The HUK-Coburg insurance group built a modern administration center with warehouse in an industrial park on the northern edge of Coburg, where the insurance company keeps over 1700 forms and 180 different marketing articles. With the move to the new warehouse, HUK-Coburg also changed its order picking processes: While orders were previously processed conventionally using paper lists, a digital solution replaced the cumbersome handling of lists. This solution consisted of hardware mounted on logistics vehicles and software for order picking and warehouse management. However, Peter Hüttner, Group Head of Merchandise Management, and his team were not satisfied with this solution. "The computers on the vehicles were actually supposed to speed up the work of the order pickers, but there were massive problems with these devices," says the group manager for merchandise management. For Hüttner, the reliability of the IT infrastructure is the top priority when it comes to the processes in his warehouse. Together with his colleagues, he processes around 200 orders every day. The problem was the steel structures of the shelves: they repeatedly deflected and interfered with the radio waves, so that the computers on the vehicles had no WLAN reception, even though the warehouse itself is well lit. It was not conducive to the process flow when data communication was suddenly interrupted. The errors usually occurred just at the time when the warehouse was working at full speed.

Data exchange down to the last corner

In addition, the WLAN connection often failed completely after heavy rain. An external IT specialist was able to explain the phenomenon: The rain caused the groundwater level to rise and this had a negative impact on the WLAN reception. During this time, Hüttner and his colleagues kept a particularly close eye on the weather forecast: "We already knew that if a low pressure system was forecast, it wouldn't be long before the Wi-Fi would cause us problems."

Hüttner and his team therefore set out to find industrial computers with more powerful WLAN reception and defined a requirements profile:

• Use on forklift trucks as well as industrial trucks and order picking vehicles.
• Resistant to shocks and vibrations.
• Stable WLAN connection.
• Completely enclosed design in accordance with protection class IP65.
• High-resolution touchscreen.
• Simple operation by employees.
• Fast service and remote maintenance option.
• Connection options for peripheral devices via USB.
• Maximum reliability and availability.

Following market research, the Compact C12 industrial PCs from Noax were tested with an all-in-one motherboard developed in-house. The PCs are characterized by a bright, high-contrast TFT display. The IP65 computers are completely enclosed and are operated without an external fan.

The industrial PC on the vehicle supports the order pickers during multi-order picking.

© Noax Technologies

During the tests, Hüttner and his colleagues paid particular attention to performance at angles with poor illumination. Initially, however, they wanted to play it safe: Hüttner initially ordered devices with an external antenna for the high-mast forklifts. The newly ordered industrial computers now have an internal antenna. "Because the devices with internal antennas also work - even in poorly lit corners," explains Hüttner. As internal antennas are not as susceptible to damage, the IT department will gradually upgrade. There was another point in favor of the forklift PCs: "The floor in the Coburg warehouse consists of several concrete slabs. Where they meet, there is a small gap. Every time a vehicle drives over these gaps, it generates clearly audible vibrations. The forklift PCs are designed to be vibration-resistant and are therefore suitable for use on the logistics vehicles. These vehicles include two high-mast trucks, several smaller picking trolleys with storage tables and special picking trolleys for multi-order picking. These picking trolleys have 16 compartments, each equipped with LEDs. At each station along the route, the employee must take the required quantity of items from the warehouse and place them in the compartment marked with a light signal; the process is then confirmed on the computer. As the industrial PCs can be operated intuitively with the help of the robust touchscreen, they make the pickers' work easier. In addition, the forklift terminals are equipped with an activated USB interface on the front. Employees particularly appreciate this feature, as they can easily connect an external keyboard.

Specialized logistics software

The industrial PCs guide the pickers quickly to the ordered item.

© Noax Technologies

Special logistics software is installed on the industrial PCs. As soon as an order is registered, an employee reserves it. The order is then assigned to this specific employee who has to process it. Before picking begins, the individual orders are each married to a barcode (container number). This barcode contains all the relevant information. The warehouse software guides the employee through the warehouse in a route-optimized manner, showing him exactly from which storage locations he has to pick the ordered quantity of forms. Once the order has been compiled, the employee takes it to the packing station, where the order is packed and the parcels are prepared for collection by the post office/forwarding agent using the barcode.

All orders are fully traceable; it is therefore possible to determine at a later date who processed which order. The computers are also required for permanent stocktaking. The logistics program has the appropriate modules for this. Once a year, the employees have to count the stock at each storage location, compare it with the data in the system and correct it if necessary. Smooth communication between the industrial PCs and the servers is essential for these processes.

In addition, a consistent power supply without voltage fluctuations contributes to greater stability and reliability. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which Noax offers as an option, is built into the industrial PCs. The UPS is particularly recommended for logistics vehicles because it bridges voltage fluctuations or brief interruptions in the power supply. Such voltage fluctuations occur particularly when starting the vehicles or when transporting loads to higher rack storage locations. With a UPS, employees always have access to all functions of the computer without it switching off unexpectedly. "Stability, even under difficult conditions, is simply what we expect from good hardware," explains Peter Hüttner.

Author:
Michael Naumann is a freelance technical journalist from Munich.