Pilot project
Vanderlande brings Cobot to life at Würth
Vanderlande has developed a collaborative robot with the Finnish company Würth, a supplier of assembly and fastening materials, and its logistics software partner Leanware. The cobot has now been put into operation at Würth's logistics center in Riihimäki.
Robot technology has long been used in the warehouse industry for automated goods movements. However, the SIR (Smart Item Robotics) solution is unique because its robotic unit can work harmoniously in the same area as human operators and intelligently pick and place individual items, as Vanderlande announced. The project therefore helps to overcome one of the most important challenges in the market, namely the ongoing shortage of qualified workers.
One of SIR's strengths is its ability to process different products without teaching article numbers. Intelligent stacking also enables the efficient positioning of goods, and products are handled smoothly and safely.
Pilot operation at Würth
After a lead time of less than two months, SIR was integrated into Würth's daily operations, together with Adapto, Vanderlande's highly flexible storage/retrieval and transportation system. This allows goods for customer orders to be picked seamlessly. It is controlled via the same Leanware system interface that is used for other processes at the Riihimäki logistics center, and Vanderlande's Smart Item Robot is mapped in live operation.
"In practical terms, this means that SIR is going to school, so to speak, where a huge amount of further development awaits it," says Terhi Vesala, Logistics Manager at Würth. "First of all, we check what type of products the cobot is suitable for, how it improves the picking process and how the work can best be divided up. The aim is to achieve maximum efficiency in the collaboration between humans and cobots in order to make the best possible use of their respective strengths. In short, we want to see what this robot can actually do."
"This pilot project provides us with valuable insights into the further development of robot technology," adds Terry Verkuijlen, Executive Vice President Warehousing and Parcel at Vanderlande. "Thanks to the logistics expertise in Finland and the close partnership with Würth, Riihimäki offered an ideal environment to bring SIR to life. Of course, the development is still in its infancy and we need to proactively monitor the situation and work closely with Würth and Leanware to further optimize the SIR functions." as
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