Balluff Inc. Sensor Solutions Automated Warehouse
⭐Key Features
- •Cross-building design with AutoStore grid and picking ports separated by a wall
- •Utilization of seismic bracers instead of support columns to maximize floor space
- •Service grid extended into an adjacent office area for a fully integrated facility layout
- •Phased installation approach ensuring zero operational disruption
- •System comprises 20,110 storage bins and 7 robots
- •Features 1 ConveyorPort and 3 CarouselPorts for material handling
📊Results & Benefits
- ✓177% increase in operational throughput
- ✓Completed implementation from contract to go-live in 6 months
- ✓Achieved zero downtime during the installation phase
- ✓Maximized space utilization through innovative structural and layout design
📝Project Overview
Project Overview
Balluff Inc., a global leader in sensor, identification, network, and software solutions for industrial automation, undertook a warehouse transformation project to significantly enhance its operational efficiency and storage capabilities. The goal was to implement a high-density, automated storage and retrieval system that could be integrated into their existing facility with minimal disruption.
The project was characterized by an ambitious timeline and innovative engineering requirements to fit the system into a complex industrial site. Balluff partnered with Kardex to deploy an AutoStore system, aiming to dramatically boost throughput, maximize space utilization, and set a new standard for smart manufacturing logistics.
Technical Solution
AutoStore Cubic Storage Grid
The solution is centered around a high-density AutoStore grid containing 20,110 storage bins. This grid is serviced by 7 robots that retrieve and deliver bins to the designated picking ports. The system is designed for maximum storage density within the allocated footprint.
AutoStore: Robotic Cube Storage ASRS for High-Density Fulfillment
Vendor: AutoStore
Key Features
The project's most distinctive feature is its pioneering cross-building design, physically separating the storage grid from the picking operations while maintaining a seamless automated connection. The use of seismic bracing as an alternative to columns represents a space-saving structural innovation rarely seen in such installations.
The implementation was executed using a carefully planned phased approach. This methodology allowed the installation and commissioning to proceed without halting Balluff's ongoing warehouse operations, resulting in zero downtime—a critical achievement for an industrial supplier. The entire project, from contract signing to operational go-live, was completed in an accelerated timeframe of just six months.
Results & Benefits
The automation delivered a dramatic 177% increase in operational throughput, providing Balluff with a significant boost in order fulfillment capacity and efficiency. The accelerated 6-month implementation timeframe allowed the company to realize these benefits rapidly.
A major success was completing the installation with zero disruption to daily operations, ensuring business continuity throughout the transition. The innovative design choices, such as the seismic bracers and office-area grid extension, resulted in exceptional space utilization, packing high-density storage and efficient picking into a complex existing facility.
System Integrator
Kardex served as the system integrator for this project under their "AutoStore empowered by Kardex" solution. They were responsible for the innovative system design, project management, phased installation, and commissioning. Their execution enabled the rapid 6-month timeline, the disruptive installation approach, and the successful integration of the pioneering cross-building and structural elements.
🔧Related Technologies (6)
AutoStore: Robotic Cube Storage ASRS for High-Density Fulfillment
byAutoStore
Dark Warehouse: Fully Automated Warehouse Operations
byAddverb
Momentum WES: Next-Generation Warehouse Execution and Control
byHoneywell Intelligrated
AutoStore FlexBins: Multi-Size Bin System for SKU Versatility
byAutoStore
Robotic Piece-Picking for AutoStore: Integrating RightHand Robotics
byElement Logic
Geek+ PopPick: Next-Generation High-Density Goods-to-Person System
byGeek+
📚Related Knowledge Articles (6)
Goods-to-Person Systems
Goods-to-Person (G2P) systems revolutionize warehouse operations by bringing inventory directly to stationary picking stations, eliminating worker travel time and maximizing productivity. These automated systems combine storage, retrieval, and presentation technologies to create highly efficient picking environments.
Manufacturing & Industrial Warehousing
Manufacturing warehousing supports production operations with just-in-time material delivery, requiring tight integration with production systems and flexible automation that adapts to changing manufacturing schedules.
Automated Packaging Lines
Comprehensive automated packaging lines that integrate multiple packaging processes into synchronized, high-speed production systems, handling complete packaging workflows from product feeding to final case packing with exceptional throughput and consistency.
Robotic Palletizer
Advanced robotic palletizing systems that combine industrial robotics with intelligent software to provide flexible, precise, and efficient automated palletizing solutions for diverse product types and packaging requirements.
Robotic Case Picking
Advanced robotic case picking systems that combine industrial robotics with intelligent vision systems to automate the handling of full cases and cartons, delivering exceptional speed, precision, and reliability in high-volume distribution operations.
Production Logistics Strategy
Production logistics orchestrates the seamless flow of materials, components, and finished goods within manufacturing operations. From just-in-time delivery to line-side replenishment, master the strategies that keep production lines running efficiently while minimizing inventory and maximizing throughput.
