Modernizing warehousing, picking, and production processes as one integrated system.
The automated small-parts warehouse at Hörmann KG Antriebstechnik in Steinhagen is closely integrated with production. Modernizing the system therefore requires a comprehensive approach that considers the entire process chain while minimizing disruption to ongoing operations. EPG CONSULTING developed a retrofit concept that preserves the existing system structure while preparing the conveyor technology, controls, and IT architecture for future requirements.
Manufacturer of drive and control solutions
Retrofit and controls modernization of an automated small-parts warehouse
Eleven storage aisles, including two with double-deep storage
Equipped for pick-and-pack processes
Average daily volume
At the Steinhagen site, the automated small-parts warehouse plays a central role in connecting storage, order picking, and production. It handles standardized plastic totes as well as various carton formats weighing up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds). This variety places specific demands on the conveyor system and the coordination of material flows.
As requirements for throughput, availability, and transparency increased, modernizing the controls architecture became a key priority. Hörmann wanted to secure the system’s performance and extend its service life without fundamentally changing the existing infrastructure. At the same time, the retrofit had to be planned in a way that minimized disruption to ongoing operations.
Replacing individual control components is not enough in a highly interconnected system. Tote conveyors, storage and retrieval machines, picking stations, and the connection to production must continue to work together reliably after modernization.
EPG CONSULTING therefore developed an integrated concept covering all of these areas. In addition to replacing the existing control systems, the project focused on reducing cycle times, creating an IT architecture that can be maintained over the long term, and ensuring high system availability throughout implementation.
A modernization concept covering the automated small-parts warehouse, conveyor technology, and control systems. The planning also incorporates the picking stations and production interface, ensuring that modernization is coordinated across the entire process chain.
A new material flow and control logic introduces intelligent prioritization and optimized transport routes. The goal is to reduce cycle times and stabilize processes, particularly when the storage and retrieval machines operate in dual-cycle mode.
The concept includes new PLC controls for the tote conveyor system and material flows from production. The objective is to improve availability and maintainability while ensuring long-term access to replacement components.
A fully cloud-based Warehouse Control System (WCS) is planned as the central control layer. The architecture provides a centralized IT structure, location-independent access, and the scalability required to support future needs.
Emulation and virtual commissioning make it possible to test the planned material flow strategies before physical implementation. This helps identify risks at an early stage, validate the design, and reduce commissioning time.
The existing storage and retrieval machines are also planned to be retrofitted with modern camera systems. These systems expand process monitoring capabilities and provide greater transparency into operations within the automated small-parts warehouse.
Modernization Built Around Operational Requirements
“With a retrofit of this scale, it is critical to have a partner who understands our existing processes and develops the modernization concept together with us.”
Hörmann KG Antriebstechnik
The retrofit concept combines continued use of the existing system structure with a modernization of the controls and IT architecture. For Hörmann, the primary objectives are higher availability, improved maintainability, and the flexibility to adapt to increasing performance requirements.
The combination of modern PLC technology, a cloud-based WCS, and material flow strategies tested in advance creates the foundation for continuously developing the existing system over the long term. EPG CONSULTING brings these elements together in an integrated plan that considers both the warehouse technology and the operational processes surrounding it.
Learn more about the initial situation, the technical building blocks of the project, and the modernization concept developed for the automated small-parts warehouse in Steinhagen.
Are you looking to modernize the controls of an existing automated warehouse or secure its long-term performance? EPG CONSULTING analyzes your system, assesses modernization requirements, and develops a retrofit concept tailored to your technology and operational needs.
In our whitepaper “AI in Logistics,” we shed light on the technological foundations, highlight current trends, and use practical examples to describe how companies are already improving their processes with the help of AI.