Long-term thinking increases efficiency

Reichle & De-Massari, the world’s leading producer of wiring systems, has built a highly modern cube in the Swiss City of Wetzikon. The Swiss system integrator, Stöcklin Logistik AG, from Dornach near Basel, served as general contractor for design of the intra-company logistics realizing a “state-of-the-art“ logistics center with floor space of nearly 800 m².

In the past, local solutions were becoming increasingly intensive in terms of time, personnel and therefore cost, motivating the Swiss company to optimize its flow of goods and information. These considerations resulted in a new strategic basis for unifying development, production and logistics at one central location resulting in the new, super-modern cube.

Reduction of the distances involved resulted in a significant competitive advantage. The flow of goods was accelerated extremely and it was also possible to improve communication. This made R&M capable of further increasing the high-quality standard of their products and services and improve their processes.With Stöcklin, R&M found a partner for logistics, whose demands for quality, standardization, sustainability and innovation measures closely with their own requirement profile. 

As general contractor for logistics, Stöcklin supplied the complete equipment for the high bay warehouse, erected as a silo design, as well as the picking zone in front and the paternoster-type storage facilities. The high-shelf warehouse, which stores finished products as well as semi-finished products and raw materials, has three conveying levels. The top two levels each provide a connection between the storage facilities and production located on the second and third floors. This solves the central criteria for efficient supply which is essential for smooth processing in production. 

At the bottom level, the warehouse is served by a high performance shuttle car; here the pallets are transferred to the two U picking stations for customer picking. The receiving department is also located in this zone. Pallets with either raw materials or finished products are moved past an I-transfer point into the warehouse by shuttles.  

The new, perfectly designed logistics platform operates in single shift operation, 5 days a week, 10 hours a day, offering space for 4850 pallets. The scope of Stöcklin’s contract included the high-speed doors as well as fire protection in the logistics zone in addition to supply and integration of the shelf storage and retrieval equipment and the entire conveying equipment. The logistics processes are controlled by an intelligent PLC control which Stöcklin programmed specifically for this system and the superior SAP level. The two control modules control the entire material flow, thereby assuming the functions of a warehouse management system and material flow computer. The WinCC program was implemented for visualization. With its 2D representation, this system provides the operator with the possibility of identifying error sources immediately upon notification and thereby avoiding downtimes. 

R&M has set high goals for itself for increasing efficiency. In the logistics sector, Stöcklin was able to help by simplifying various processes and thereby shortening reaction times. 

The new cube has allowed the set goals to be reached, whereby R&M has set standards in all areas and is therefore proud of its location in Switzerland.

Die neue perfekt durchdachte Logistikplattform, welche im 1-Schicht-Betrieb an 5 Tagen die Woche jeweils 10 Stunden betrieben wird, bietet Platz für 4850 Paletten. Zum Auftragsumfang von Stöcklin zählte neben der Lieferung und der Integration der Regalbediengeräte sowie der gesamten fördertechnischen Einrichtung auch die Schnelllauftore sowie der Brandschutz in der Logistikzone. Gesteuert werden die logistischen Prozesse über eine intelligente SPS-Steuerung, die Stöcklin eigens für diese Anlage programmiert hat und der darüber liegenden SAP-Ebene. Die beiden Steuerungsmodule kontrollieren den gesamten Materialfluss und nehmen somit die Funktionen eines Lagerverwaltungssystems und des Materialflussrechners wahr. Für die Visualisierung wurde das WinCC Programm implementiert. Diese in 2D Darstellung arbeitende System gibt dem Betreiber die Möglichkeit bei Meldungen sofort die Fehlerquelle zu eruieren und dadurch Stillstandzeiten zu vermeiden.

R&M hat sich hohe Ziele im Bereich der Effizienzsteigerung gesetzt. Stöcklin konnte im Logistikbereich helfen diverse Prozesse zu vereinfachen und somit Reaktionszeiten zu verkürzen.

Mit dem neuen Kubus konnten die gesetzten Ziele erreicht werden, womit R&M Masstäbe in allen Teilbereichen setzt und sich damit zum Standort Schweiz bekennt.

