OCTOBER 2018
CHEP Opens Automated Service Center Near Hamburg
As a milestone of CHEP Germany, the Neu Wulmstorf Service Center, located in the Hamburg metropolitan region, is opening its first fully automated operation. CHEP invested more than € 1.1 million in the automation of pallet inspection and pallet repair to increase the efficiency of its service center. At a local opening event, customers were able to gain an impression of the implementation of Industry 4.0 and the resulting process optimization. Overall, productivity in the area of pallet inspection is expected to increase fourfold.
With a daily turnover of approx. 30,000 CHEP Euro, half and quarter pallets, the Neu Wulmstorf Service Center is pivotal in the metropolitan region of Hamburg. More than 2 million pallets are inspected annually, and repaired if necessary.
By optimizing the process, CHEP ensures consistently high pallet quality and wants to increase its productivity fourfold during the inspection process. Since 2016, CHEP has been recording a growing demand for blue pallets at the Neu Wulmstorf site. By mid-2019, it is expected that the current daily throughput of 30,000 pallets will almost double. With the help of automation, euro, half and quarter pallets can be handled more effectively and in higher quantities than before.
In the routine inspection of pallets for defects or damage, CHEP can now flexibly change between the different pallet sizes thanks to automation. For the service center employees, the new work environment means more safety and comfort as robotic units take over work such as repairing defective pallets.
Transitioning with Automation to Industry 4.0
Specifically, the newly installed automated plant in Neu Wulmstorf includes the following technology:
- Multi-functional fully automatic inspection and repair system for automatic destacking, transport, turning and stacking of pallets at a throughput of 600 pallets per hour
A new laser system (Automatic Digital Inspection, ADI) that inspects individual pallets for damage and, if necessary, sends them for repair
Automatic painting and stencil processes using brush painting booths and inkjet systems
New roll nailer technology that ensures no nails stick out over the top of the pallets
A moisture meter that monitors the moisture content of the pallets and probes the top deck and bottom of the pallets. If the moisture content exceeds a certain value, the pallet is sorted out of production
A robot that enables stacking of pallets and sorting of batches according to production needs
Automated buffering to manage tips of damaged pallets