Stoecklin helps BLG with Automotive Supply
Stoecklin’s customer, BLG Logistics, supplies wire harnesses for the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant next door. BLG receives the harnesses from international manufacturers, stores them for two or three days, and then sequences them to meet the exact specifications of cars on the line. The process requires speed and precision—and one that must be performed within a very tight time frame. Work at this facility would be nearly impossible without automation and software systems to drive accurate processing. At the heart of its operations, BLG relies on an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) supplied by Stoecklin Logistics. The three-aisle system is based on a mini-load system that was modified to accommodate the large wooden boxes that hold the harnesses.
To assure uptime, the interior racking within the AS/RS only contains one wiring harness between the two crane aisles. This is so that the middle crane can retrieve products from the interior racks the aisles next to it. Any delays in processing at BLG could stop the line at Mercedes-Benz. That’s why it’s critical that accuracy and speed are assured.
BLG uses the storage boxes to combine the harnesses needed for each car model based on the build plan. The harnesses then remain together in storage until needed for assembly next door. At that time, information is sent to the warehouse management system, which then coordinates with the Stoecklin warehouse control system to direct the cranes to retrieve the needed harnesses. The cranes deliver boxes of harnesses onto conveyors for transport to processing stations. Workers use scanners to verify that the correct harnesses have been delivered. They then use a put-to-light system to load the harness sets into metal racks for transport to the automotive plant, where they will arrive just before they’re needed for assembly.
The automation assures that BLG can meet the fast-paced demands of the plant continuously.
Read the full article on DCVelocity.
Learn more about how Stoecklin can help with your automotive intralogistics and automotive supply.
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