Efficient system
solutions for steel
handling
Subheadline
Automated line 1 handling
material
Subheadline
in line 2
the steel processing sector
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Requirements
CHALLENGES FOR COMPUTER-CONTROLLED OVERVIEW OF REQUIREMENTS
HANDLING IN COIL STORES ••Careful handling of the material to improve quality
Continuous improvement of the quality of its products in the material transport operation
and products is the most important corporate goal for ••Automatic transport and storage of the hot strip coils
the cold-rolled strip manufacturer Bilstein. As part of ••Optimum utilisation of space to reduce costs thanks
this approach, great emphasis has been placed on the to shorter travel paths
storage process. Coils weighing up to a maximum of ••Continuous availability of the systems 24 hours per
28 t with a total annual volume of up to 500,000 t day, 6 days per week
were to be moved in a storage bay measuring approx. ••Scheduled supply of the splitting machine in
2,400 m2 in size. To achieve this, the material had to be 6-minute cycles
stored, moved and retrieved as gently as possible.
An increase in storage capacity by means of optimised
utilisation of space was a further goal. At the same time,
any personnel capacities that became available as a
result of the changes were to be used for further expan-
sion of the company. In addition, permanent availability
of the cranes used in the storage operation was expected
in order to store the approx. 2,300 tonnes of steel that
arrive on three trains every day and to supply it to the
production line. The latter part of the operation had to
pay special consideration to the fast cycle times, which
require a coil to be fed to the splitting machine every
six minutes.
2
Customer
The Bilstein company, the headquarters of the Bilstein Customers, particularly suppliers to the automotive
Group, has been meeting the challenges of the steel industry, in Germany and abroad rely on the high
processing sector since 1911 and manufactures cold- quality grades of steel from Hagen. With more than
rolled strip for stamped, bending and deep-drawn 550 employees, Bilstein processes approximately
parts. It offers the material in standard and modified 400,000 tonnes of steel which is shipped every year.
grades, which is also facilitated by clearly defined This can only be achieved by means of automated
processes and the use of state-of-the-art measuring processes in many areas, however, particularly also in
and control devices in the facilities. They make it the coil stores.
possible to manufacture products to reproducible
specifications with the tightest tolerances. To enable only first-class products to be supplied,
demanding quality standards are also applied in the
storage processes, which can only be achieved by
automatic system solutions.
Automated logistics in
the steel coil store
Bilstein Group, Germany
3
Demag Coilmaster automatic
double-girder open winch crane
Our solution
AUTOMATED PROCESSES WITH
THE COILMASTER
The Coilmaster automatic doublegirder identifier for the coil and tracks it fully auto-
overhead travelling crane used in the facility matically throughout the entire coil store. The
travels on a runway measuring 130 metres in storage position is automatically selected and
length. With a span of 27,300 mm, the crane its co-ordinates are communicated to the
has the capacity to lift hot strip coils with a crane controls. When the coil has been
maximum outside diameter of 1,950 mm and automatically deposited, the crane reports
loads weighing up to 28 tonnes. The order completion of the mission to the storage-
data and specifications of the incoming steel manager system. To serve the production line
are already stored in the IT systems when the in the same way, the coils are fully automati-
product arrives. The coil grab (optionally also cally retrieved for timely delivery to the
C-hook) is designed in such a way that it can splitting machine when an order has been
handle any coil safely and reliably, despite manually acknowledged.
differences in the coil formation as well as in
the size or shape of the coil eye. The heart of the transport facility is the
storage manager system – a warehouse
When the rail cars are (manually) unloaded, management software package with an
the barcode labels are scanned and then integrated visualisation system. This software
subjected to a plausibility check by the IT package interfaces with the host computer,
system (storage manager system) with refe- two production terminals, the crane control
rence to their weight, diameter and width system, the scanner station and a mobile
dimensions. The storage manager system barcode scanner.
then assigns a ring number as a unique
STORAGE MANAGER SYSTEM BENEFITS
••Rapid and paperless recording of incoming goods
••Labelling of the material
••Immediate overview of inventories and availability
••Dedicated and rapid detection of coils during the
storage and retrieval operations
••Increased storage capacity by means of automatic
storage location allocation
••Handling which is kind to the material by means
of optimum storage location selection
••Improved workplace safety as a result of labour-
saving methods
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5
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Added value
IMPROVED UTILISATION OF SPACE AND RAPID ACCESS
The software is used to generate relocation oper-ations in phases of low
utilisation – also to prepare for retrieval operations on the following day. The
crane travel paths and the time required to retrieve material are significantly
reduced (by up to 25%) in this way.
To meet safety requirements, the larger and heavier items are also moved to
the lower levels. Elimination of the walkways and aisles also provides higher
storage capacity.
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PRECISE INCOMING AND OUTGOING MATERIAL CHECKS
Coils arriving in the store are scanned and measured, and
then automatically provided with a label and ring number.
This procedure makes it possible to check exactly which
items enter and leave the store, which in turn facilitates
continuous inventory monitoring of the stock.
The computer system specifies the exact storage location
allocated for each coil to the operator. The storage data
(incl. the position, storage time and ring number)
acknowledged by the system is available in production.
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This ensures that precise inventory information is available
at any time and that specific items are delivered.
STORE UTILISATION AT A GLANCE
The current utilisation of the coil lines is shown in the
form of a graphic display. This arrangement provides
dynamic visualisation of the position of the crane and the
storage and retrieval points.
The operator is shown both storage and retrieval opera-
tions at the terminal, whereby the storage manager
system can also dynamically include his position in the
display. The store layout shown on the display, which
includes the railway tracks, the store area and the
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retrieval area, also enables the operator to maintain an
overview of the entire storage facility from the terminal.
RAPID INFORMATION AND INTERVENTION
Simple data entry screens make it possible for the operator
to call up information via terminals quickly and easily and
to forward it to the storage manager system. The move-
ments of individual coils can be tracked back over a period
of several months.
Monitoring of the automated process also incorporates
continuous tracking of the crane operating status. This
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includes the crane diagnostic system, switch-over between
operating modes (automatic / manual) as well as stopping
and continuing an order.
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Technical data
CRANE CONTROL
••Coilmaster double-girder open winch crane ••Automatic mode
28 t x 27.3 m ••Manual operation: radio control
••Crab type: open winch crab
••Hoist speed: 0 - 15 m/min STORAGE MANAGER SYSTEM
••Cross-travel speed: 0 - 60 m/min ••Warehouse management computer with peripherals
••Long-travel speed: 0 - 100 m/min ••2 production terminals
••Load handling attachment: coil grab; C-hook ••Visualisation system
SAFETY SYSTEM
••Fencing with 4 protected access points
••Retrieval zone with light-beam curtain
FURTHER REFERENCE INSTALLATIONS
38315-23
38400-16
40444-32
37531-9
Fully automated coil store with Coil handling and processing Automatic handling of Just-in-time delivery to an
magnets at Becker Stahlservice at Welser in Ybbsitz, Austria aluminium coils at Pechiney automotive plant by Panopa
in Bönen, Germany Rhenalu in Rugles, France in Wolfsburg, Germany
No liability for errors or omissions. Subject to change.
0717 EN/DE 224 410 44 702 IS 110
Printed in Germany D/310717/0,3H
DEMAG CRANES & COMPONENTS GMBH
Wetter site
Ruhrstrasse 28
58300 Wetter / Germany
E info@demagcranes.com
P +49 2335 92-0
F +49 2335 92-7676
www.demagcranes.com
