IVF Hartmann, a supplier of surgical supplies, plasters, and diagnostic equipment, had little room to maneuver in Neuhausen between the roaring rapids of Europe's largest waterfall and the Swiss SIGsite for its new logistics center. Together with Dematic, they developed a truly sensational solution.
The location between the railway line to Basel and the Rhine Falls only allowed for an extremely space-saving concept that still had to meet high requirements, explains Udo Mittelstädt, Business Development Manager at the automation specialist for warehouse and order picking systems Dematic, during an on-site meeting.
On just 400 square meters
Thus, at the site near Schaffhausen, which is known for a scarcity of space, such as is only known in Singapore or Hong Kong in this compactness, a multi-story project was started that, on an area of only 400 square meters, with three aisles on 20 levels and 60 robot shuttles, was intended to guarantee quick access to 10,000 parking spaces.
The solution to the problem was to install the picking stations, where up to eight orders can be processed simultaneously using put-to-light technology, not next to, but directly below the shuttle warehouse . Lifts made it possible to link the floors via such short transport routes that only about 290 m of container conveyor technology was required.
Short transport routes
Between the three-aisle multi-shuttle tray warehouse on the upper floor and the order picking area, automatic transport takes place via three pairs of lifts, to which the goods are supplied on parallel buffer tracks at speeds of up to 4 m/sec.
It's not as if Dematic lacks experience in implementing automated storage concepts in confined spaces. Thomas Bleiberger-Kneissl presents examples from past decades, since Dematic launched the first of what are now hundreds of pallet stacker cranes in 1959 , which today operate at heights of up to 45 meters. On several occasions, the basement of existing buildings has also had to be used for shuttles.
At Nussbaum in Olten, for example, the miniloads operate on the ground floor, while the shuttles run in the basement – a design that placed high demands on the structural integrity of the intermediate floor. At Linde MH in Kahl, the sister company under the Kion umbrella, the multi-shuttle system was installed on a platform, with workstations set up directly below. At a manufacturer of door intercom systems in Furtwangen in the Black Forest, every centimeter had to be precisely fitted.
"Test, test, test..."
At IVF Hartmann, the conditions were truly challenging; at one point, a complete redesign was even necessary. Another problem is that even systems that perform exceptionally well and precisely according to specified requirements can sometimes stop working at fill levels of up to 96 or 97 percent . "The only solution is 'test, test, test…'" says IVF Logistics Manager Markus Krause. This highlights the importance of new systems that use digital twins to test the functionality of new equipment in advance.
Lessons learned included providing sufficient resources to evaluate tests , implementations in the respective national language, authorization concepts for the respective remote access, and proactively avoiding maintenance bottlenecks.
Specification document with 700 pages
The new logistics center was designed to save 10 to 15 percent on logistics costs, despite extremely narrow access roads. However, previous designs reportedly even included a bat corridor , necessitating modifications due to protected species. Krause stated, "Our specifications comprised 700 pages."
IT expert Michael Kreutzmeier outlines the software issue and the path that Dematic is now taking, moving from "mere" automation to autonomously operating systems, including drones. Latency plays a crucial role here. Delays and response times are not always solely dependent on the hardware, but also on the
standards specified on-site. "We don't just install the steel and racking systems; we also want to provide the appropriate software."
The appropriate software
At IVF Hartmann, an existing SAP Warehouse Management solution was replaced with a state-of-the-art SAP EWM system with Dematic SAP Material Flow System to optimize the use of existing resources. Thanks to the implementation of proven standards, a direct connection between the control level (PLC) and SAP EWM was possible. Relevant data is captured in real time and fed into EWM.
Marcel Otremba reports on the "Mount Service." Drones whose cameras are so sharp that, when flying over the system and its components, "even the threads of screw fasteners" are visible on the service technician's monitor. Thermally guided inspections are also suitable for proactive temperature monitoring in warehouses.
"Show us your camp..."
In addition, there is a Control Data Management system that optionally sends email messages when errors occur, automatically compares the state of important components, and allows for the rapid restoration of operational states.
Photos: Dematic
“Show us your warehouse,” says Otremba. “We have the right service.” At IVF Hartmann, just above the imposing spectacle of the roaring Rhine Falls, an impressive presentation was given to around 30 participants of an interesting presentation day for interested automationcustomers from Switzerland.
