This is how we organized our work with a high volume of orders.
The project's assumptions were clear: organized picking, no manual carton handling, single-button package flow control, and work at an ergonomic height. All of this fully met the client's expectations. Until the assembly day, which showed how crucial rapid response to unforeseen situations is in automation as well.
Problem? Lack of liquidity in final completion
The project concerned a small distribution warehouse handling fasteners, where everything functioned correctly operationally. However, the challenge was the organization of picking for open orders. The final closing of cartons only occurred at the end of the shift. When the moment for final picking arrived, it was necessary to transfer them manually. It was this stage that generated unnecessary manual work and impacted the fluidity of the picking process.
From an operational point of view:
- Completion was carried out below the ergonomic working height, which resulted in physical strain on the team.
- Warehouse workers spent the entire day adding more items to opened cartons, performing order picking activities at floor level, which negatively impacted ergonomics and work pace.
- The process flow declined particularly during the final assembly stage, when manual carton handling caused downtime and disrupted the work rhythm.
- The kitting process became difficult to maintain at a steady, predictable pace, increasing the operational burden on the team.
Therefore, a solution was needed that would change the entire warehouse's work organization.
Our client clearly defined their goal:
The order picking process needs to be lifted from the floor, work on open orders needs to be organized, and (importantly): to implement this without expanding the warehouse space. Finally, in a small space, every meter counted.
Our solution? 10-meter conveyor belt
Instead of complicated robots or advanced sorting systems, we designed a 10-meter conveyor belt that functions as a working buffer. The buffer's operation was simple: an employee picks an order and places the carton on the conveyor. The package moves forward, freeing up workspace. The process takes place at an ergonomic height, the packages are placed one after the other, and the entire completed batch can be sent with one button at the end of the day.
The assumptions were excellent, and everything went smoothly.
Finally... the day of assembly arrived.
Turning point one button missing
We didn't expect such suspense. Our client stood by the freshly installed line, asking us a crucial question: Gentlemen, but how am I supposed to stop these packages while standing? at this place?
The client was right.
In the project, we focused on end automation, and zone control in the middle of the line was neglected. In practice, this would mean the operator would have to go to the end each time. conveyor in order to stop the system. This one, seemingly minor flaw, caused the button designed to stop packages to halt... further implementation of our design assumptions. In such situations, costly remedial decisions, extended waits for components, contractual penalties, and operational downtime typically occur. The client relationship is jeopardized, the project schedule extends by two months, and the tension? It grows.
However, we at Intralog have our own production line, a team of designers, and automation engineers.
Without our team, this scenario could look like this:
- Making a phone call to the direct supplier of components.
- Placing an order for a new control cabinet.
- 6-week wait for production and delivery.
- Customer warehouse downtime and rising tensions.
As a manufacturing company, we rolled up our sleeves and got right to work.
Express and restart of the production line
Design mistakes happen to everyone – including us! However, the fundamental difference isn't in that, Are you making a mistake, but in this, how quickly and effectively you can fix it.
When choosing a partner to warehouse automation, it is therefore worth asking ourselves the key question: What happens if something goes wrong?
At Intralog, we operate as a manufacturer with our own design, production, and automation facilities located near Szczecin. This means we have full control over the entire implementation cycle. Within our company structure, we have a design department (R&D), a welding shop, an automation department, and an assembly team. For our clients, this is a promise of design independence and the ability to react quickly to changes that arise during the implementation phase. This is why the change, which in the standard integration model would mean weeks of waiting for components and documentation, was completed in days instead of months.
Our process went as follows:
Day 1Our design department has analyzed the line layout and prepared updated documentation, incorporating zone control in the middle of the conveyor.
Day 2Our automation team reprogrammed the PLC controller, adapting the system's logic to the new functionality and the operator's workflow.
Days 3-10: Our workshop laser-cut new components, after which the assembly team retrofitted the line and performed a system restart at the client's site.
Result? Instead of a two-month wait for a correction, the line was modified and restarted in less than 2 weeks.
Application? The security of your business decision starts with the backend.
Warehouse automation is not just about design and implementation, but also about being ready for adjustments that only become apparent during daily operations. Having an in-house design and production facility is a type of insurance policy that shortens response times and allows for full control over the implementation.
If you are looking for Intralogistics manufacturer, who audits warehouse processes, designs proprietary solutions, and takes full responsibility for their operation – We invite you to contact us.