specialreport
the existing building lacked the necessary height, so that would still
mean a greenfield project.”
Problem solved
Eventually, Komplett found a solu-
tion that met all of its requirements:
an automated storage and fulfill-
ment system. Installing an automat-
ed system would allow the company
to make better use of its existing
space, solving its storage dilemma.
And because automated systems are
designed to be retrofitted into exist-
ing facilities, there would be no need
for Komplett to expand its facility or
move. Finally, the system promised to
deliver the productivity boost the company was looking for.
The system it chose was the AutoStore,
an automated system designed for operations that require both dense storage and
efficient piece and small-case picking. The
system, which can be adapted and
expanded as needed, features a three-dimensional grid of self-supporting bins
that are moved to pick stations by a series
of independent robots.
Komplett made the decision to install
the AutoStore system in October 2006.
Physical preparation began in early 2007,
and operations went live in August of that
year. Norwegian integrator Element Logic
AS handled the installation for Komplett.
(The exclusive distributor of AutoStore in
North America is Swisslog, which also distributes the system in much of Europe.)
Vindegg says that while the construction created some headaches, the DC was
able to continue operating throughout
the process. The initial installation
included a grid 16 bins high, with a total
of nearly 16,000 bins, 25 robots, and 17
picking stations. Since then, Komplett has
expanded the AutoStore system to some
33,000 bins, 55 robots, and 28 picking
stations.
Power grid
To get an idea of how the AutoStore operates, picture battery-powered robotic
carts traveling along the top of a large
multi-level aluminum grid composed of
rectangular cells. Each robot has two sets
of wheels that allow it to move along
either of the grid’s vertical axes.
As orders come in, Komplett’s warehouse management system (WMS) transmits picking instructions to AutoStore via
a wireless network. (Vindegg says the system holds about 700 live tasks in its queue
at any one time.) Based on those instructions, the robots use lifts to reach into the
grid to retrieve plastic bins containing the
appropriate stock-keeping units (SKUs)
for delivery to a picking station.
At the stations, workers select items
from the bins and then scan the items’ bar
codes to confirm the picks (a screen at the
picking location provides instructions on
the quantity of items to pick from each
