Initial Situation
Goals and Challenges
The goal was a solution that automatically tracks material movements in the block warehouse and controls the material flow through system-guided transport orders. A central challenge was the uniform communication of different forklift types and interfaces with the warehouse management system, ensuring that orders, status messages, and bookings could be processed without media breaks.
At the same time, the solution was intended to efficiently support storage, retrieval, and truck loading of MDF pallets up to approximately five meters long, creating a stable foundation for a multi-site rollout.
ABF's solution: OneBase®MFT with 3D Forklift Guidance System
ABF integrated a material flow control system and introduced automatic, seamless material tracking in the block warehouse. Since the introduction of OneBase®MFT, pallet transports in the block warehouse have been tracked automatically, and the material flow is controlled by providing optimized transport orders to the forklift drivers.
OneBase®MFT optimizes warehouse transports via a comprehensive set of rules for destination and material finding, prioritizing the resulting transport orders while considering the current forklift position. This creates an intelligent order distribution that supports optimal routes and noticeably increases intralogistics transparency. Operation is supplemented by the Forklift Guidance System with 3D visualization on the transport vehicle and a central 3D administrator application, allowing the warehouse to be managed dynamically and controlled clearly.
For seamless data exchange across multiple levels, standardized interfaces to the existing manufacturing execution system (MES) and the SAP ERP system were implemented. This enables automated material bookings from the shop floor level to the ERP and ensures that warehouse movements no longer need to be updated manually.
To ensure the solution works reliably in everyday operations, ABF handled the hardware provision and installation in addition to the engineering. This included a Real-Time Locating System with laser positioning (IdentPro) and ultrasonic sensors for load detection, which were installed on twelve forklifts.
Result and Benefits
With OneBase®MFT, the warehouse, manufacturing supply, and shipping are optimally controlled and transparently displayed. Through automatic tracking and system-guided order assignment, search times in the block warehouse are significantly reduced, while the transport fleet can be used more efficiently through intelligent route and priority logic. Additionally, the solution reduces complex identification steps and enables automatic bookings up to SAP ERP, which accelerates picking and loading and minimizes error-prone manual interventions.
The success of the implementation at the Pádron site led to a rollout agreement for eleven additional FINSA locations with a total of around 150 forklifts. The implementation in Cella (Spain) has already been completed and was carried out remotely due to travel restrictions at the time.
