Viastore´s Open Shuttles connect processes and reduce warehouse costs

viastore’s Open Shuttle solution offers a flexible and space-saving way of connecting different areas and processes in the warehouse. Photo by viastore SYSTEMS GmbH

Tucker GmbH is an international manufacturer of fastening technology and part of STANLEY Engineered Fastening. Approximately 1,200 employees develop, manufacture and sell fastening and joining technology at 15 locations in Europe. The product range includes metal elements such as weld studs, self-piercing rivets, blind rivets and plastic clips.

viastore supplied and installed an automated mini-load system (MLS) with three viaspeed AS/RS and three driverless transport vehicles – so-called Open Shuttles. These automatically supply goods to the pick stations also provided by viastore and autonomously transport products to the mini-load system for storage. Thus, they offer a flexible and space-saving way of connecting the various areas and processes in the warehouse.

In the past, employees had to transport the goods manually from the unit-load warehouse to the workstations and back on trolleys, which proved cumbersome and error-prone. Thanks to the Open Shuttle solution, complicated posting change processes are now no longer required – everything proceeds automatically and is straightforward.

The Open Shuttles dynamically react to obstacles and autonomously plan alternative routes. This provides safe and flexible interaction with people and other vehicles.

The user interface for monitoring the driverless transport systems is very easy to operate.

“The viastore solution enables us to work more efficiently and save time equivalent to 400-500 transport tasks per day. As we grow, this can then be used for other activities,” explains Dieter Keiner, Plant Manager at Tucker. The transport systems provide intelligent and reliable running performance. “They react dynamically to obstacles and autonomously plan alternative routes. This enables safe and flexible interaction with people and other vehicles,” explains viastore Project Manager Peter Polywka. “In addition, the user interface for monitoring the driverless transport systems is very convenient to operate. The Open Shuttles can be easily activated or deactivated, and the customers can make changes to the warehouse layout as required, for example by blocking pathways,” the expert adds. And in contrast to static conveyor technology, the space in the warehouse can still be used freely, by both employees and other vehicles.

For more information, please visit www.viastore.com

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