Reichle & De-Massari, the world’s leading producer of wiring systems, has built a highly modern cube in the Swiss City of Wetzikon. The Swiss system integrator, Stöcklin Logistik AG, from Dornach near Basel, served as general contractor for design of the intra-company logistics realizing a “state-of-the-art“ logistics center with floor space of nearly 800 m².

In the past, local solutions were becoming increasingly intensive in terms of time, personnel and therefore cost, motivating the Swiss company to optimize its flow of goods and information. These considerations resulted in a new strategic basis for unifying development, production and logistics at one central location resulting in the new, super-modern cube.

Reduction of the distances involved resulted in a significant competitive advantage. The flow of goods was accelerated extremely and it was also possible to improve communication. This made R&M capable of further increasing the high-quality standard of their products and services and improve their processes.With Stöcklin, R&M found a partner for logistics, whose demands for quality, standardization, sustainability and innovation measures closely with their own requirement profile. 

As general contractor for logistics, Stöcklin supplied the complete equipment for the high bay warehouse, erected as a silo design, as well as the picking zone in front and the paternoster-type storage facilities. The high-shelf warehouse, which stores finished products as well as semi-finished products and raw materials, has three conveying levels. The top two levels each provide a connection between the storage facilities and production located on the second and third floors. This solves the central criteria for efficient supply which is essential for smooth processing in production. 

At the bottom level, the warehouse is served by a high performance shuttle car; here the pallets are transferred to the two U picking stations for customer picking. The receiving department is also located in this zone. Pallets with either raw materials or finished products are moved past an I-transfer point into the warehouse by shuttles.  

The new, perfectly designed logistics platform operates in single shift operation, 5 days a week, 10 hours a day, offering space for 4850 pallets. The scope of Stöcklin’s contract included the high-speed doors as well as fire protection in the logistics zone in addition to supply and integration of the shelf storage and retrieval equipment and the entire conveying equipment. The logistics processes are controlled by an intelligent PLC control which Stöcklin programmed specifically for this system and the superior SAP level. The two control modules control the entire material flow, thereby assuming the functions of a warehouse management system and material flow computer. The WinCC program was implemented for visualization. With its 2D representation, this system provides the operator with the possibility of identifying error sources immediately upon notification and thereby avoiding downtimes. 

R&M has set high goals for itself for increasing efficiency. In the logistics sector, Stöcklin was able to help by simplifying various processes and thereby shortening reaction times. 

The new cube has allowed the set goals to be reached, whereby R&M has set standards in all areas and is therefore proud of its location in Switzerland.

Die neue perfekt durchdachte Logistikplattform, welche im 1-Schicht-Betrieb an 5 Tagen die Woche jeweils 10 Stunden betrieben wird, bietet Platz für 4850 Paletten. Zum Auftragsumfang von Stöcklin zählte neben der Lieferung und der Integration der Regalbediengeräte sowie der gesamten fördertechnischen Einrichtung auch die Schnelllauftore sowie der Brandschutz in der Logistikzone. Gesteuert werden die logistischen Prozesse über eine intelligente SPS-Steuerung, die Stöcklin eigens für diese Anlage programmiert hat und der darüber liegenden SAP-Ebene. Die beiden Steuerungsmodule kontrollieren den gesamten Materialfluss und nehmen somit die Funktionen eines Lagerverwaltungssystems und des Materialflussrechners wahr. Für die Visualisierung wurde das WinCC Programm implementiert. Diese in 2D Darstellung arbeitende System gibt dem Betreiber die Möglichkeit bei Meldungen sofort die Fehlerquelle zu eruieren und dadurch Stillstandzeiten zu vermeiden.

R&M hat sich hohe Ziele im Bereich der Effizienzsteigerung gesetzt. Stöcklin konnte im Logistikbereich helfen diverse Prozesse zu vereinfachen und somit Reaktionszeiten zu verkürzen.

Mit dem neuen Kubus konnten die gesetzten Ziele erreicht werden, womit R&M Masstäbe in allen Teilbereichen setzt und sich damit zum Standort Schweiz bekennt.