Solution

The job included general planning, the steelwork for the racks, as well as the entire rack, conveyor, and picking systems. The project partners cooperated closely to develop the warehouse solution step-by-step. The result was a triple-aisle, double-deep pallet rack system, a multi-level shuttle system for bins, and an intermediate picking and packing zone that ensured optimum use of the available space in the building. Storage-retrieval machines, SSI Navette shuttles and lifts, extensive pallet and bin conveying systems, the control technology for the system, material flow systems, and SAP EWM (Extended Warehouse Management) logistics software complete the solution. The highlight is that the entire system is spread over three levels on approx. 2,400 m², which are all interconnected.

The most striking feature of the intralogistics specialist's solution is the special configuration of the picking and packing zone. This area is on ground level and acts as the connector between the two other warehouse units. An automatic bin area is positioned above and below it, offering more than 36,000 storage locations in total. The shuttle system uses 21 SSI Navette shuttles and nine SSI Navette lifts. The SSI Navette shuttles travel along one driving level on tracks and support rails using the steelwork of the automated miniload system. Two double-deep load handling devices arranged one above the other enable the shuttle to move a total of four loading units simultaneously on two storage levels in a single load cycle. This minimizes travel times and doubles process efficiency. In addition, the SSI Navette lifts ensure bins are delivered quickly from the storage areas to the picking level.

The triple-aisle, double-deep pallet rack system, with approx. 13,400 complete storage locations, is located in the area behind this operation. In this section, three energy-efficient SSI Exyz storage-retrieval machines (SRM) go about their work and serve the storage locations quickly and reliably. A pallet conveying system including a programmable logic controller connects the system, which has a total height of 26 m, to three picking stations and the goods-in and goods-out sections. In 120 flow storage locations, the AAA items are supplied, picked, and connected to the bin area in the automatic pallet system.

Orders comprising palletized goods and goods in the automated miniload system are consolidated completely automatically. The work areas needed for this have all been brought together in the system. They include four multi-order picker workstations and eight packing workstations for high picking performance. The warehouse currently stores 4,500 different items in total. Reliability, zero picking errors, short order throughput times, and high performance – all this despite limited space.