Feature Materials Handling & Conveying The changing needs of high end retailers
European Conveyor Systems has been developing its solutions to meet the growing and changing needs of warehouse operations. These new developments were showcased at the IMHX Show earlier this year
etailers and third party logistics (3PL) providers are constantly seeking faster, more accurate, more reliable and more energy efficient solutions for their warehouse operations. As a consequence logistics equipment manufacturers are under continuous pressure to develop and improve their equipment and systems. The Gebhardt Group, which acquired its long term UK partner European Conveyor Systems earlier this year, is a typical example of an equipment man- ufacturer and solutions provider striv- ing to remain at the leading edge of its industry. Visitors to the IMHX Show in the spring were able to see for them- selves the latest results of its develop- ment programme.
R The Cheetah prospers
A new type of conveyor system that can be put into operation by end users was a key focus on the stand. The system consists of modules of various designs with integral mechanical and electrical connectivity, and can be used independently of conventional conveyors or in combination with them, including integration with peripherals such as weighing scales and labelling machines.
The standard system uses energy effi- cient 24V drive motors without any pneumatics and can carry containers of various types weighing up to 50kg. A 400V version is also available. Both ver- sions incorporate integral powered rollers, transfer function, RFID sensors, mechanical and electrical connections, and PLC-based controllers compatible with a range of software.
Another new development from Gebhardt is the Cheetah mini-load stor- age and retrieval machine, which is available in two versions - Cheetah Eco and Cheetah Speed. Both use materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium that reduce overall weight while pro- viding durability.
The Cheetah Eco has been designed for maximum energy efficiency by com- bining a lightweight design with energy saving technology such as the recovery of braking energy and feedback into the electric power system. The Cheetah Speed is designed to achieve maximum throughput, with a maximum travel speed of 6.5m/sec as well as a 120kg pay- load capacity and a lift height up to 12m. The StoreBiter shuttle system is the third of Gebhardt’s innovations intro- duced this year. It is available in two ver- sions - StoreBiter 300 for handling containers, cardboard boxes and trays weighing up to 50kg in single and multi-
Left: C-Log, which required a handling capacity of 1,000 cartons an hour at its St Malo
distribution centre, integrated the StoreBiter shuttles and Cheetah mini-load cranes with Gebhardt’s Dynamic Handover System (DHS)
Above: the new innovations from European Conveyor Systems were showcased at this year’s IMHX Show
ple depths, and StoreBiter 500, which handles pallets, stillages and containers up to 1,500kg.
Factors such as handling throughputs, energy consumption and cost can be fur- ther improved by integrating the StoreBiter shuttles and Cheetah mini- load cranes with Gebhardt’s Dynamic Handover System (DHS). This solution was adopted for a new installation for C- Log, the logistics subsidiary of French fashion retailer Groupe Beaumanoir.
C-Log case study
C-Log required a handling capacity of 1,000 cartons an hour at its St Malo dis- tribution centre, and it was recognised that the use of automated mini-load cranes alone would not meet this requirement without expanding the warehouse, while a shuttle system alone would be expensive.
The solution has been to combine shuttles and cranes in the main stor- age area, which has 80,000 individual locations. The cranes co-ordinate with the shuttles to transport cartons for picking and replenishment between conveyors and racking, using Gebhardt’s Dynamic Handover System. This solution has doubled the output capacity of the warehouse compared with the performance of a conventional system with mini-load cranes feeding conveyors directly. It has also brought benefits in energy usage as the shuttles are relatively light and use less power than a crane. In addi- tion, their speed of travel has reduced the number of mini-load cranes needed as well as the distances they have to travel. Due to their compact size, it has been possible to route the shuttles below the racking, leaving the aisles clear for the cranes to be installed. This layout has also left good access for maintaining the shuttles in optimum condition. Alongside the main storage area served by the DHS is a separate storage installa- tion for high volume products that is replenished automatically from the main storage area using multi-level shuttles. The entire logistics process is con- trolled by a Gebhardt warehouse man- agement system (StoreWare), which interacts with the DHS system in the main storage area and the shuttle system in the high volume dynamic picking sec- tion. StoreWare responds flexibly to changing situations and dynamically adjusts the system so that it always oper- ates as efficiently as possible.
European Conveyor Systems
www.europeanconveyors.co.uk T: 0115 987 4363
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Enter 204 SEPTEMBER 2013 Automation
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