The Evolution of the Smart Factory
Interview with Alfred Pammer, Authorized Officer/Head of Sales and Marketing at cts GmbH
After the automation specialist cts GmbH from Burgkirchen in southern Bavaria has already successfully developed and implemented intelligent automation solutions for warehouse applications under the guiding principle 'Smart Warehouse', they are now taking the next logical step by addressing material flow throughout the entire production process. Under the motto 'Smart Factory', the company is expanding its proven combination of hardware and software into solutions that meet its customers' needs for more efficiency and productivity. In an interview with Wirtschaftsforum, Alfred Pammer, Authorized Officer/Head of Sales and Marketing of cts GmbH, describes the development of the intelligent factory of tomorrow.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Pammer, what is the idea behind the Smart Factory?
Alfred Pammer: The goal of the Smart Factory is to make work easier for employees, to make working hours more efficient, and to avoid errors. For us, it is about closing existing gaps in the automation of the production process. In doing so, we are building on our existing portfolio with new solutions.
Wirtschaftsforum: What will the Smart Factory of tomorrow look like?
Alfred Pammer: The core of the Smart Factory are our storage and buffer solutions, which we have been successfully using in the electronics and semiconductor industries since 2019 to store the required production materials in a space-saving manner close to production. Our cts Smart Warehouse is designed to create as much storage capacity as possible in as little space as possible. In its largest configuration, we can accommodate up to 1,100 PCB magazines on a footprint of just 20 x 4.5 m.
We achieve this by going up 4.3 meters. Depending on the needs, the size of the Smart Warehouse can be customized.
Wirtschaftsforum: How is the content of the Smart Warehouse supplied to the production flow?
Alfred Pammer: We have been engaging in mobile robotics since 2015 and have developed solutions for the transport of PCB magazines, KLT boxes, stackable containers, and pallets. With so-called AMRs (autonomous mobile robots), the required goods are brought to the production line with high flexibility. In conjunction with the Smart Warehouse, the AMRs ensure the automatic supply and disposal of the production line.
Wirtschaftsforum: Are such solutions also profitable for smaller businesses?
Alfred Pammer: In response to the increased inquiries from small and medium-sized customers for smaller solutions, we launched our Mini Smart Warehouse in 2021. It fills an important gap in the market and is aimed at operations with a storage need of less than 300 magazines. Due to its octagonal shape, this is achieved on a particularly small footprint of only 4.2 x 4.2 m or 4.8 x 4.8 m. The internal handling unit moves in a circle instead of from left to right like its bigger brother, to reach all storage slots.
Wirtschaftsforum: What gaps still need to be closed?
Alfred Pammer: Especially in the electronics industry, the overall package is important. Very recently, this year we launched our new Gigaflex Reel-Storage Center. In the assembly of circuit boards, the components are delivered on reels. These need to be stored temporarily. Thanks to the smart automatic picking, they are provided just-in-time from the component reel storage. Our solution builds on existing knowledge and distinguishes itself by vertical rather than horizontal storage of the reels. This allows us to store 50,000 7” reels on approximately 50 m² of floor space, thus closing the last gap to a fully automated system.
Wirtschaftsforum: Where do the various threads of the Smart Factory come together?
Alfred Pammer: Our cross-platform middleware sloXis® brings together all elements in the production environment and acts as an intelligent data hub. Additionally, the software is designed to be open, allowing for easy integration of third-party hardware.
Wirtschaftsforum: How has the response been so far?
Alfred Pammer: The new system is already in operation in many places and the feedback is very positive. The order situation is also very good. Therefore, we are looking forward to moving into our new manufacturing facility in the first quarter of 2024. There, we will have expanded capacities to meet the demands of our customers even faster.