The flexible and modular AutoStore robotic solution uses pre-programmed robots that move along the AutoStore’s rails on their own. A control centre responsible for planning all tasks supervises individual robots’ operations and coordination. Two advantages of this system are that it can be adapted to any warehouse size and that it can hold a large quantity of small parts thanks to vertical storage. This saves not only space, but time and money as well.
“For the last several years, we’ve been transitioning from a mechanical plant to a digital plant. Thanks to the AutoStore and modernisation – all without the need to expand our spaces – we can head towards holistic digitalisation and increase our overall manufacturing efficiency – and our profits too,” explains Tomáš Vondrák, director of Continental Automotive Czech Republic.
A single system, a single source of truth
Aimtec’s DCIx digitalisation platform takes care of communication among individual systems. It is connected in real time to SAP ERP, with which it exchanges important data such as orders and warehouse commands and movements. It concurrently communicates with all the warehousing technologies it controls. It governs the warehouse’s automated guided vehicles, its Kardex Vertical Lift Modules and its fully automated AutoStore storage system. It also manages follow-on activities by warehousemen, operators and other staff.
“To give a typical example, the platform accepts requests from SAP, splits them into several sub-tasks for individual equipment, sorts these into the optimum order and ensures they are completed. Monitoring, notifications and escalations – these are some other important features for ensuring continuous operation. It’s all done in real time and managed from a single point, including the control logic, its configuration, and deployment of changes. A single team of specialists has the whole process under its control,” explains Rostislav Schwob, Supply Chain Solutions Director at Aimtec.
“All our systems would still work even without interconnection. But for us it’s important to have just one system – that is, DCIx. Otherwise we’d have four times as much data and four times as much maintenance. During our analysis, we also discovered we would need more than twice our IT’s bandwidth and would have to build a new optical network. Every system would also need its ‘own’ specialist. That would be very inefficient,” added Martin Báča, the person responsible for material flows throughout Continental’s Brandýs nad Labem plant.
Swift deployment of a new technology
The whole task of assembling the AutoStore automated storage system at the Brandýs plant was handled very quickly – in September through mid-November of last year. This was followed by preparations for test operation, during which products needed to be re-stored from their original pallets into storage bins, workers needed to be trained, and the whole system’s operation needed to be fine-tuned. The new technology was chosen as the best solution for making maximum use of the original warehouse’s space. 2,000 m2 out of the total initial warehouse area of 5,400 m2 was saved and is now being used for manufacturing.
“High-turnover items are moved up; low-turnover ones are moved down. During periods when the robots are not picking items, the storage column for materials undergoes maintenance, re-storage and optimisation,” says Martin Báča of the storage process.
AutoStore also needs a rectangular grid for its operations; the grid can be reshaped or easily expanded in future. There are 13 robotic helpers at Brandýs that will be operating upon this grid. Thanks to programmed commands and the vertical storage system, the plant will also avoid stocktaking discrepancies, because only fully automated systems will be handling the parts.
The AutoStore in figures:
- 18,000 boxes
- 13 control robots
- 4 dispensing ports
- 2,000 m2 saved
- over 2,000 pallets saved
- 5 m – height of the AutoStore structure in Brandýs
- 7 m – clearance below the mezzanine
About Continental
Continental is a German company, founded in Hannover in 1871. At its original plant, it manufactured products made of rubber and rubberised materials, as well as rubber tyres for carriage and bicycle wheels. Manufacturing of rubber products for automotive – and later also for heavy industry – dominated the company’s profile for many years. The 1990s brought the winds of change, as Continental expanded its business strategy and, through several acquisitions, evolved into a comprehensive automotive supplier. Continental is one of the top five suppliers for the world’s automakers today, with over 235,000 employees in 58 countries worldwide. Last October it celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding.
