News
Kipp 50+ quickly turns into 60+
27.05.2013
Modernization and expansion of MLS
Heinrich Kipp Werk KG, headquartered in Sulz am Neckar (Black Forest), is one of the leading suppliers in the field of workholding systems, standard elements and operating parts. The company entrusted viastore with the extension of its existing mini-load system for finished parts. Kipp and viastore jointly worked out a three-stage concept to ensure uninterrupted operations during the expansion. This included an upgrade of the viad@t warehouse management systems to version 7.4 as well as the online connection of the conveyor system to the assembly workstations and the automatic supply to the production building situated about 40 meters further away as well as the back transport of finished goods. In addition to the software update, viastore was responsible for upgrading the entire hardware, the conveyor system control and the addition of three more aisles to the former six-aisle warehouse. The viaspeed XL storage/retrieval machines with belt extractors secure effective inbound and outbound processes.
In general, great importance was attached to eliminating intermediate buffers along the process chain, which means that an almost continuous flow principle had to be organized. The goods remain in the system until delivery. This saves valuable waiting time between the individual process steps. Another aspect was the optimization of the goods receipt area. Here the received goods are now repacked and directly trans ferred to the MLS via the conveyor system. Special processes regarding the supply of subsidiaries and key accounts were installed in order picking – for example, the operators can now select customer-specific packaging. Following the packaging process, the shipments are sorted by forwarding agencies and parcel service providers and packed into different transport sorters.
The project name Kipp 50+ refers to the percentage efficiency improvement expected as a result of the expansion. However, it soon turned out during the project that Kipp 60+ would be a much more fitting project name.