In response to the stringent requirements for delivery timeliness and product availability in the market, Sikla has introduced an automated honeycomb bearing system as a new component in its goods provisioning process. After a construction period of 15 months, the extension of the warehouse, along with the honeycomb storage, was launched at the German site in Schwenningen in 2021.
The automated honeycomb bearing system is designed for fast storage and retrieval of mounting rails or siFramo profiles. To reach maximum efficiency of storage and retrieval performance, two parallel processing retrieval stations have been integrated into the system.The entire process (preparing goods for processing - retrieving the desired quantity - storing the remaining quantity of a batch) used to take approximately 15 minutes of processing time. Today, it has been reduced to a maximum of 5 minutes.
How does the honeycomb bearing system works?
Individual bundles are automatically issued by the system according to the order items. At the dispensing station, the desired quantities can then be retrieved. Inspection of the withdrawn quantity can be conducted based on pieces, meters, and weight.
This type of modern warehouse management benefits both customers and employees:
Benefits of customers:
Benefits of employees:
Exterior view of the warehouse extension |
Detail of the honeycomb bearing |
Removal from the honeycomb warehouse |
Transporting the profile/rail with the crane |
Excavation and bored piles
In order to erect the building, it was necessary to carry out earthworks and excavate a pit for the foundations, for which 1,500 cubic metres of earth were moved.
A total of 1.3 kilometres of concrete piles were anchored in the ground as a base for the foundation to ensure a secure footing in the boggy ground.