Bolzano / Borgholzhausen, July 9, 2024 - Founded in 1962, Vereinigte Sennereien Vinschgau has grown to become the largest dairy cooperative in South Tyrol. In 2013, the merger of the two cooperatives Mila and Senni created "Bergmilch Südtirol" with 470 employees and 2,200 mountain farmers who are both suppliers and owners: a success story that continues to be written.
Today, the plants in Bolzano and Brunico produce around 140 products for Trentino-South Tyrol, Italy and the rest of the world. At the Bolzano plant, these products have been stored in an automated warehouse from Westfalia Technologies GmbH & Co. KG since 1992. The modernization, which has been planned since 2022 and has been implemented from December 2023, is the largest in Westfalia's history. The current modernization and expansion, planned until 2025, could be followed by further measures. Mila - Bergmilch Südtirol will expand its production at the Bolzano site in 2020, followed by two building complexes for order picking and shipping in 2023 and 2024.
Westfalia connected its compact Satellite® automated storage systems to process more than 200,000 tons of milk annually. The modernization and expansion has increased performance and operational reliability. And all this "in a confined space, including integration into the existing plant. The project was implemented in several construction phases during ongoing operations," explains René Findling, Sales Director Modernization at Westfalia. The storage system runs around the clock, five and a half days a week, relieving staff and compensating for a potential shortage of skilled workers.
Earthquake-resistant racking system for higher maximum loads
In the fresh produce warehouse, the required maximum load has now been increased from 800 kg to 1,000 kg per load unit. To increase the load capacity, the Westfalia team reinforced the racking system with new supports and made the system earthquake-resistant with front yokes. The previous inclined pick lanes on the lower level were converted to multi-deep storage lanes for approximately 240 additional storage locations.
The team installed Satellite® rails and reflectors to fine-position the shelves. This increases the storage capacity of the fresh produce warehouse to approximately 4,140 locations. The load units in the system weigh between 35 and approximately 1,000 kg and are 1.6 meters high. The triple support of all rail profiles reduces pallet wear.
Project data
Project: Modernization and expansion of the automated storage system for higher loads, connection to new picking halls, the dispatch zone and fully automated connection to production (planned).
Operator: Mila BERGMILCH SÜDTIROL Gen.u.landw.Ges.
Industry sector: Dairy
Storage location: Bolzano (Italy)
Service provided by Westfalia Technologies GmbH:
Modernization and expansion of an existing Satellite® warehouse and connection of the warehouse system to production, packaging, picking and dispatch during operation.
In detail:
- Increasing the load capacity of the racking system incl. earthquake protection
- Planning, procurement, design, production, assembly and commissioning of the required mechanical and electrical components
- Replacement of two Westfalia double-mast SRMs with modern single-mast SRMs
- Connection to production, packaging, picking and shipping zone with extensive conveyor technology, including a central roller conveyor belt, two retrieval belts and several vertical transfer units
- Renewed contour and weight recording at all incoming goods interfaces
- Conversion of scanner communication to TCP/IP network connection
- Conversion to maintenance-free monitoring via safety PLC and improved remote diagnosis using camera systems on the SRM
- Scheduling and process planning in close coordination with the customer
- Planning and implementation of several construction phases during operation
Replacement with more economical single-mast SRMs
Until now, three 16-meter-high two-mast SRMs with Chain Satellite® load handling devices were in use: two in the 2°C cold store with approximately 3,900 storage locations for euro, plastic and disposable pallets, and one in the adjacent normal temperature warehouse for UHT milk with 1,056 pallet locations. The fresh food warehouse, which is the focus of the current modernization and expansion, is about 44 meters long, about 23 meters wide and, at a height of about 17 meters, houses 8 levels with storage channels up to four times deep.
René Findling: "A simple modernization of the two 30-year-old SRMs in the cold store was not economically viable and did not meet the new requirements. So, we replaced them with two modern single-mast SRMs. These are lighter, perfect for low floor loads in existing buildings, and more economical, thanks in part to the latest drives and controls. They reached their destination without the need for heavy haulage.
