Pick-by-Light speeds up manual logistics by over 60 percent

Whether firefighters, welders, or tree surgeons – anyone who works in potentially hazardous environments needs high-quality protective clothing that protects against injuries or accidents. The Belgian company Sioen specializes in technical textiles and protective workwear and produces more than three million pieces of protective clothing at 22 locations in 20 countries worldwide. Sioen employs around 5,000 people worldwide and generates sales of around 700 million euro. In Mouscron, the family-owned company operates four production plants and a large shipping and distribution center. There, garments produced worldwide are processed, stored, and picked so that they can be shipped to customers quickly and efficiently.

Until now, inbound and outbound processes were largely manual. After delivery, the pallets were transported to an employee who scanned the boxes individually and placed them on defined pallet positions. The positions were reserved for specific goods – whether they were in stock or not. In this way, four to five employees loaded a truck in around five hours.

In outbound logistics, an employee received a picking list for each customer and went through the warehouse to collect the goods. "This way of working was not efficient" recalls Filiep Vanwymelbeke, Logistics Manager at Sioen Apparel. "That's why we were looking for a system that could handle the challenges of both inbound and outbound logistics." To solve the problem, a powerful warehouse management system (WMS) was implemented in combination with a fail-safe Pick-to-Light solution based on the PTL110 series from TURCK's optical sensor partner Banner Engineering.

Inbound: Pick-to-Light as the playmaker 

During goods receipt (inbound), employees lift the cartons from the pallets onto a conveyor belt. A scanner automatically captures the labels on the cartons as they pass by. Depending on the label, they are then directed to one of six conveyor belts. If the label is not readable, the carton is transported to a designated belt for manual processing. After an employee at the end of the conveyor belt has scanned the delivered carton, the WMS immediately signals via the pick-to-light system which pallet it must be placed on. The employee places the carton on the respective pallet and confirms their action via the touch button on the PTL110 device located above the pallet. The three-digit display of the PTL110 immediately shows the number of cartons on the pallet.

The pick-to-light system provides several signal states. A green signal indicates that the system is ready for use, while red indicates an operating error. In addition, a purple signal indicates that a mixed pallet must undergo quality control. Once the pallet is complete and ready for removal, the LED on the PTL110 finally lights up blue. 

Outbound: reliable order consolidation

Two streams of goods converge on the outbound conveyor: cartons with uniform contents and cartons with a mixture of different goods, which vary in height depending on their contents. At this point, the pick-to-light system is activated again. The employee scans the carton, whereupon the WMS determines the pallet on which it is to be placed, depending on the customer or carrier. The PTL110s indicate the respective location of the pallet by means of simple color signals. “We are very satisfied with this working method,” says Vanwymelbeke. “We are considering doubling the number of PTL110 devices in outbound so that even more customers and carriers can be served simultaneously.” 

Multiprotocol I/O module ensures operation  

The communication of the PTL110 devices with the WMS is decisive for the optimal operation of the solution. For this purpose, all PTL110 devices are connected via Turck's TBEN-S multiprotocol I/O modules. The robust IP67 modules can be mounted directly on the conveyor line without a control cabinet and are equipped with the web-based field logic controller software ARGEE as standard. ARGEE allows the module to be operated as a small control unit by using standard communication protocols (ModBus register).

Communication with the WMS can be easily configured by using PickIQ. Thus, the ARGEE software establishes a connection between the PTL110 and the WMS without a great deal of programming effort. The customer's IT staff do not need any special knowledge of automation software. PickIQ uses a serial bus protocol that uses a common ID to avoid latency when querying multiple devices. This allows the system to operate without delay even during peak times.

Error rate dropped to zero  

The versatility of the PTL110 devices is evident in their application in both the inbound and outbound systems. The multifunctional displays with touch-button options, optical sensors and three-digit display enable simple and reliable monitoring of the number of boxes on a pallet with clear signal displays. The PTL110 are characterized by their fast reaction time and flexible installation options, which enables easy adaptation and expansion of the system. M12 connectors enable fast and safe installation of multiple devices. In addition, the display offers up to 14 colors, combined with several animation functions to distinguish between different states.

"The error rate in inbound logistics has fallen to practically zero," Vanwymelbeke notes. "Where previously five employees needed up to five hours to process a truck, today three employees can do it in two to three hours. That equates to a time saving of up to 15 hours per truck per day. This allows us to deploy our employees for other tasks."

Customer | www.sioen.com