Remmert SUCCESS

The company’s success stories

Honeycomb storage system in section processing

Example: Fischer Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG

Currently perhaps the most unusual storage system in Germany is in Lüdenscheid where Fischer Elektronik have built a 17 m high hone ycomb storage system on a slope. The storage system, which is used to store aluminium sections at a constant humidity, is illuminated with LED lights to display the structure in the Fischer colours or the brand colours of a business partner. “The housing sector is very designoriented. We also have numerous customers in the lighting industry. For this reason, we think it is important to present our investment in automatic storage to our customers appropria tely,” said Patrick Fischer, managing director of Fischer Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG.


Objective

While details like LED lighting are considered gimmicks among logistics professionals, the honeycomb storage system from Remmert offers many features, even in terms of the “nuts and bolts” – from setting up the silo structure on a steep slope to the controlled humidity, which prevents the formation of condensation water on the sections which would damage the surfaces, particularly during the spring and autumn.

Solution

To gain valuable production space, the honeycomb storage silo was set up on just under 504 m² next to the production hall. The storage system consists of a rack aisle with a total of 2,100 cassettes, each with a payload of 1.5 t. There is a storage and retrieval machine with two lifting devices which operates at up to 50 double cycles per hour. Twelve retrieval stations connect the external long-goods storage system via openings directly to the twostorey production hall and the twelve sawing machines. Remmert automation specialists have set up a direct 1,500 m² hall space acquired mechanical and process link from the machines from Kaltenbach and Pressta Eisele to the storage system on two levels. The integration of airtight doors on each saw station at Fischer Electronik prevents condensation water forming on the material.

One of the many features of this project is the storage station – it has a built-in quick change function with cross transfer cars so that several cassettes can be prebuffered simultaneously in the storage station for quality control purposes etc. Some of the retrieval stations are fitted with quick changers so each station can be supplied with several cassettes simultaneously. In this way, it is possible to make optimum use of the machine even when processing small batch jobs. The PRO WMS Enterprise warehouse management software communicates directly with the Fischer-HOST system via an interface and is therefore provided with all the information on the machining processes.

Outcome

Despite the enormous investment, integrating the high-bay warehouse has paid off – the s torage area has been reduced by 60 % in comparison to the previous solution and Fischer Elektronik has gained about 1,500 m² production space. The amount of time saved in material handling is more than 75 %. “Remmert integrated installing and commissioning the storage facility into our production operations perfectly in order to reduce the impact to the necessary minimum. All the cables were pre-assembled, for example, so they could be installed quickly using a plug-in system. Remmert also installed the cassettes in the storage system for us,” said Patrick Fischer. The company now has a storage system which is completely tailor-made to its specific requirements. “While other vendors prefer to use standard solutions, Remmert worked hard to cater for our particular needs right from the start. Their wealth of expertise in special engineering was certainly very helpful in this context,” said Patrick Fischer as he explained the reasons for choosing Remmert.

Included among the products of Fischer Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG are heat sinks, housings, card holders and connectors. As a globally active company, Fischer Elektronik also supplies designs for semiconductor cooling systems. The company employs around 400 staff at its headquarters in Lüdenscheid.


Results at a Glance:

Reduction in storage area by 60 percent
Timesaving of more than 75 percent in material handling
Mechanical and process integration of 12 saws
Particularly efficient storage and retrieval stations
Airtight storage (including of the gates at each saw station)
Continuous stock control and inventory
Reduced product losses

Technical specifications:

Honeycomb storage silo
Storage capacity: 2,100 cassettes at 1.5 t payload
Storage system dimensions: 41 m × 12.3 m × 17 m (L × W × H)
One storage and retrieval machine with two lifting devices
PRO WMS Enterprise warehouse management system
Interface to HOST System Ikias 3.0 from DTM GmbH
Warehouse connection to the sawing centre with 12 saws

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