How do you set up your warehouse in the smartest way possible?

Always looking for more efficiency

Companies dealing with goods receiving, storage, inventory management, order picking and shipping face major challenges. Not only are quality warehouse workers becoming increasingly scarce and expensive, but available surfaces for new construction or expansion have now become scarce commodities.

"It is therefore important to use the people and square metres that are available as efficiently as possible," says Steve Cautaert, Head of Sales Dynamic Systems at SSI SCHAEFER. The SSI LOGIMAT® vertical elevator modules and WEASEL® Lite automated guided vehicle (AGV) from SSI SCHAEFER respond optimally to this, with companies also benefiting from increased storage density, reduced walking distances and excellent order picking quality.

Many companies still have shelving in their warehouses, possibly in combination with mezzanine floors. While this is an excellent method of storage, it does create considerable walking distances for warehouse workers, Cautaert knows.

"Order pickers travel many miles every day to pick the right orders. By choosing semi-automated storage instead, goods can be stored much closer together. Instead of walking toward the products, vertical elevators bring the trays of goods right to the employees. Thanks to pointers (lights) in the work aisles, employees can also immediately see where to pick, while their screens display exactly the right quantities. This reduces error rates (and costs!)."

Efficiency and sustainable employability

The SSI LOGIMAT® vertical elevator module can best be compared to an oversized drawer cabinet with two rows of trays, says Cautaert. "Between the two rows is an elevator, which pulls out the individual trays and brings them to the control opening. Each drawer can be filled individually as required. Here you can subdivide each drawer with bins or boxes, which SSI SCHAEFER also produces. But use without any subdivision is also possible."

SSI LOGIMAT® can be supplied with various accessories. As examples, Cautaert mentions a lifting function, inclined gradations or the possibility of offering trays at an ergonomic height, eliminating the need for warehouse workers to lift, stretch or reach. "This benefits their sustainable employability."

Standalone or SAP integration

SSI LOGIMAT® can be used as a stand-alone system, but can also be implemented directly into all kinds of ERP systems and into SAP. "SSI SCHAEFER is an SAP Gold partner and the duration of our SAP integration is the same as production," explains Cautaert. "When the elevator module is delivered and installed, the SAP implementation also takes place at the same time. This allows customers to start very quickly."

Navigation takes place from the simplest drawer management to item management and order processing.

Simple and quick

SSI LOGIMAT® can be used excellently in combination with WEASEL® Lite. "Our WEASEL® Lite AGVs are very easy to implement in any company," Cautaert emphasizes. "The cost-effective system is designed for the transport of totes, boxes and similar goods weighing up to 35 kg and dimensions up to 600 x 400 x 510 mm (lxwxh)."

No superior fleet controller is required for control. "The AGVs communicate via Bluetooth and receive transport orders via the employee's tablet, at the place where the materials are needed. In doing so, they follow a wear-resistant optical track, which is stuck to the floor according to the desired route and in a closed loop."

Thanks to decentralized control, no IT skills or specific technical knowledge are required for planning and commissioning the material flow. "Implementation requires only a few preparations: determining the correct route and installing associated app to control the WEASEL® Lite vehicles on a tablet or smartphone. A free Weasel Lite Planner is available for material flow planning."

SSI LOGIMAT® and WEASEL® Lite are designed, manufactured, assembled and commissioned entirely in-house by SSI SCHAEFER. SSI SCHAEFER also provides costumer support 24/7/365.