The automation of handling came as a logical development in response to the labour market situation. "It is problematic to find employees in Prague - East with a significantly low unemployment rate. But it was also a strategic decision related to the economy. Properly set up automation clearly brings savings. Calculations have confirmed that autonomous trolleys are clearly worthwhile in our three-shift operation," says Michal Prádl, head of the Jirny logistics centre at HP TRONIC Zlín.
Five AGVs will be in the fleet by the end of October
Currently, the implementation of the Agilox One automated handling technology from 4IGV is underway at DC Jirny. "Two Agilox vehicles are now being used in the warehouse, and three more machines will be added to the fleet by the end of October," says Radka Zobaníková, business and marketing manager at 4IGV.
This technique allows transport from one place to another and at different height levels, without human operators. "The trolleys are fitted with safety features to prevent collisions. They therefore increase not only efficiency but also safety. Agilox trolleys are suitable for repetitive operations. The fastest return on investment is in three-shift operation," notes Dušan Šutka, sales manager at 4IGV.
The manipulation technology was named Arty
Employees of the entire HP TRONIC Zlín company had the opportunity to compete for the best design for the naming of this range of handling equipment. The winning design was ARTY, which fits in with Datart's marketing concept.
Radka Zobaníková adds that the Agilox trucks are used in Datart's logistics centre to move pallets from point A to point B, in fact it is still about moving goods from the ramps to the transfer locations for storage. They also carry picked pallets as they are moved to the dispatch ramp. They also assist in other intralogistics activities, moving pallets with boxes to sorting locations, for example. "The Agilox autonomous technology can help us wherever manual intervention by a warehouse operator is not required," says Michal Prádl.
The implementation phase included loading the warehouse map
The implementation phase included, for example, loading a map of the warehouse, but also changing the habits of employees so that they don't leave obstacles in the aisles. "Agilox can avoid obstacles, but any extra movement or slowing down means delaying it. So we had to instruct employees not to create obstacles. Employees understand that automation doesn't take away their work. Automation has been an integral part of our distribution center since its inception. With the growth that Datart has continuously experienced, employees know that the machine helps them in their work and that it does not threaten their jobs," says Michal Prádl.
The company 4IGV, which focuses on simplifying and streamlining handling in logistics, sees HP TRONIC Zlín as one of the leaders in the field of innovation and automation of warehouses and distribution centers. "We are also a company focused on innovation. We are constantly looking for ways to make intralogistics more efficient for companies. The trucks communicate with the customer's ERP system and fulfill orders based on Just in Time orders, plus around the clock. The automated technology does not need breaks, its charging takes place continuously in between," says Marek Matovcik, Managing Director of 4IGV.
Plan: acquisition of additional Agilox autonomous technology
Michal Prádl added that once the use of Agilox trucks from 4IGV proves itself in the operation of the Jirny distribution centre, the company is already considering the acquisition of additional Agilox autonomous technology.
Next year in DC Jirny, in connection with the change of the distribution model and the method of picking on the ramps, Agilox trucks will also be used to move pallets to be packed to the new automatic packer, at the same time these trucks will transport the pallets from the packer to the final location in the warehouse.
