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KNAPP/Spar - On the road to success with high-tech forklifts

06.09.2010

KNAPP equips Spar St. Pölten - automated guided forklift trucks for top logistics solution

Rush hour in the Spar warehouse St. Pölten - supplies for about 350 Spar branch stores and various merchants are distributed from here. On peak days, a fully laden delivery vehicle leaves the warehouse every six minutes. A huge challenge for logistics as order processing and dispatch of the goods must also run smoothly.

A quick glance behind the scenes shows that Spar opts for the latest technology: without driver a forklift truck whizzes to the completed roller containers, takes three of them with its fork and transports the containers to the dispatch ramps in a fully-automatic process, where they are loaded onto the waiting delivery trucks. So-called automated guided vehicles (AGV) transport cold-storage and fresh products from the picking zone to the loading ramps.

The KNAPP Group is responsible for this technology. Their logistics solution KiSoft AUTOMOVE has already been in operation in the Spar regional distribution centre in St. Pölten for more than a year. This automated model has several advantages aside from its extremely low error rate: "The forklift trucks are handled with greater care, thus reducing maintenance costs and increasing service life of the forklifts", says Josef Dax, KNAPP Product Manager.

The forklift trucks are controlled via laser navigation, allowing the vehicles to drive through the aisles at a speed of 1.5 metres per second. Four vehicles are constantly in operation. "Return on investment for these solutions is achieved within two years", Dax states. Spar is also very pleased: "After eight months of operating with the system, we have already noticed an increase in efficiency and lower costs. The system truly pays off", says Alois Huber, Mag., Director of the Spar Distribution Centre St. Pölten.

Work in the warehouse itself has become a lot simpler: "In peak times, there is a lot of traffic in the warehouse, automatic and manual forklift trucks use the same routes at the same time. Nevertheless with traffic management and safety sensors, optimal traffic flow of traffic while guaranteeing safe operation", Huber is certain. Further KiSoft AUTOMOVE projects in other Spar warehouses are planned.

Any standard forklift truck can be upgraded to an automated guided vehicle. The sensors in front, on the sides and at the rear are particularly important for an efficient and safe operating environment. These sensors not only identify obstacles, but can also determine how many roller containers are on a forklift truck. Restructuring of the warehouse is not necessary, only the reflectors for laser navigation must be installed.
 



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