Automation to-go

Successful intralogistics requires perfectly coordinated processes in order to complete transport tasks quickly and economically. At the same time, there is a growing demand for straightforward automation of simple and repetitive logistics processes. This is particularly true of companies with little experience in this area, such as DP Supply, a subsidiary of the German dairy giant DMK. 
A STILL iGo easy automation solution was recently installed at the production site in Beesten, Lower Saxony. Triggered by conveyor technology sensors, an automated EXV iGo high lift pallet truck receives a transport order when a pallet of spray-dried powder products arrives. This smart plug-and-play automation solution from STILL does not necessarily have to be integrated into a higher-level ERP system as it is a stand-alone solution that does not involve any complex installation or complicated control methods. Therfore, it quick and easy to make changes to the route, for example.

Dairy and dairy-free products for the whole world

DMK Group’s well-known brands, including Milram, Oldenburger and Humana Babyfood, are highly trusted in Germany and around the world. As Germany’s largest dairy cooperative, DMK processes around 5.5 billion kilograms of milk every year. 
DP Supply in Beesten is a wholly owned subsidiary of DMK and primarily produces fat powder products, creamers, Dairics (whole milk powder replacers based on vegetable fats), foamers, Battics (batter stabilisers), Nutrilics (nutritional drinks), skimmed milk powder and contract drying products for selected partners. These products are developed and manufactured innovatively for use in baked goods, soups and sauces, savoury products, ice cream and desserts as well as nutritional supplements and baby food, in accordance with the requirements of the processed food industry. 
Stephan Runge, head of production at DP Supply, explains: “Thanks to our many years of experience in producing spray-dried emulsions, we have become a multinational company that delivers products to the food industry. To ensure that we could meet the requirements of our new Nutrilics and Baby Food product groups, we installed a new drying tower with state-of-the-art spraying technology in 2019. The the sprayed emulsions dry on their way down inside the tower.” Today, a wide range of emulsions and formulations are sprayed and dried at the Beesten site and then exported in large quantities to the United Arab Emirates and Western Africa. Stephan Runge comments: “Altogether, we produce around 50,000 tonnes of finished products every year in a variety of packaging, from small sacks to big bags. With production now taking place around the clock, we ultimately needed to automate straightforward, recurring transport processes. The iGo easy automated truck from STILL is the perfect solution for us to start using automated technology.”

Entering the world of automation

The STILL iGo easy smart automation solution does not need to be integrated into DP Supply’s ERP system. Triggered by sensors and other signals, it can navigate independently, eliminating the need for complex installations involving costly interface programming. The user interface of this application is also extremely intuitive and does not require any in-depth technical knowledge. 
During the go-live phase, specially trained STILL service technicians fitted the reflectors for the laser navigation system and entered the AGV parameters for routes and transfer points using the simple and intuitive software. This took only two weeks. Following successful testing, the entire system was put into operation. 

Maximum flexibility and rapid customisation 

This simple automation solution gives you maximum flexibility if the route changes slightly later and the parameters in the software are adjusted. 
”The smart plug-and-play solution iGo easy offers us the perfect option for automating individual logistical transport processes with just one AGV thanks to its particularly simple and fast commissioning process, intuitive user interface and flexibility. If production increases further, we can react flexibly by adding more AGVs,” says Runge. 
Reflectors for laser navigation can be quickly installed within the warehouse environment. Lars Lemke from STILL System Sales, who assisted with the planning and preparation of the offer, adds: “Growth often changes the parameters in companies. Our wide range of automated solutions means you can easily transition from simple iGo easy applications to more complex iGo systems applications at any time.”
iGo systems is the perfect individual automation solution for existing, interconnected or codependent logistics processes. The system is highly customisable. It can be tailored to your requirements and enables trucks to be controlled in perfect synchronisation and integrated into comprehensive logistics processes. Customers can choose to automate individual trucks or entire fleets. 

Smart automation of simple transport processes around the clock 

Transport orders for the AGV are assigned in two stages. As soon as a pallet arrives at the conveyor system transfer point or is packaged at the stretch hood machine, a sensor triggers I/O signals which are transmitted to the vehicle as a transport order via WLAN. Once the transport order is underway, pallets arriving from production are continuously transported to the stretch hood system and, from there, to the seven floor stacking locations in the block storage area around the clock. Lars Lemke adds: “According to a statistical capacity estimate, our automation enables around ten transport runs to be carried out per hour. The overall availability of our system is already 98 percent, in line with current VDI guidelines.” 
In the block storage area, seven floor stacking locations are approached one after the other. Additional storage locations are used for temporary buffer storage. If a location is occupied, an error message is displayed. Manual intervention is possible at any time, including during the automated charging of the Li-Ion battery. Transport orders can also be triggered directly from the job monitor. 

AGV navigation made easy

The EXV iGo uses the triangulation method to navigate, scanning its surroundings continuously with lasers. Reflectors are installed at relevant points along the transport routes, which allow the layout to be calculated using the straightforward commissioning software, and can be flexibly changed as required. Stephan Runge is impressed by this navigation method: “Once at least three reflectors have been detected, the current position of the truck is calculated using the distances and angles to the individual reflectors. The advantages of this are obvious. The installation work involved in attaching the reflectors is minimal, and they can be redefined at any time.” In addition, cable ducts and roller conveyors do not restrict movement. Stefan Schuster, service technician at STILL’s Bremen branch, adds: “After installing the reflectors, we use triangulation to create navigation maps for the AGV. This type of navigation is, of course, very precise. However, in order to reduce installation costs, the AGV can also navigate using the contours of the warehouse. This is also a advantageous at critical points on a route where, for example, no reflectors can be installed, such as along the mobile racking system.” In addition, the STILL software allows for quick route and itinerary changes in a graphical view via drag-and-drop.  According to the STILL technician, therefore there is no need for any complex programming.

Summary

Modern intralogistics is an extremely dynamic and highly technical field experiencing an increasing demand for process automation and robotics. As Stephan Runge emphasises: “The iGo easy application from STILL only requires one AGV for both transport processes, making it an ideal introduction to the world of automation! This smart plug-and-play solution offers the advantages of particularly quick and easy implementation via an intuitive user interface, as well as flexibility. We have, for instance, already planned a more complex project involving a route past a mobile racking system.” If requirements increase or become more unique and complex later on, STILL can offer a suitable solution in the form of iGo systems. This allows AGVs to be controlled perfectly and in synchronised harmony, and to be integrated into comprehensive logistics processes. Customers can choose to automate individual trucks or entire fleets.