FEATURE WAREHOUSING & STORAGE
Smart production solution improves just-in-time KTM drivetrain assembly
At its brand-new factory in Kapfenberg, Austria, Pankl High Performance Systems will produce 160,000 drivetrains a year for leading motorcycle and sports car manufacturer, KTM. Pankl is using automation from KNAPP for just-in-time supply of components to its assembly workstations, where KNAPP software ensures real-time quality control
P
roduction and assembly of high- grade motorcycle drivetrains began at
the 9,000m² Kapfenberg site in the autumn of 2017, creating 110 new jobs. Seeking a balance of automated and manual processes, Pankl High Performance Systems – a new division of Pankl Racing AG – chose an intelligent material handling solution from KNAPP that epitomises the logistics provider’s zero-defect philosophy.
DRIVETRAIN EVERY THREE MINUTES With a production volume of 160,000 drivetrains per year, automation was key to Pankl’s success but the solution also needed to offer sufficient flexibility to respond quickly to various changes in production. At the Kapfenberg site, Pankl manufactures a total of nine different drivetrains for KTM for offroad use and will produce at least three models for road vehicles in the future. In the world of performance motor sport, the quality of components such as drivetrains is paramount, requiring seamless traceability for every step of the production process.
SHUTTLE STORE SUPPLIES COMPONENTS JUST-IN-TIME KNAPP supplied its YLOG-Shuttle automated store to link the production and assembly processes. Following manufacture, the components are washed and then stored in the YLOG-
ABOVE: KNAPP’s YLOG- Shuttle automated store links the production and the assembly processes
RIGHT: The
ivii.smartdesk captures information on every component and checks every assembly step
confirm the correct assembly, with personnel receiving immediate and motivational feedback on their work. KNAPP’s scope of supply was completed with its integrated software solution, KiSoft One. Michael Mayer, plant manager for Pankl
BELOW LEFT: The shuttles deliver totes directly to the assembly stations on a just-in- time basis
Shuttle store. The shuttles retrieve all the required components and supply them automatically and just-in-time directly to the assembly workstations. At each assembly station, support for operators in assembling the drivetrains is provided by the intelligent feedback system,
ivii.smartdesk. Developed by ivii gmbh, the image recognition and processing specialist within the KNAPP group, the
ivii.smartdesk captures information regarding every component and checks every work step. In this way, each drivetrain is inspected in real-time to
High Performance Systems, comments: “The process is set up so that our fitters are optimally supported and the right component is always available at the right time at the workstation. “The entire process is supported by software to the greatest possible extent, where each step of work is displayed on the monitors and checked in the background. We therefore create an ideal working environment in which our employees can concentrate entirely on the assembly of the drivetrains.”
KNAPP E:
sales.uk@
knapp.com www.knapp.com T: 01865 965000
MANAGING MODERN MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAINS E
fficient manufacturing relies on managing the supply of components and sub-assemblies to support production schedules. It could be argued that the best manufacturers are the ones that not only have innovative products to meet market demands, but also manage their supply chains the most effectively. Many manufacturers now employ processes that
allow them to make products with a wider range of options to customer order. To offer this flexibility they need highly efficient supply chains to manage and track the flow of components, sub-assemblies and finished products in, through and out of their business. While some businesses will manage this process from end-to-end, many more will interact with customers and suppliers on an ad-hoc basis with varying degrees of integration with other companies’ systems.
There is often very little automation of stock control processes. Customer-facing and web- enabled applications to encourage more sales or support customer services are relatively rare. The challenge facing manufacturers is how to implement
S10 MARCH 2018 | MATERIALS HANDLING & LOGISTICS
robust applications that support their business requirements without adding complexity and cost. A solution for many smaller and growing
manufacturers would be a specialist cloud-based application such as that available from ProSKU. This can integrate with other in-house and third- party systems and website front-ends to support a feature-rich, warehouse-centric stock control function. It enables greater levels of customer service in terms of stock visibility, but does not become a burden because the core service is hosted and supported by the application provider. At the same time, it will allow the manufacturer
to retain ownership and control over their warehousing and stock control operations as well as the associated data. It enables new levels of back office efficiency that, taken with the low implementation costs and monthly pricing associated with cloud services, can simplify cost justification and shorten the return on investment.
ProSKU T: 0800 170 1161
www.prosku.com E:
info@prosku.com / MATERIALSHANDLINGLOGISTICS
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