__ Long goods warehouse for maximum efficiency in the steel trade. How two fully automatic honeycomb bearings raise the material logistics to a new level – from the saw connection to the picking robot.
Project overview
- Location Goldach (Switzerland)
- 3,721 (lot 1) plus 5,566 (lot 2) storage places
- Power 43 DS/h
- Lot 1 - Fehr Honeycomb with 3,700 cassettes and saw centers (2018)
- Lot 2 - Retrofit of the existing Fehr Honeycomb long goods warehouse with automatic separation and pick robot system (2023)
- Longitudinal warehouse for fully automatic buffering of aluminum plates
- Automatic loading and unloading of two sawing centers with robot systems
- Warehouse management Fehr WMS with ERP connection
Optimization in two lots
stürmsfs ag, one of Switzerland’s leading suppliers of steel, metal and alternative materials, has extensively modernized its logistics in recent years. The goal at its main site in Goldach was to fully automate the loading of the saw lines, optimize the material flow, ensure product quality and increase efficiency – with minimal interruption to ongoing production.
With the new construction of the first Fehr Honeycomb warehouse (Lot 1), the storage capacity could be significantly increased and the material flow to the sawing systems optimized. The long goods warehouse with 3,700 cassettes and integrated saw center was successfully commissioned in 2018.
Five years later, the modernization of the existing honeycomb warehouse (Lot 2) followed. The plant was equipped with an automatic separation of single rods. Today, two robot picking systems take over the sorting and feeding of the material to the RSA sawing plants. The result is fully automated processes at the highest level, even higher plant availability (> 98%) and significantly reduced manual intervention in operation.
Total solutions from Fehr
Fehr was responsible for both projects as general contractor – from process analysis to simulation to full commissioning.
The scope of services included planning and 3D simulation, project management and construction coordination in current operation, integration of new and existing sawing systems, development and implementation of the robot picking solution, programming and adaptation of the Fehr WMS as well as training of employees and system acceptance.
Particular attention was paid to the integration of ABB’s robotics technology and the RSA saw centers. Fehr took over the interface responsibility and ensured smooth data communication between warehouse, robotics and ERP system.
Another achievement of Fehr for stürmsfs in 2019 was the modernization of the tin warehouse. After the relocation and the retrofit, a 150-unit turret and connection to the aluminum plate saw was delivered. This solution replaced the manual handling of the sheets.
With the two automated honeycomb storage systems, Fehr has significantly expanded the storage capacity of stürmsfs and significantly accelerated the material flow. The combination of Fehr WMS, robot-supported singling-out and automatic saw feeding today ensures almost continuous, trouble-free operation with at the same time reduced energy consumption and high process reliability.
The new system has completely changed the way we work. From automatic storage to material removal and loading of the saw lines – everything runs efficiently and reliably today, and the quality of our products remains constantly high.
Domingo Messerli, CEO and delegate of the Board of Directors at stürmsfs AG
Retrofit in record time – an exciting project at stürmsfs ag:
From manual stock and material movement to full automation in just three weeks – including modernization of the entire system In an impressively short period of time, the Swiss Fehr Lagerlogistik AG has completely automated and modernized an existing warehouse system at stürmsfs AG. Today, the new, highly efficient system takes over the automated storage, removal and machine feeding – and ensures a consistently high product quality.
About stürmsfs ag
stürmsfs AG, headquartered in Goldach (CH), is one of the leading Swiss suppliers in the trading and processing of steel, metal and alternative materials. Since its foundation in 1835, the company has developed from a hardware store to a modern production and service company with around 220 employees at locations in Switzerland, Austria and Slovakia. With an annual sales volume of over 80,000 tons, stürmsfs supplies customers from industry, construction and mechanical engineering. In addition to trading, the company offers a broad portfolio of processing and logistics services - from sawing and cutting to pre-assembled delivery. Our own sheet metal service center is one of the most modern in Europe and enables tailor-made blanks with the highest precision.
Marco Schmälzle Sales & Planning
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