A compact chassis with reduced crossing paths and a lower approach dimension of 1,000 mm, as well as a laterally offset upper guide rail for optimal upper approach dimension and overtravel, maximize storage space. The lower approach dimension is due to the existing warehouse: however, a minimum approach dimension of 450 mm is possible with the single-mast SRMs.
The SRM is modular. Fast, split Chain Satellites are used for Mila. They gently store 65 pallets per hour in double cycles and 62 pallets per hour in single cycles. Goods and pallets are not damaged and the system is highly available.
The new infeed and outfeed points are located in the center of the storage aisles for optimal line efficiency of the AS/RS. SRMs store, transfer, and retrieve in a single trip. The conveyor system can now transfer goods between the SRMs.
Conveyor technology links SRMs and Picking
"Before the upgrade, workers manually connected picking, packing, and the warehouse. Now some of them are missing. In addition, occupational safety is difficult to implement in the warehouse with all its nooks and crannies," explains Elina Stansky, Project and Commissioning Manager at Westfalia.
A 45.6-meter-long roller conveyor was installed on the first level between the two storage aisles of the fresh produce warehouse through the central block. It transports load units from the production area, which is connected by manual loading, to the warehouse and the new shipping halls. Two new 20-meter lateral retrieval lines between the cold store and the new picking halls have also been put into operation. Additional retrieval lines to the shipping zone are planned.
Elina Stansky: "Due to limited space, Mila's production facility has historically grown upwards. We therefore need to connect different levels, so working with additional vertical transfer units is a logical step. At least one new vertical transfer unit will extend order picking to an intermediate level. In addition, the outdated vertical conveyor to the UHT milk warehouse will be replaced with a new one. Other conveyor technology will be added: the connection to the UHT milk warehouse, a new infeed conveyor and accumulation conveyors for more line efficiency in the busy shipping area.
The SRM and material flow control in the UHT milk warehouse were already modernized in 2015. There are also plans to expand the current 20-meter long, 16-meter wide and 10-meter high automated UHT milk warehouse and further automate the production link with additional conveyor technology.
The newly updated contour and weight detection system at all incoming goods interfaces to the high-bay warehouses ensures smooth and safe operation of the system, which is controlled by a Siemens PLC.
New IT Landscape with Warehouse Execution System
"Mila - Bergmilch Südtirol has been a Westfalia customer for many years and has been using all four generations of our software since 1994, starting with a simple warehouse management system," explains Christian Goltermann, Sales Director Software & IT. "Today, Savanna.NET® has grown into a Warehouse Execution System that combines warehouse management and material flow control. After upgrading Savanna® to version 2.15, we implemented functional enhancements in parallel with the construction phases.
These include storage location management, inventory and storage, material flow control, interfacing with the SAP ERP system, and inventory posting via mobile data terminals (MDTs) on the responsive Savanna® CrossClient user interface. "We expanded the functionality to include manual storage bins in the new picking area, automated replenishment from the high-bay warehouse, and storage location management for the two picking zones using mobile terminals. The storage and picking logic reduces stock transfers and optimizes storage capacity.
The IT team converted the scanner communication from a serial connection to a TCP/IP network connection and implemented the interfaces to the new SRMs and the extended conveyor system on the software side. A Microsoft SQL server was installed as the central database. The hardware was provided by Mila - Bergmilch Südtirol.
Data and facts
Year of construction: 1992
Modernization period: December 2023 - 2025
Storage type: multi-deep
Storage temperature: 2 °C, normal temperature
Cold storage warehouse dimensions: 44 × 23 × 17 meters (L x W x H)
Shelf spaces in the cold store: 4,140
Storage dimensions in the normal temperature warehouse (UHT milk): 20 x 16 x 10 meters (L x W x H)
Pallet rack positions in the normal temperature warehouse: 1,056
Loading equipment: Euro pallets, plastic pallets and non-returnable pallets
Storage and retrieval machines: 3 (of which 2 are modernized)
Load handling device: Chain Satellite®
Conveyor system: roller conveyor, infeed conveyor, vertical transfer unit, turntable, accumulation conveyor
Warehouse Execution System: Savanna.NET® with Savanna CrossClient for MDTs
Modern drives, controls and safety technology
Drive, control and safety technology were replaced and converted in a very short time: modern inverters of the SEW Movi C brand, the latest control technology from Siemens in the TIA portal (Totally Integrated Automation Portal), including Safety Integrated laser distance measurement and a camera system for precise positioning of the compartments, as well as the latest operator panels for improved manual plant status, even outside the safety area.
