As part of a site expansion, MPA Technology was commissioned to build a smart factory together with the client company, which is due to go into operation at the end of 2025. "Due to the size and complexity of the project, we have already been planning and testing for a few months how the processes can best interact, which technologies are suitable and how operational efficiency can be increased in general. After initial planning and process simulation via a digital twin, we started working out the details. This provided greater planning certainty," reports Nico Graneist, Key Account Manager at MPA Technology. He adds: "We sat down with the customer right at the start to discuss all requirements in detail, visualize central processes, make initial adjustments and then start building the solution. Such a well-founded approach is very important for us in order to ensure reliable planning, which then supports the success of the project."

Crate stacker enables transportation of four KLTs

Central requirement of the customer: Automation should optimize the handling of standard small load carriers (SLC), which contain materials such as materials or tools and which employees need for production and co. on the line. Other important aspects were the safe and clean transportation of the materials in the crates and support for the employees so that they have more time for other tasks. The KLTs have different height dimensions and a base area of 400 × 600 millimetres. In the new solution, the required order-related materials are pulled out of the shelving system via the MES system using the pull principle. The smart MPA solution development MPA-MICS (Mobile Information Control System) helps the employee to request the components directly at the workstation. The hexagonal column in MPA design enables access to the customer's MES system via a touch display. The structure of the dashboard is designed to be as simple as necessary for the employee. The LD-90 robots from Omron are responsible for transporting the small load carriers. The Kardex-VBM crates come out of the Kardex system one at a time and are forwarded by the MPA Roller Conveyor. "As we need several crates at once and want to handle them, we have developed a special crate stacker and destacker that can be used to stack four crates of different heights, which in turn can be transported one above the other to the various delivery stations using the LD-90 attachment," adds Graneist.

Automated material and crate transport

The KLTs are ordered via an operator terminal at the respective station. Employees can request the material they require, which is provided in the Kardex system. The stack of four KLTs can be stacked using the crate stacker and then transferred to the LD-90 via a roller conveyor. This mobile robot has a transport capacity of up to 90 kilograms and a maximum speed of 1.35 meters per second. The stations approached by the LD-90 consist of two roller conveyors. The finished parts are also placed on a roller conveyor in four stacked crates. They can be separated at the crate destacker and transferred to the racking system. Various subsequent production and inspection processes were also automated at the customer's site.

Compared to the previous intralogistics processes at the technology company's plant, order papers no longer need to be written or distributed in the new Smart Factory. It also eliminates many manual tasks and long routes for employees. "Previously, they had to walk up to 300 meters each way with the trolley, pick up material, drive it to the machine and bring it back again later," reports Graneist. "This time can now be used more effectively for more value-adding and creative tasks." The project customer is initially using a total of five LD-90s. However, the fleet can easily be expanded as required. The Omron AMRs cover an area of around 5,000 square meters. Each mobile robot takes on around 50 trips of varying lengths per day, which previously had to be carried out by employees.

AMR increase flexibility and efficiency

Why did MPA Technology choose the LD-90 robots? "We have already worked with Omron on various projects. The contact is based on partnership and on an equal footing. In addition, the LD robots were a good fit for our requirements and the customer's requirements," explains Marcel Burk, Head of Business Development at MPA Technology. If any questions arise, an Omron employee is always on hand promptly. "The LD-90 also enables four small load carriers to be transported at the same time. Due to the ergonomic basic height of the LD90, it is much more efficient to set up this device at an ergonomic height than with other AMRs. This is also a question of ROI: if only one or two crates could be transported, we would have needed considerably more robots," adds his colleague Nico Graneist.

The accuracy of the Omron AMR should also be emphasized: "The precision drive function allows the robot to be positioned very precisely in front of the conveyor belt. In addition, the LD enables very smooth acceleration and deceleration processes, which is extremely important in areas where fragile and expensive materials have to be conveyed, for example."