GRUPPO RTS – Il magazzino multipiano per la gestione automatizzata dei ricambi auto

Phase 1: Box handling line and packing area

The new building has an overall height of 9 meters and is divided into several floors: ground floor, first floor and second floor. Each floor is divided into 4 work zones with 4 operators, where each operator is responsible for massive picking within his area of responsibility.

The individual operator, after performing the picking steps guided by the WMS, deposits the product inside one of the two types of pre-prepared totes indicated by the WMS, each with its own recognition barcode. These totes are on their own line of responsibility, called the “green” line. Automating the warehouse has therefore made it possible to switch from the manual mode of picking by individual order, to massive picking based on the pick list indicated by the WMS software. The “green” line has a possible accumulation of 4 totes regardless of the type of totes used: 600×400 or 800×600. This operation is repeated for all three floors within the four zones present, for a total of 12 massive picking zones.

A key requirement of the project was then to keep the escape routes clear at all levels. For this reason, the handling lines were built at an elevation of 2220mm. The elevated handling lines, which are located on the ground floor, called the “orange” lines, are connected to all the green lines on the various floors by the presence of 4 elevators. Before the tote conveys to the orange line through the elevators, a height check is carried out; this is to prevent that when the cassette is at height, it gets stuck by bumping against the mezzanine located above it. Therefore, if the height is not in accordance, the line will block and the operator must check and restore the contents.

Once the totes have been deposited and checked on the relevant “green” lines, they convey to the “orange” lines. These lines, coming from the 4 zones, merge into a single line at an elevation of 3200mm before meeting a continuous descender, which takes the cassettes to 700/800mm.

The boxes, therefore, go out with all the mixed products inside, picked up by the operators in the 12 zones. After that, thanks to the reading of the barcode placed on each of them, the cassettes are conveyed to the 6 outupts present, according to the correct destination. In the various exits, there are several operators who pick up the cassette and, guided by the software, proceed to ventilate the order in the cabinets, which feature a Put to light system.

During periods with fewer orders, for example in the afternoon, 2 to 3 operators may be employed, while during periods with a high number of orders, for example in the morning, there may be as many as 5 or 6 pickers. Each of them deputed to order ventilation must enter their credentials into the system through username and password. Once this step is done, each one is associated with a unique color that lights up the various cells in the cabinet to prevent confusion among operators during the high production period.

The cabinet consists of 210 cells open on two sides, and each cell corresponds to a specific customer. Inside these cells are trays on which items are deposited for order preparation. When the system recognizes that the order is complete, a green light turns on at the opposite side of the cabinet where other operators are located, in charge of order preparation. When the order is complete, the goods are placed on a pallet destined for shipment.

Once the tote is emptied, it is manually placed on a dedicated line. After the barcode is read and it is determined that the order has indeed been completed, the tote is conveyed to one of two stackers present, each for the two types of cassettes present. Once 6 cassettes are stacked, they converge to a dedicated exit from which they are picked and deposited on a pallet to return to the various floors for new picking operations, or transported to the tote refilling line called the “Blue Line“.

There are then two additional exits on the ground floor that can go beyond the order ventilation area:

• Single-origin order exit: all packages or totes containing items intended for single-product orders can arrive in this line.
• Counter order exit: inside the warehouse is a store where a customer can directly order items

Finally, in the south area of the warehouse, on the ground floor, are bulky materials that, due to their size, cannot be deposited inside the two types of boxes. These items pass the order ventilation area and are conveyed to the packing stations.