area with just under 200 pallet positions with an additional 136 storage positions. Today, the system has over 20 storage towers, distributed amongst two storage bays. In its center, there is a storage and retrieval system that carries out the fully automated storage and retrieval of sheet metal. After the warehouse expansion, Remmert modernised the entire automated system including all control elements, as well as the control panels. Additionally, the service provider modernised the entire drive and control system, as well as the safety concept in the original area of the sheet metal storage system and updated the integrated PRO WMS warehouse management system and its interface to the higher ERP-system from BEUMER. Parallel, two new Bystronic laser machines were integrated, which Remmert directly connected to the storage system.
Outcome
Remmert increased the performance of the sheet metal storage system considerably by modernising the automated storage and retrieval system. Apart from this, the modernisation experts simplified the sheet metal storage: Up until now, an 8-ton forklift had to drive through the entire production line. Today, the sheets are placed on the carriage outside of the hall over an intake station, which is in the opening in the wall. The carriage then transports the material on rails through the production all the way to the sheet metal storage area. Since its path intersects with the new location for the bar storage area, Remmert removed several cassette positions in the lower portion of a bar storage tower and slightly reconstructed the system so that a smaller tunnel has been created within the facility. In this manner, the carriage travels through the tunnel after being loaded, continues under the bar storage area and then finally through the hall until it reaches the sheet metal storage area. “For us this means that there is time savings in the incoming goods department of at least 50%”, Martin Hörster explains.
The BEUMER group is a leading international manufacturer of intralogistics in the fields of conveying and loading technologies, palletising and packaging technology, as well as sorting and distribution systems. Together with Crisplant a/s and Enexco Teknologies India Limited, the BEUMER group has about 3,000 employees and achieves a turnover of approximately 450 million Euros a year.
Results at a Glance:
| Successful retrofit under the retention of the entire production |
| Optimised intralogistics processes in storage and material preparation |
| Efficient and fully automated storage and processing methods |
| Continuous information and data flow |
| Comprehensive spare parts guarantee for all mechanical and electronic storage components |
| Substantially increased storage performance and increased processing safety |
| Time savings in incoming goods of 50 percent |
Steps during the upgrade:
| Development of a new material flow concept |
| Storage relocation, reconstruction and expansion |
| Replacement of the drive and control mechanism as well as various parts subject to regular wear and tear |
| Modernisation of the automated storage and retrieval system |
| Integration of a new weighing and new positioning systems |
| Mechanical and IT-technical connection of the processing machines to the storage systems |
| Update of the PRO WMS warehouse management system |
| Modernisation of safety devices |
| Concept and integration of the carriage responsible for the storage of the sheet metal including rails and the safety concept |
