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FACTORY WAREHOUSING CAPACITY DOUBLED BY INSTALLING INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION
Managing thousands of tonnes of aluminium profiles each year requires an efficient logistics system. So French company TIR Technologies, which designs and manufactures custom outdoor solar protection systems, including window blinds, awnings, roller shutters and pergolas, has systematically automated its warehousing processes using intelligent storage technology from KASTO. A similar service is available in the UK and Ireland through the German supplier’s subsidiary in Leicestershire.
Each year, TIR Technologies handles and processes 3,500 tonnes of aluminium profiles up to 7.5 metres long at its headquarters in Kilstett. The company has been operating for more than 20 years and currently employs a workforce of 330 staff generating an annual turnover of 110 million euros. The strong revenue per employee is made possible in part by the modern logistics, which includes an industry-specific KASTOfenestra align station. It has resulted in increased warehousing space, more flexible storage and retrieval, greater transparency of material flow and higher productivity.
Two KASTO systems are in operation. The first to be installed, in 2019, was a UNIGRIP automated honeycomb system with 1,200 storage locations, which provides the pergola assembly area with profiles. In 2022, a second, similar storage system was installed, which is 13 metres high and has 2,000 storage cassettes for managing the aluminium profiles used in awning production. A singular feature is its ability to handle two different types of cassettes within a compact space using one gantry crane.
The transition to automated honeycomb storage has brought significant benefits to TIR Technologies. The 3D warehousing systems enable twice the volume of aluminium profiles to be held in the same footprint at Kilstett. Every incoming and outgoing transaction is executed and recorded automatically, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual transfers and lists. As a result, the potential for error is greatly reduced, as is the workload on employees.
Additionally, the aluminium profiles are stored in a dry, protected environment, whereas previously some were stored outside, open to the elements. As the stock is now all held in the automated storage system, the need for costly, complex packaging of the raw materials is eliminated. Additionally, the reduction in packaging contributes to sustainability by decreasing waste and lowering the load volumes transported by suppliers.
The KASTOlogic warehouse management software is the brain of the storage operations. It coordinates the handling of incoming and outgoing goods, optimises material flow in the stores and monitors it in real-time, ensuring that production runs smoothly, safely and efficiently.
Configuring the second KASTO honeycomb warehouse to meet the specific requirements of the project involved significant development of both the mechanical elements and the software. The gantry crane was designed so it could handle profiles that are 6 metres long in cassettes on one side and 7.5 metres long on the opposite side. A dual-sensor system on the crane identifies the specific type of cassette and its precise position. This information is essential for accurate braking and safe transfer of loads.
Patrick Barbier, IT manager at TIR Technologies, explained, “Due to this customised solution, we were able to implement a storage system that would not otherwise have been feasible within the available space. Additionally, the automated system allows us to achieve significantly more efficient production, making it easier to plan our operations.”
An intelligent system is essential to ensure window profiles arrive precisely where they are needed and to keep everything in sync. KASTOfenestra align fulfils this function. It is an automated storage, order picking and material handling system specifically designed for window, door and facade manufacture. It is able to optimise the handling of long aluminium, plastic and composite profiles, keeping processes moving safely, precisely and without unnecessary delay.
The benefits are apparent in Kilstett from the moment materials for a customer order are consolidated into a rack for storage, pending awning assembly. TIR Technologies handles the loading, unloading and movement of these racks of aluminium profiles using the KASTOfenestra align system. Quickly, consistently and with minimal effort, a forklift operator positions a rack above an integrated, horizontal centring guide positioned at a height of two to three metres, without needing to reposition or manoeuvre the truck.
Integrated hydraulic lift units then take over, lowering the customer’s rack in a controlled manner until it is precisely positioned in the cassette. To ensure smooth flow of material, KASTOfenestra align is equipped with two cassette locations. While a rack is being stored or retrieved for processing, another customer order is being prepared at the other station, eliminating waiting times.
Mr Barbier concluded, “KASTO has demonstrated itself to be a reliable partner for us. The relationship will significantly benefit our future logistics development plans as we continually improve our internal processes and expand our business.”
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