Process Optimisation at DIEFFENBACHER Uncovers New Potential

As in other industries, throughput and volumes in the warehouse at DIEFFENBACHER have increased in recent years. At the same time, two shelf storage systems operated with a travelling storage and retrieval machine (SRM) were in use, but they no longer met these requirements. Thus, a new system became necessary, as Michael Auperle, Head of Group Logistics at DIEFFENBACHER, explains: "Our goal was, on the one hand, the automation of the warehouse with the replacement of the "person-to-goods" to the "goods-to-person" principle and, on the other hand, the process optimisation in goods receipt and order picking."  

Together with GEBHARDT, the new system was designed and built in the shortest possible time. The provided solution for the parts warehouse included the creation of four order-picking workstations, a 300-square-metre automatic miniload warehouse, and conveyor technology. The GEBHARDT StoreWare warehouse management system had to be integrated with the on-site SAP system. "It was certainly challenging that this project was divided into three assembly stages," explains Tobias Gilbert, project manager at GEBHARDT. 

The installed shuttle warehouse has dimensions of 25.6 m in length, 8 m in width, and 7.93 m in height. The facility can hold 8,976 containers, organised across 17 levels. It features two aisles that accommodate double-deep storage or one aisle with double-deep on one side and single-deep on the other. Each aisle is serviced by two GEBHARDT StoreBiter® One-Level Shuttles (OLS).  

The warehouse operates based on the roaming concept, which features a partially occupied shuttle warehouse with fewer automated lifting systems (OLS) than storage levels. A shuttle lift is utilised at the front of the rack to ensure accessibility to all levels.