With a central, fully automated high-bay warehouse at the heart of its new company building, the specialist for high-quality watch parts ensures the highest quality, precision and process reliability - setting a new industry benchmark in intralogistics.
Planning and implementation of a centrally located high-bay warehouse in the new building at the Tramelan site
Integrated solution with fully automated, 22-meter-high high-bay racking for around 12,000 containers and manual storage capacity for 800 pallets, including operating and conveyor systems, implementation of the control software and connection to the company systems
The inertized warehouse in the center of the building replaces the previously decentralized storage of high-quality precision mechanical parts in the workshops and ensures controlled conditions and low-vibration transport routes
Storage and retrieval takes place via picking stations on all four floors - as close as possible to processing, which shortens process routes and makes them safer and, together with new transparency regarding stock levels, ensures unprecedented parts quality
The watch industry places special demands on intralogistics: In addition to a large number of small and very small precision mechanical and high-quality parts, large, heavy material containers and sensitive special tools must also be moved and stored in high density in limited space. As a specialist and supplier of high-quality watch parts and microtechnical components, EMP wanted to raise production at the Tramelan site to a new level - and planned a customized, automated storage solution in the newly constructed high-tech building with Stöcklin 2021.
The 22-metre high, centrally located automated warehouse replaces the previously decentralized parts storage in the workshops. This allows valuable blanks and finished precision-engineered parts to be stored more reliably under controlled conditions at stable temperatures and, thanks to inertization, protected from fire and moisture. Storage and retrieval takes place via picking stations on all four floors - as close as possible to processing, which shortens process routes and makes them safer.
Realistic practical tests for the low-vibration, collision-free transportation of sensitive tools and blanks were used to eliminate potential risks. The ergonomics of the picking stations were also developed together with employees and tested under practical conditions. Prototype factory acceptance tests played an important role in this. In this way, the project partners ensured that the mechanics, software and safety worked together flawlessly under realistic conditions and met with a high level of acceptance before the system went into productive operation. EMP thus anchored the "zero-defect" expectation of the Swiss precision culture directly in the acceptance process.
Automated handling has significantly minimized the risk of damage and loss during transport. The warehouse management system provides a precise overview of stock levels throughout the year - with immense time savings compared to the previously time-consuming annual inventory. Centralization and automation in the warehouse ensure order, security and traceability, significant process improvements and a leap in quality for customer products. The high-tech warehouse has become EMP's calling card for innovative strength and secures its image as a technology leader in the industry.
