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FAUN, a German manufacturer of waste collection vehicles, has reviewed the production processes at its main plant in Osterholz-Scharmbeck (Lower Saxony) and initiated large-scale optimization measures for true material flow through all body manufacturing stations. While the modernization followed the model of the automotive industry, the big steel constructions required a suitable transport solution, RoundTrack technology from STROTHMANN enabled just such a solution.
The logistics partner installed 900 m of RoundTracks and built twelve transport carts that run smoothly enough even for loads of several tons to be moved manually. The carts feature crossover mechanisms that are actuated without auxiliary power supply, simply via a foot pedal. Turntables on the carts allow for the small side of the long vehicle bodies to be turned to face in the direction of movement.
"The RoundTrack enables perfect integration of all steel construction stations into the manufacturing flow," says Herbert Begemann, Head of Technology at FAUN. "We were able to eliminate many handling steps."
Now, the parts are handed over directly from the transport carts to the robot welding stations, ergonomically and without any additional equipment. The existing logistics concept has been turned around. In the past, an in-house logistics team carried out all transport tasks using self-made carts and pallet jacks. Today, pallet jack usage is minimized, and each employee can ergonomically move material and parts themselves. The resulting time savings are immense. Simultaneously, work safety has been improved and the noise level has been reduced.
Since the new system works without auxiliary energy, the operating costs have dropped as well. In comparison to the initial situation, a true production flow has been established. The new rail-based logistics concept notably supports the optimized manufacturing process.
Begemann concludes, "Through the partial automation we achieve an improved productivity while maintaining consistently high quality."
