SSI SCHAEFER automates warehouse for ZF Friedrichshafen
ZF awarded SSI SCHAEFER the contract to automate a new area of their warehouse in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, China. Scope of supply and services is a miniload with storage and retrieval machines, modern bin and pallet conveying systems and a logistics software WCS system. The warehouse will improve working capacities, optimize storage volumes and increase picking efficiency.
ZF is a global leader in driveline and chassis technology as well as active and passive safety technology. The company has a global workforce of 146,000 with approximately 230 locations in some 40 countries. ZF is one of the largest automotive suppliers worldwide and required a modern semi-automated system to meet the need of their in-plant production line. In order to improve working capacity, reduce manual power and lower error rate by using an empty space of their existing warehouse, a 4-aisle miniload and a 19-aisle VNA are equipped in the existing warehouse which will optimize the storage volume and improve picking efficiency. The project is intended to increase the degree of automation in the warehouse, and to increase process efficiency and performance.
For this purpose, SSI SCHAEFER will install a pallet conveying system to transport the spare parts on pallets to two different storage areas. The pallets are transported to the VNA storage area automatically by 12 VNA forklift trucks which is operated by the logistics software SAP. Then it goes to the existing production line. Or the full pallet will be transported to the depalletizing robot system. After decanting, the bins are moved on the bin conveying system to the miniload with 56,400 bin storage locations for storage. 4 Schaefer Miniload Cranes (SMC) with a turnover performance of 430 totes per hour take care of storage and retrieval. After receiving the instruction from SAP, totes will be transported to the picking area. The system is perfected by the powerful logistics software WAMAS® by SSI SCHAEFER to control and monitor warehouse operations.
The project is in progress now – go-live is scheduled for August 2019.