"Thanks to the new drive technology, the permissible speeds and end positions can be monitored safely and maintenance-free via a safety PLC," explains Martin Hessler, head of automation technology at Westfalia. "The data is transmitted to the SRM via Ethernet and Profinet using optical data couplers. Remote diagnostics and remote maintenance are now possible. Preparations are already underway to integrate production as well. The integration of new camera systems on the SRMs also enables remote diagnosis in the event of a fault, without having to go to the relevant rack aisle.
The most important goals of the modernization
- Modernization of the satellite warehouse for higher maximum load, capacity and performance as well as higher operational reliability on a heavily customized floor space.
- Expansion of the conveyor system and connection of the storage system to the dispatch zone, two new picking halls and several production and storage levels through additional vertical transfer units.
The most important results of the modernization and expansion
- Safe, reliable and efficient continued operation and growth of the production and logistics site in Bolzano
- Securing the availability of spare parts
- Greater ease of maintenance and system availability through Safety PLC, improved remote diagnostics and remote maintenance
- Relief for staff and in the search for skilled workers
- Inventory posting via mobile data entry
- The latest technological standards in warehousing technology, conveyor technology, warehouse execution systems, sensor technology, drives and control.
- Plant availability guaranteed for another 10 to 15 years
Flexible Logistikplanung mit Teilabschnitten
Die Produktion lief ununterbrochen, indem einzelne Lagerblöcke außer Betrieb gesetzt und ein RBG ausgetauscht wurde, während das zweite RBG übernahm. Noch während der ersten Bauabschnitte wurden weitere durchgeplant und Materialflüsse planerisch angepasst, so René Findling: „Wir haben die Produktionsanbindung anfangs aus dem Pflichtenheft herausgenommen, um unserem Kunden mehr Bedenkzeit zur verschaffen. Durch unser breites Portfolio und die individualisierbare Lösung können wir unsere Intralogistik diesem historisch gewachsenen Lager perfekt anpassen und haben dank aktueller Komponenten auch die Ersatzteilbeschaffung erleichtert.“
„Ziel war es, die Erweiterung der Produktion auch aufseiten der Intralogistik abzubilden“, sagt Thomas Bernhart, technischer Direktor von Mila – Bergmilch Südtirol. „Mit unserem langjährigen Partner Westfalia Technologies haben wir das automatische Lagersystem sowohl softwareseitig als auch anlagenseitig auf den aktuellen technologischen Stand gebracht.“
„Das Lager hat mehr Kapazität und eine höhere Maximallast. Ladeeinheiten müssen jetzt nicht mehr per Stapler durch die Verladezone transportiert werden“, so Thomas Bernhart zu den Vorteilen der Modernisierung und Erweiterung. „Die neue Fördertechnik transportiert die Waren automatisch zwischen Produktion, Lager, unseren neuen Kommissionierhallen und der Versandzone. Dank Savanna kommissionieren wir in den neuen Kommissionierzonen per Handheld und geben dezentral Anweisungen an das System. Durch die aktuellen Komponenten haben wir Ersatzteilsicherheit für die nächsten 15 Jahre.“
“Future-proof, highly available, economically expandable”
"The first important modernization and expansion step has been taken, and more will follow: In the future, we want to connect production fully automatically, make optimum use of the entire height of the site with a few vertical conveyors, and also expand and modernize the storage and conveyor technology in the UHT milk warehouse. We are confident that this will also be a success thanks to our close cooperation.
The fact that all this could be implemented smoothly in a very small space and without interrupting operations within a few months confirms our strategic partnership with Westfalia. The system delivers what our partner promised: it is future-proof, highly available and can be expanded step-by-step in a cost-effective manner if required.
"The best thing about it is that Westfalia gives us enough flexibility and planning scope to dynamically adapt our internal logistics to our processes, while the first part of the expanded automated storage and conveyor system is already proving itself in practice. We would definitely recommend Westfalia," says Thomas Bernhart.
