Hänel Lean-Lift® lifts can store up to 3,200 different products depending on the storage situation, with flexibility and high efficiency. About 37,000 products pass through the distribution warehouse every day. To enable more efficient process management, AIV uses viastore systems' viad @t inventory management system in conjunction with the existing Navision ERP system. New collection orders are transferred to viad @t and can be processed in both automated and manual warehouse. Hänel's Lean-Lift® devices are controlled via the program interface of the viad @tWMS system.
The database contains information about all products, such as product number, product name and other characteristics. When new products are stocked, they are first identified by a barcode scanner and the product's inventory balance is updated. After that, the system automatically brings the nearest free storage location to the access slot as quickly as possible.
If the same product is already stored in another location in the elevator, this will be taken into account in collection orders so that the system uses the oldest product first (FIFO principle — first in, first out). Thanks to the inventory management software, the inventory status can be viewed in real time, and new products can be easily added to the system.
viad @tWMS also controls all retrieval processes. Employees can view and process various collection orders using terminals. With one push of a button, the control system automatically brings the box containing the requested product to the operating opening. This means “the goods create the worker” rather than “the worker creates the goods”. To prevent picking errors, viad @TWMS's graphical container view shows the exact box from which the product should be taken. Hänel's Pick-o-Light® system further improves picking speed and reliability by indicating the requested product with a red LED light.
This has further improved the reliability of the processes!
The four Hänel Lean-Lift® lifts are operated simultaneously by two employees. By using Hänel's advanced storage systems in combination with viastore systems' powerful inventory management software, the company has managed to increase its collection efficiency to up to 180 picks per person per hour, compared to a traditional collection warehouse.
Other significant benefits include faster delivery of goods, better inventory management, fewer picking errors and shorter order processing times.
