SUCCESS STORIES - Hansa-Flex
Innovative End-of-Line
A fully automated system for heavy products: For around a year now, Bremen-based HANSA-FLEX AG has been using an End-of-Line from Mosca GmbH at its South Central Warehouse in Geisenfeld. This straps pallets fully automatically and then weighs and labels them for a smooth shipping process. To do this, a scanner reads the barcode generated in the ERP system with information about the recipient or the material contained in the pallet, for example. The centerpiece of the new packaging line is the fully automatic pallet strapping machine KZV-111 from Mosca. It combines state-of-the-art conveyor and strapping technology with automated data processing. Mosca's SoniXs ensures that HANSA-FLEX AG's pallets are perfectly sealed and sent on their way to the customer.
Around 250 pallets leave the HANSA-FLEX South Central Warehouse in Geisenfeld, Bavaria, every day - on average, each pallet weighs around 400 kilograms. In order to handle these volumes efficiently, HANSA-FLEX decided to automate the previously largely manual process of securing pallets for transportation. Previously, operators manually strapped the packages with strap material and sealed them with a hand-held device. An automated process should not only simplify and therefore speed up this procedure, but also reduce the physical strain on the operators. Further requirements were added during development: the line was also to take over downstream weighing and labeling steps, automatically assign packages to the correct logistics service provider and transfer data to the company's own enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and to the service provider for processing and billing.
Automated processes instead of manual work steps
Mosca was able to prevail in the preliminary discussions with HANSA-FLEX thanks to its technical expertise and the complete package of machines, conveyor technology, belt material and comprehensive services. In close cooperation with Mosca , HANSA-FLEX employees developed an H-shaped processing line with the KZV-111 at its heart. The large boxes to be strapped on pallets are delivered to the starting point of the line using forklift trucks. The cartons are provided with an order label for processing. They are transported and aligned via fully automatic conveyor units, a turntable and a centering unit and conveyed to the fully automatic KZV-111 from Mosca . This recognizes the size of the package with the aid of its light barriers, moves between the wooden members of the pallet with the belt guide tongue and straps them twice. A contact strip reduces pressure damage to the carton. Mosca 's ultrasonic technology guarantees particularly secure sealing and high tear resistance at the sealing point.
After strapping, the package passes through all further steps along the line until the product is ready for dispatch. As part of the conveyor technology, four calibratable load cells are installed on one conveyor. When the package arrives on this conveyor, the weighing process is started automatically. During this process, the system generates a shipping label and sends it to the integrated printing unit, which attaches the label to the package fully automatically. The label data is transmitted in parallel to the HANSA-FLEX ERP system and the responsible logistics service provider for processing. Finally, the package is automatically forwarded to the correct logistics service provider. This is ensured by a turntable, which distributes the transport-safe packages to one of the two HANSA-FLEX forwarding stations.
High performance thanks to modern machine technology
The KVZ-111 has proven itself in the process thanks to several features: The machine can strap up to 500 packages twice vertically per day. In addition, the strap tension for strapping is infinitely adjustable. HANSA-FLEX works with a strap tension of 30 percent. However, the machine offers the option of increasing this if required. "Mosca has given us plenty of room for improvement in our current use," says Daniel Beran, team leader at HANSA-FLEX.
After a year of use, the ease of operation is also a clear trump card: "The KVZ-111 from Mosca integrates seamlessly into our daily work," says Daniel Beran. "The machine is easy to understand and hardly prone to errors. It only takes 15 minutes to train an employee without any previous knowledge. That's a huge time advantage." The success of the new line reinforces HANSA-FLEX AG's plans to further automate its own End-of-Line. Another fully automated End-of-Line, which was developed together with Mosca , is already being used successfully at the Bremen site. It secures smaller packages for transport and also has a fully automated conveying, labeling and sorting system.
Satisfied customer
Concept, production and maintenance from a single source
The entire process is automated, fast and smooth. "Before the new packing line was commissioned, three of our employees worked full-time to get pallets ready for dispatch. Now one or two colleagues can do it in half a day," explains Felix Kaufmann, Head of Central Warehouse South at HANSA-FLEX. "The increased level of automation has made our entire process leaner. Many manual operations are no longer necessary, which means that the work is less physically demanding for our colleagues."
" Mosca 's flexibility is an important plus point, even when it comes to service. If a fault does occur with the machine, the service team and our direct contact are always available and provide us with quick and uncomplicated solutions."