Tracking for mobile load carriers

Steute has built a system to track all the elements in a material flow to ensure timely requisition of parts. The family oned German company specializes in developing and building switchgear for numerous industries.

A wireless network on the shop floor employs sensors to detect when a box is removed from an eKanban rack. Other sensors detect pallets or individual packages on pallets, while yet others are installed in tugger train and dolly stations, recording the path of components and containers within the assembly area.

The signals are transmitted wirelessly to a sensor bridge, which in turn communicates via an interface with IT systems such as ERP, PPC, and WMS for material flow management.

This information flow provides transparency in the supply of parts to the materials stations and from storage to the assembly points.

Called Nexy, it is a requisition system is tailored to individual needs without creating bottlenecks or excess stock. It also provides users with a data set allowing them active, improved and continually optimized control over material flow.

It can also control and organize additional functions. For example, it can handle the transfer of containers from stationary conveyors to automated guided vehicles (AGV), the operation of signalling columns or stack lights, and the integration of Andon buttons for manual consignment. Pre-configured software modules are available for these functions.