Material Handling
The Problems with Inventory Inaccuracy
This next post in our series on simple Smart Storage benefits touches on common causes of inventory inaccuracies and how they can be eliminated.
No search times for reels, low space requirements, easy handling – these are the advantages DELTEC Automotive achieved with Smart Storage from Inovaxe
Extremely fast material access through intelligent storage.
No search times for reels, low space requirements, easy handling – these are the advantages DELTEC Automotive achieved by changing the warehouse for high-runner products to the smart racks of INOVAXE.
Photo: The DELTEC Automotive GmbH & Co. KG implements warehouse concept with intelligent racks by INOVAXE.
If production stops at the SMD line, it costs money. In every second. Especially if you, like the company DELTEC, have 7 SMD lines in three shifts and must cope with a wide mix of different lot sizes of products. This is where throughput counts. One of the most common reasons for line downtime is a lack of material. Therefore, DELTEC Automotive looked at its material flow and analyzed, together with the warehouse experts at INOVAXE, how to optimize the material management with intelligent component storage and mobile units which can be used between the “supermarket” and the lines.
DELTEC Automotive invested in a large number of intelligent INOVAXE systems. Several stationary units were combined with flexible mobile units. The stationary units serve as a central warehouse and the mobile units are used for safe transport of the material between the “supermarket” and the corresponding production line.
Simple operation through pick-by-light
“The flexibility and the speed of the INOVAXE racks convinced us”, says Thomas Fischer, Head of Technology & Maintenance at DELTEC Automotive. The reasons for investing in an INOVAXE system are easily explained: INOVAXE provides incomparable flexibility with a scalable storage concept combining different types of units and space-saving storage with dynamically allocated locations. Added to this is the user-friendly “Pick-by-Light” system, which achieves a unique speed in the storage process.
The storage process at DELTEC is quickly explained: A set-up job can be called up via two software terminals. Thereupon the signal lights at the racks show in which storage row the searched component reels are located. In addition, the exact position of the reel flashes in the respective rack until it is removed. If the operator picks the wrong one, a warning signal sounds, and the position is illuminated in red. The system also offers the option of determining the retrieval sequence according to the FIFO principle, lowest or matching quantity, any custom order, or even the respective set-up sequence.
“Thanks to this pick-by-light guidance, the employees are much faster than with carousel systems or with a classic shelf warehouse with fixed locations,” explains Fischer. This is because a lot of time is also saved when storing reels: each reel can be identified beyond doubt by means of a Unique ID. The operator therefore only scans the barcode and then inserts the reel into the intelligent shelf at any free position – the INOVAXE software automatically saves the position of that reel in the database without the need for another scan.
Connection to PanaCIM Software
Open interfaces make it easy to integrate INOVAXE racks into existing MES systems. DELTEC Automotive integrated the units into the existing PanaCIM software. Thus, production and warehouse are directly connected, and set-up orders can easily be called up – for DELTEC the flexible and modular storage system is thus an optimal supplement to the existing machinery.
Large capacity on a small footprint
DELTEC was also convinced by the large capacity of the racks: On just 12 square meters (including walkways) more than 16,000 component reels are stored. “On a very small footprint we can store more component reels than with any other system in the market”, says Fischer. Besides the INOVAXE racks, DELTEC Automotive also uses vertical carousel systems and conventional racks with fixed storage locations.
The new investment performs better compared to the stock warehouse due to the small storage space and the time saved during storage and retrieval because the employees are guided by the software in a process and quality-safe way. The dynamic storage principle without fixed locations enables full utilization of all storage locations because containers with identical components do not have to be stored next to each other. INOVAXE thus not only brings efficiency to the storage process, but also ensures greater process reliability and transparency in material availability.
DELTEC currently uses the modular INOVAXE system only for reel storage. But INOVAXE also offers smart storage solutions for sticks, stencils, printed circuit boards, solder pastes, MSD components, wires and any existing shelving. These can be used as complete storage solutions, fixed or mobile individual modules or as interim storage on the SMD line. The system can be extended modularly at any time: DELTEC, too, invested in a few test modules at first and then upgraded after successful practical tests. In German-speaking countries, the company SmartRep is responsible for installation, sales and service of the systems.
About DELTEC
As a leading electronics service provider – DELTEC is one of the largest 4 percent in the German EMS service provider industry – the company guarantees state-of-the-art technology and customer service in the assembly, mounting and testing of printed circuit boards and modules.
With its extensive consulting expertise (technology, purchasing and logistics), many well-known customers from the automotive, consumer, industrial, medical and renewable energy sectors can increase their profitability.
DELTEC supports its customers in all areas of the product life cycle: from development, product introduction, assembly and logistics to after sales service.
About SmartRep
SmartRep is a technical distributor of manufacturing equipment and process systems for electronic production. In German-speaking countries SmartRep covers the sales and service for an exclusive product portfolio in the field of SMT manufacturing. SmartRep offers cross-plant process know-how and is a longtime partner of world market and technology leaders for system equipment.
SmartRep has an “eye for the big picture” – because, in 15 years of company history, extensive knowledge in the SMD industry has been built up: SmartRep not only offers detail and oblique views, which are in demand in optical inspection but also takes care of strategies and concepts for traceability and material management. The view ranges from laser marking of printed circuit boards to innovative material handling solutions, depaneling, automation, printing and mounting solutions and machine networking.
Contact SmartRep:
Dr. Julia Traut
Head of Marketing and Communications
Tel.: +49 6181 44087 616
E-Mail: j.traut@smartrep.de
Contact DELTEC Automotive:
Sebastian Högerl
Head of Sales & Marketing
Tel.: +49 9973-8455-0
E-Mail: sales@deltecgroup.com