AutoStore® small parts warehouse for the Leebmann24 online shop in Passau

Since 1926, the family-run Leebmann Group has specialised in the car brands BMW and Mini as well as four motorcycle brands. In four stationary shops, the customer-oriented company offers new and used vehicles as well as a wide range of services. The online shop www.leebmann24.de covers corresponding accessories, spare parts and care products.

Hörmann Logistik realizes an AutoStore® warehouse for car and motorcycle accessories and small spare parts at the Leebmann company headquarters in Passau. An existing hall is available for the integration of the new warehouse. From there, goods receipts or picking will take place at every workstation in the future. Leebmann chose Hörmann Logistik as general contractor and the AutoStore® system because of its compact dimensions, high efficiency and optimal orientation towards e-commerce.

Concept

For the customised design of the AutoStore® system, Hörmann Logistik performed, during the planning phase, several system simulations with real data from Auto Leebmann. The required operating times for storage of goods (4 hours per day) and dispatch of goods (8 hours per day), together with other customer requirements and the simulation results, led to a system configuration with a total capacity for 10,750 bins. In the first phase, the grid will be put into operation with only 6,000 bins measuring 649 mm x 449 mm x 330 mm (L x W x H). 15 autonomous robots serve for the supply and disposal of four Carousel workstations, two one of them assigned for goods receipt, two for goods issue and consignment. The later expansion of the system provides for two additional carousel ports. The AutoStore® system consists of an aluminium grid system covered on three sides with a total size of 14.1 m x 26.9 m x 4.4 m (L x W x H), excluding the service platform.

Within the grid, stacks of 13 bins each stand directly on the hall floor. 15 battery-powered, autonomous robots move on the grid rail system above the bin stacks.  

They pick up the bins, re-sort them as required and serve them at the consignment ports. The grid is equipped with a sufficiently high tunnel to keep the hall passable for forklift trucks. The maximum total weight of the bins is 35 kg with a net payload of around 30 kg. A weighing unit at the ports prevents exceeding the maximum weight. Separating inserts in the bins allow flexible use for several articles at the same time.

Four pairs of wheels move the robots in two directions. Their geometry allows them to reach any position in the grid. They communicate via WLAN with the AutoStore control system, which assigns the transport orders to the individual robots. If the order load is low or the battery capacity is too low, the robots drive automatically to one of the charging stations located at the edge of the grid. The AutoStore control is located on the adjacent service platform.

The robots move on the grid with an acceleration of 0.8 m/s² and a speed of 3.1 m/s.

The system is suitable for 1.100 storage and 3.000 retrieval operations per day.

HiLIS AS, the warehouse management and control system specially designed for AutoStore®, controls the system. AutoStore® "only" knows the bin number in the system, but not its contents. The higher-level HiLIS AS warehouse management and control system knows the contents of each bin, manages and controls the AutoStore® system and implements all logistical processes including interfaces to the ERP system. The understandable, graphical user interface of HiLIS AS provides clear working and picking instructions via touch screen. In addition, HiLIS AS supports permanent inventory processes, empty bin insertion, status dialogues, special access to the bins and much more.

AutoStore® takes over complete picking orders (task group) with all individual picking positions (task) at a lead-time of 30 minutes. AutoStore® with its integrated optimization algorithms ensures maximum efficiency in the processing of orders.

Installation of the AutoStore small parts warehouse for Auto Leebmann will start in January 2020, go-live is scheduled for commissioning in March 2020.