Industry
Mechanical engineering and metalworking
GEA Farm Technologies: 2 SILO² VLMs for livestock spare parts distribution
- Mechanical and metallurgic
- SILO²
- Accessosries and components
- Spare parts MRO
Speed and precision in spare parts: where every minute of delay is a cost to the customer
To manage volume growth and improve speed and accuracy in spare parts distribution, GEA Farm Technologies installed 2 SILO² multi-column automated vertical storage systems, fully integrated with SAP, at its site in Bönen, Germany.
Product
SILO²
Key results
· reduced picking errors
· significantly shorter order preparation times
· full flow traceability
Key feature
– Batch picking with Laser Pointer guided sorting during the picking process
– LED bar put-to-light system for sorting
– ICON and SAP integration
GEA Farm Technologies: livestock automation technologies on a global scale
GEA Farm Technologies is part of GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, one of the world’s leading suppliers of process technology for the food, energy, agricultural and livestock industries. The manufacturing and logistics site in Bönen, Germany, is the operating center for spare parts distribution: automated milking systems, cooling and storage systems, automated feeding and manure management. A broad and constantly growing catalog, distributed in over 60 countries.
Steady growth in global sales volumes made it necessary to rethink storage and picking operations in depth, with the goal of increasing storage capacity, reducing order fulfillment times and improving service levels for end customers.
Steady growth in global sales volumes made it necessary to rethink storage and picking operations in depth, with the goal of increasing storage capacity, reducing order fulfillment times and improving service levels for end customers.
The logistical challenges
Before automation, small spare parts were managed on traditional double-sided metal shelving, with manual “operator-to-goods” picking and orders processed through SAP.
The main critical issues were:
- high average order preparation times, due to slow procedures based on manual reading of pick lists and physical search for storage locations
- a significant rate of picking errors, with direct impact on operating costs and customer satisfaction
- inefficient use of available storage volume: horizontal storage did not take advantage of the warehouse’s 13 m usable height
- no traceability on internal picking and refilling flows
- need to increase storage capacity without expanding the storage footprint
2 multi-column SILO² systems with VdS and FM Global certified fire protection integration
ICAM installed 2 SILO² multi-column Vertical Lift Module, each with 2 storage columns and 2 side-by-side picking and refilling stations.
Each system has a 16 m² footprint and stands 12 m high, providing total capacity for 1,920 SKUs in just 24 m². Each SILO² is equipped with an integrated Minimax fire protection system, tested and certified by VdS and FM Global: a structural safety requirement for a warehouse operating 6 days a week, 12 hours a day.
Each system has a 16 m² footprint and stands 12 m high, providing total capacity for 1,920 SKUs in just 24 m². Each SILO² is equipped with an integrated Minimax fire protection system, tested and certified by VdS and FM Global: a structural safety requirement for a warehouse operating 6 days a week, 12 hours a day.
Batch picking with Laser Pointer, put-to-light sorting and SAP integration
Picking is performed in batch mode with sorting during the picking process. The Laser Pointer, mounted on each SILO² VLM, guides the operator to the exact tray compartment to pick from: the operator confirms via touch screen and barcode reader.
Sorting takes place at the workstation in front of the VLM, where LED bar put-to-light indicators show the destination container and the quantity to deposit. ICON software, integrated with SAP, optimizes warehouse allocations and coordinates batch picking tasks, minimizing waiting times between consecutive operations thanks to the multi-station configuration.
Sorting takes place at the workstation in front of the VLM, where LED bar put-to-light indicators show the destination container and the quantity to deposit. ICON software, integrated with SAP, optimizes warehouse allocations and coordinates batch picking tasks, minimizing waiting times between consecutive operations thanks to the multi-station configuration.
Key results
Faster, more accurate and fully traceable spare parts management
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1,800 picks/day
Full volume managed by the 2 SILO² VLMs, with a continuous, traceable flow
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1,920 references in 24 m²
High-density vertical storage: the same capacity that previously required extensive shelving now occupies a minimal footprint
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Significant reduction in picking errors
The Laser Pointer guides every operation with pinpoint accuracy: operators act only where the system indicates
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Reduced order preparation times
Manual pick-list reading, location search and material verification eliminated from the picking process
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Ergonomics improved
Picking and refilling stations at 75 cm floor height: no lifting, no reaching into high shelving
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Full flow traceability
Every pick and deposit coordinated and recorded via SAP–ICAM software integration
Discover the solution chosen by GEA Farm Technologies
SILO²: the Vertical Lift Module
With 2 to 7 storage columns, over 120 tray size configurations and specific tray load bearing capacity up to 1,000 kg/m², SILO² is ICAM’s answer for companies managing small and medium-sized items, even those with a very high specific weight.
Explore SILO²
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