A Customised Solution – Part 1

The trend towardsautomation in intralogistics is continuing rapidly. In order to increase theircompetitiveness, companies require their plants and systems to operate moreefficiently and more safely, but at the same time workplaces are required to bedesigned more ergonomically. The emergence of Industry 4.0 integrates all ofthe involved people, systems, machines and products into one dynamic network.This allows customers to better organise and manage their logistics valuechain. Beumer Group has leveraged a modular standardization concept to offercustomised solutions for individual tasks. 

"Intralogistics isexperiencing a transformation due to demographic changes and also because ofincreased process complexity. Automation technology in particular is constantlypushed forward," recognises Franz-Joseph Kleigrewe, Head of Automation atBeumer Group. This way manual processes can be optimised and effectivesynergies formed between man and machine. "Automation technology is thekey to technical development and progress," Kleigrewe is convinced.

There are threesignificant factors involved in the development process of automated systems:customer orientation, innovation and standardisation. If the focus iscustomer-orientated, then results are typically tailor-made solutions that canrarely be used for other projects. Lacing the focus on innovation offers bothopportunities and risks. Innovation can create competitive advantages, but alsorisks an increase in costs and postponed deadlines. Without innovative projectshowever, there would be no progress. It is forward progress that means thatthese projects must be done regularly, while all the time remaining aware ofthe potential risks. The procedure for standardised solutions is verydifferent, as they have already been tried and tested. The customer receives aninexpensive and functionally reliable system, which can go live in a very shortperiod of time.

Standardised, yettailor-made

This is where thebiggest challenge emerges. Customer requirements can be very specific and eachindustry is different. National regulations and factory standards also differsignificantly. At Beumer Group, customised machines and systems are thereforecreated from a modular system: the mechatronics modules for mechanics,electrics and software can then be adapted to the customers requirements. 

"Operators no longer wish to run justone machine, they want a process: a combination of several coordinated systems,"Kleigrewe recognises as the market need. This includes filling,packaging and palletising solutions: Beumer Group offers the Beumer fillpac, afilling machine particularly for the building materials industry. Users canflexibly integrate and adapt it to existing packaging lines. Depending onproject requirements, Beumer Group offers varying designs. "We can providethis filling system with special weighing electronics, for example, coming fromthe modular system," Kleigrewe explains. It ensures the weight accuracy ofthe bags. Depending on the application, Beumer Group provides the system as arotary or inline filling machine, with bag discharge line, bag placer,different number of filling spouts or devices for material feed and spillagetransport. As a systems supplier, the company offers the Beumer paletpac and Beumerrobotpac constructionseries, two different palletising solutions that guarantee efficient stackingof filled bags. They can be provided with functionalities such as bag and emptypallet transport systems, from the modular system. Depending on the productcharacteristics, the Beumer paletpac is equipped with bar-type, clamp-type ortwin-belt turning devices. They turn the bags rapidly and gently to therequired position. The high-capacity packaging system, Beumer stretch hood, isBeumer Group's efficient solution to package the pallet stacks quickly andsafely. The system provider offers them in different designs, with a varyingset of sophisticated features.

Beumer Group has developedthe modular BG software suite, which offers users optimum and continuouscontrol of their material flows. It can be customised to the users requirementsand products from other companies can be easily integrated. Users can extendthis modular solution at any time and optimise their material flows. Processdata or reports are displayed on the BG Fusion user interface that works forall programmes. Users can access all available data, without having to switchbetween the applications. The BG software can also be used on mobile devices,such as tablets.

The Beumer GroupWarehouse Control System module allows you to connect the BG software suite tothe warehouse management system or the ERP system of the customer via a networkconnection. Through this Beumer ensures communication between the differentcontrol levels of the user. As a single-source provider Beumer Group can createan intelligent connection between the individual systems and integrate theminto existing process and inventory control systems.

The risk for error sourcesthat could result from interfaces is avoided. Technicians carry out theelectrical installations, as well as the integration of the machine and systemcontrols. "We also offer support during commissioning," says Kleigrewe.

Adapted from press release by Rebecca Bowden

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/product-news/18022016/a-customised-solution-1-524/