Fully Automated Carton Storage for Kettler Alu-Rad

Task

KETTLER Alu-Rad has built one of the most modern bicycle factories in Europe in St. Ingbert, Germany. Covering 62,000 m² of production space and backed by an investment of around 100 million euros, the goal was to establish a highly efficient intralogistics system capable of safely and quickly moving up to 1,200 e-bikes per day through the entire production and distribution process.
The general contractor, UBH SOFTWARE & ENGINEERING, entrusted Schwingshandl with the delivery and integration of customized conveyor technology systems, including innovative load handling devices. The decisive factor was Schwingshandl’s proven expertise in developing and implementing customized special solutions for highly automated intralogistics projects.

Implementation

For the KETTLER plant, Schwingshandl supplied and integrated the following key components:

• 5 special 4-fold load handling devices (LAM) for the fully automated storage and retrieval of bicycle cartons – with the unique capability of handling up to four cartons simultaneously.
• Tooth belt conveyor technology for special load carriers (customized solution for KETTLER) for the gentle handling and separation of bicycle frames.
• Tooth belt lift for vertical transfer between different conveyor levels.
• Workstations for manual operations within the material flow.
• Automatic transfer to the overhead conveyor, enabling cartons to be handed over directly from the floor conveyor system to the ceiling-mounted overhead conveyor system.
• Turning table with lifting unit to ensure precise alignment of load carriers for storage and shipping.

The systems developed, manufactured, and installed by Schwingshandl are an integral part of KETTLER’s overall conveyor and warehouse logistics. At the end of the infeed and outfeed lines, they take over the bicycle cartons and automatically transfer them to the overhead conveyor, which carries them to a height of nine meters – keeping the shopfloor free for value-adding processes.

Around 200 meters of tooth belt conveyor technology connect production and warehouse areas, transporting four cartons per load carrier and ensuring high performance for both inbound and outbound. The loading and unloading of cartons between the overhead conveyor and the load carriers is carried out fully automatically via electromechanical pushers.

In the high-bay warehouse, the storage and retrieval machines equipped with Schwingshandl’s 4-fold load handling devices set new benchmarks: they enable fully automated, error-free storage and retrieval processes. This system is compleneted by turning tables with lifting units for the correct alignment of the cartons.

“The centerpiece of our delivery scope is undoubtedly the special 4-fold load handling device for storing and retrieving the large bicycle cartons. There was no comparable solution available before – that’s why we developed something completely new, tested it thoroughly, and successfully implemented it in the system to Kettler’s complete satisfaction.”
— David Schwingshandl, Sales Manager