FOCUS ON HANDLING
The first sawing cell to be automated by KASTO with robotic handling and sorting at steel stockholder EHG Stahlzentrum ’ s Dornbirn facility . At the same time , in 2019 , the circular saw was replaced by a KASTOvariospeed .
AUTOMATE TO ACCUMULATE
All process steps are now carried out without any operator intervention , from feeding the raw material from the store to sorting and stacking the cut pieces .”
Austrian steel stockholder and distribution company , EHG Stahlzentrum , has upgraded a pair of KASTO sawing cells with robotic handling and sorting equipment .
German storage and sawing equipment manufacturer , KASTO , has upgraded a pair of sawing cells at the Dornbirn centre of Austrian steel stockholder and distribution company , EHG Stahlzentrum . All parts of the systems , from raw material supply to handling of containers and pallets of finished goods , have been integrated and automated .
Efficiency in the processing of orders and in logistics is part of the success of EHG ’ s business model . About 620,000 orders are handled each year , primarily in small batches of less than ten items .
Christian Rüf , head of logistics systems and processes at EHG Stahlzentrum , explained : “ It poses quite a challenge . We are often under enormous time pressure , as in some cases we only have one or two hours to complete an order .”
About 620,000 orders are handled each year , primarily in small batches of less than ten items
Handling and sorting
To alleviate the problem , EHG utilises advanced storage and processing technology . The Dornbirn site has eight automatic high-bay storage systems , 40 stand-alone automatic bandsaws and circular sawing machines and two sawing centres integrated with highbay storage so that they receive material automatically . It is these systems that have been upgraded with robotic handling and sorting .
For many years , the stockholder has relied on products and expertise from German firm KASTO in Achern , whose UK subsidiary in Milton Keynes provides a similar range of services . They encompass automated storage systems for long stock and plate , machines for sawing the materials , robotic and other handling solutions and the requisite software , all from a single source .
“ Our high-bay storage systems are all from KASTO . They include four UNICOMPACT honeycomb systems for the storage of bars , tubes and profiles , as well as another for holding sheet metal . In addition , 27 KASTO automatic saws are in operation in Dornbirn , ranging from production circular saws to heavy-duty block and plate bandsaws ,” said Christian Rüf .