New automated warehouse for Slovenian battery manufacturer TAB
Since 1965, TAB d.d. have been producing various lead acid batteries in the mountains of Slovenia. Today, around 700 employees work in two modern plants. In 2011, 3.5 million batteries and accumulators for a wide range of brands left the production line.
Increase in efficiency and productivity
As the production volume rose steadily, the storage capacities were exhausted and had to be increased. The aim was to temporarily store the produced batteries in a newly constructed warehouse before shipping them. In addition, efforts were made to increase the efficiency of the internal and external material flow. The batteries produced are transported and stored on three different load carriers: Euro pallets, container pallets (1,130 x 820 mm) and special industrial pallets with a maximum load of 1,600 kg.
Intelligent transport control and warehouse management
An optimum and long-term solution required a racking system, two stacker cranes, a horizontal shuttle car, additional handling technology, control technology and all of the software and IT needed for the warehouse. The result was a 29-meter high, two-aisle high-bay warehouse with space for around 10,000 pallets for double-depth stacking. Pallet handling technology connects the new high-bay warehouse with the goods receipt and dispatch area.
A contour and weight check is automatically carried out at the transfer station to the handling system. Pallets that are not suitable for storage are transported to a "not-in-order location". Following successful contour and weight checks, the WMS determines a suitable storage location with sufficient height and load capacity. From here, the integrated material flow controller assumes control of all movements.
The pallets are conveyed to a transfer point via the handling system where they are distributed by a horizontal shuttle car to the two stacking passes. The single-mast stacker cranes are equipped with double-depth telescopic forks. Each device can achieve an output of 33 double cycles per hour. Retrieved pallets are supplied to the horizontal shuttle car and transported to the handling system in the outgoing goods area. In order to ensure the greatest possible availability of the goods, all articles are intelligently distributed to the two aisles by the WMS.
Optimised logistics processes
The solution comprising a racking system, handling and control technology as well as software and IT for the warehouse proved to be optimal. "From the outset, we had clear requirements for the new high-bay warehouse", explains Martin Rebula, Engineering Manager at TAB. He adds: "Although the project was carried out under tight time constraints during ongoing operations, the co-operation with Jungheinrich project managers was characterised by professionalism, flexibility and fairness. In each phase of the project, Jungheinrich quickly found suitable solutions to problems that arose".
