8OctJanuary 7, 2022
Automating the storage and retrieval (AS/RS) operations for Allied JB Friction’s recipe mixing process

Automating the storage and retrieval (AS/RS) operations for Allied JB Friction’s recipe mixing process

THE CLIENT

Allied JB Friction Private Limited is into automobile parts manufacturing and is located in Neemrana, Rajasthan. Allied JB Friction is a Japanese MNC Hitachi Group subsidiary. The Hitachi Group has business interests in Automobile, IT, Energy, manufacturing, smart mobility, smart cities, and many more.

 

This unit is a 30,000 sq. m facility with automated assembly lines manufacturing world-class non-asbestos type friction materials like brake shoe assembly, disc brake pads, and brake linings.

 

Snapshot of the AS/RS system implemented:

  • 1 Bin stacker crane with 1 storage & 15 picking stations
  • 392 bin capacity with the flexibility to store raw material
  • Weighing station to validate the weight of the bin
  • Manual storage area for bigger bags

 

CHALLENGES

Allied JB Friction wanted to automate their recipe mixing (Planning & Execution) process by implementing the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS), to ensure precise and error-free material mixing.

 

To meet the above requirement, Allied JB, along with Omron, a Japanese automation company chose SIERRA as their software development partner to implement a seamless and efficient automation system that could integrate with Muratec stacker cranes and Omron PLCs.

 

SOLUTION

SIERRA had previously worked with Omron for the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) wholly-owned subsidiary BRBNMPL’s (currency note printing press) WMS and WMS integrated AS/RS project in Mysore & Salboni. Since Omron was familiar with SIERRA’s expertise in the WMS, AS/RS, and PLC integration areas, Omron was keen to use the same for this project as well.

 

SIERRA’s auto-weighing software integrated with Omron PLCs for the auto-weighing operation, AGVs for the recipe mixing process and the Warehouse Control System (WCS) integrated with Muratec’s stacker cranes for automating the storage and retrieval (AS/RS) operations.

 

The software covers the recipe creation, planning, picking, and inventory management. The materials validation was managed using RFID tagging during the storage & picking process ensuring the precise sequencing of the mixing process.

 

The application covers:

  • Weighing scale integration
  • Weighing tolerance monitoring
  • Transport scheduling & control
  • Optimized storage & picking
  • Storage and Picking sequence planning
  • Weighing scale calibration alerts
  • Expiring/expired material alerts
  • Barcode label and receipt mixing report sheet printing etc.

 

BENEFITS

Allied JB Friction now has the advantage of the intelligent logic employed in the Semi-Auto Weighing software and Warehouse Control System while driving the AS/RS to optimize and picking operations and deliver a quality end product.

 

  • System automation ensures elimination of wrong material picking
  • Sequence-based picking ensures that raw materials are mixed as per the order
  • Full visibility/accuracy of available inventory
  • Automate the refilling & expiry material alerts
  • Improved picking/weighing accuracy
  • Improved operations throughput
  • Highly optimized storage & retrieval operations
  • Automated report generation
  • Batch barcoding & recipe mixing report
1
Enquiry