STORAGE FOR LIVE PICKING

In close conjunction with the launch of the new Renault Mégane in December 2001, the company set up a suppliers’ yard within the factory grounds, representing an investment of 3.2 million euros. The purpose of the suppliers’ yard is to facilitate the supply of some of the vehicles’ main pieces directly from three manufacturers: the ‘cockpit’ dashboard (from Sommert-Allibert-Siemens), the front technical unit (made by Valeo-Plastic Onnium and consisting of the fender, headlights, front signal lights, etc.) and the door panels (Antolin Group). Suppliers are forward a delivery order via electronic connections one hour prior to the installation of specific parts on the assembly line. Once the specified pieces have been manufactured, they are subsequently delivered to the assembly workshop specified on the production order. This system allows for cost reduction by lowering logistics expenses, freeing up available space, and most significantly, by ensuring the optimum quality of parts, as their complexity and the high quantity of technological elements used could be damaged during conventional transport by truck or train.

The installation consists of – a control unit; a transport system with rollers that sends pallets to the depalletiser; a robot that depalletises; a transelevator that places the wheels in the proper shelving aisle; a dynamic shelving warehouse; an exit-side transelevator; a roller table conveyor system on which the tires move to the assembly line.

Manufacturers deliver each pallet with six rows of wheels and four units per row. First, upon entering the system, blades accurately align the load before going through an arch that functions as a loading gauge. Sensors check that the pallet dimensions are admissible for processing by the installation. Then, a mechanism on the depalletiser that acts like pliers takes the wheels in pairs and put them on a roller table on the entry stacker crane that is more than 4 meters long.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS::

Length: 8,780mm
Height: 6,000mm
Total Width: 6,083mm
No of Dynamic Shelves: 3 Modules 1,500mm wide
No of Load Levels: 10L
Height of Load Levels: 450mm
Total Aisles: 60 (2 aisles per shelf and level)
Load Type: Wheels
Maximum Load per Wheel: 50kg
Maximum Wheel Height: 225mm
Maximum Wheel Diameter: 650mm