Fully automated plate storage system speeds up deliveries thyssenkrupp

The storage capacity for steel, stainless steel and aluminum plates at thyssenkrupp Materials Nederland in Veghel has been expanded with a new plate hall with fully automated storage system of 4,540 m2. That is comparable to about 12 tennis courts. With less handling during picking, the daily delivery of products in various material types and thicknesses to over 1,300 customers is accelerated. This expansion marks an important step for the company in the further optimization of its logistics processes.

The choice for the Spider, aalbers|farina's fully automated storage system, was prompted by the desire to efficiently store and pick large quantities of sheet metal. Because customers' lead times are getting shorter and therefore the pressure to deliver faster and faster is increasing. This storage system excels in modularity, as an unlimited number of storage towers are managed via one elevator. Each tower can be extended modularly, so that capacity grows flexibly with the needs of thyssenkrupp Materials Netherlands.

Increased capacity and advanced technology

The new sheet warehouse consists of six towers with a total of 312 cassettes, good for a capacity of nearly 800 tons of material. The Spider can reach almost 9 meters high and has drawers with a load capacity of 2,500 kg each. This makes the storage system suitable for sheet material up to dimensions of 3000×1500 mm. Operation is fully automatic with an advanced search function that efficiently locates materials, including registration of residual pieces, further increasing efficiency.

Seamless integration and efficient order processing

The integration of the Spider system with thyssenkrupp Materials Netherlands' software ensures streamlined operation. Pick lists are read in by operators, so the elevator knows exactly which materials need to be picked in which order. The elevator has a dual function for input and output at the front. One side is reserved for input and the other side serves for both input and output.

Thanks to a crane track, operators can perform multiple tasks while the elevator fetches the sheet material. With the implementation of the Spider system, thyssenkrupp Materials Netherlands is taking a big step forward towards higher customer satisfaction with faster deliveries, by further improving its logistics processes.