Kardex Mlog reorganizes intralogistics at TME in Poland

Kardex Mlog has built a high-bay warehouse in Lodz for the electronic components distributor TME and has already expanded it twice since 2011, now featuring five aisles. The latest expansion stage, which added two more aisles and 4,920 additional pallet spaces, was completed in August 2020. In May 2022, the conveyor technology will be switched from distribution vehicles to continuous conveyors, adapting to the significantly increased demands.

(Neuenstadt/Lodz) Family-owned companies plan particularly foresightedly and long-term: This also applies to the international electronics distributor Transfer Multisort Elektronik (TME) based in Lodz. When the rapidly expanding shipping and online retailer planned an automated high-bay warehouse for pallets in collaboration with Kardex Mlog in 2011, ample space for further growth was provided. In the first expansion stage, the nearly 23m high, 96m long, and 8.3m deep building had only a single storage aisle, served by a Kardex MSingle type storage and retrieval machine (SRM). The capacity of around 2,500 pallet spaces was completely sufficient eleven years ago. In 2011, TME’s product range included 64,350 products, and the daily order intake amounted to 1,300 pieces.

Three years later, these figures had almost doubled, prompting Kardex Mlog to be commissioned in 2014 for the first expansion with two additional aisles. With this tripling of storage capacity, TME was well-equipped for the next five years. In 2016, only an optimization of the distribution vehicle was on the agenda to increase the throughput of the system.

It was not until 2019 that large-scale action was necessary again: By then, TME was receiving 3,650 orders daily, and the product range had grown to 329,000 products. As in 2014, Kardex Mlog constructed two additional storage aisles, including two SRMs, the conveyor technology for inbound and outbound storage with eight drives, and the steel construction for the racks while operations continued. This increased the storage capacity in the high-bay warehouse by another 4,920 to now around 12,500 pallet spaces. Thanks to Kardex Mlog’s meticulous scheduling, the conversion was completed in August 2020 in less than four months. “We have been working with Kardex Mlog for over ten years, and even in this latest construction phase, our expectations for the project progress were reliably and seamlessly met,” reports Kornel Betkowski, who oversaw and was responsible for the expansion on behalf of TME.

Visualization of current positions

In this third construction phase, TME also relied on SRMs of the Kardex MSingle A600/23-ET type. When unloaded, they move at speeds of up to 60m/min through the aisles and are directed by modern controls (PLC) of the Siemens S7-1500F and SEW MoviPLC types. A maximum of 57 single or 35 double cycles per SRM per hour are possible. Each operation and the current positions of the 5 SRMs, as well as the conveyor technology, are graphically displayed in the warehouse control center using the newly introduced visualization software Kardex MVisu at TME. The previously used software at TME was not compatible with modern browsers and was no longer supported by the manufacturer.

Easy remote maintenance of devices

Kardex MVisu was specifically developed by Kardex Mlog for warehouse handling devices. The once-acquired license is unlimited in time and can be used by an unlimited number of users. In conjunction with TeamViewer, it also forms the basis for easy remote maintenance of the devices. The visualization is connected to the PLC via TCP/IP, and data exchange occurs continuously. An integrated notification system with powerful filtering and search functions rounds off the solution.

Each SRM is equipped with a mobile control cabinet featuring a touch panel. This allows the storage and retrieval machine to be operated in semi-automatic, manual, and setup modes. Any errors or malfunctions during operation can be easily and quickly localized with the help of cameras installed on the SRMs. The camera’s field of view is illuminated for better image representation.

The maintenance-friendly technology of the MSingle A allows for a cost-effective automation variant while achieving high throughput and maximum space utilization. The devices supplied for TME are 22.1m high and offer a load capacity of 1,000 kg. Due to the compact mast construction and the omission of a closed driver’s cabin, the MSingle A scores with a lower self-weight compared to conventional SRMs. This allows for smaller and more economical drives to be used for the drive and lift mechanisms. The slim design also permits a narrower aisle width and very small approach dimensions in the drive and lift directions. Another construction feature is the rope deflection at the column head: This is achieved via two roller-bearing plastic rope pulleys, which enable a longer lifespan of the lifting rope.

Room for further growth

Conclusion: With the second major expansion of the automated high-bay warehouse in TME’s central logistics center in Lodz, the long-term investment has (almost) reached its capacity limit. The current dimensions leave the distributor room for further growth. Nevertheless, the next expansion stage is already determined: With the now five active SRMs, the distribution vehicle installed for the transport of pallets has reached its limits. To increase throughput, it is to be replaced by a continuous conveyor in May 2022. Of course, by Kardex Mlog.

Photo: © Kardex Mlog