ConDoor Door Components uses Swarm Automation to achieve growth ambition
In order to realise the ambition of the fastest and most competitive supplier of overhead doors and to be able to keep up with the growth of current production, ConDoor Door Components enlisted the help of Toyota Material Handling. To make this ambition a reality, automation was the best way forward.
About ConDoor
ConDoor Door Solutions is a manufacturer of insulated overhead doors for commercial buildings and residential homes. In three production sites, two in the Netherlands (Zeewolde and Emmen) and one in Hungary, they develop and produce sustainable doors, tailor-made, entirely according to the wishes of the end user.
At ConDoor Door Components in Emmen they produce hardware sets and separate parts for the proper functioning of overhead doors.
Facts and figures
- Company: ConDoor Door Components
- Location: Emmen, the Netherlands
- Industry: Metalware production
- Trucks: 3 SAE160 automated stackers
Getting started with Swarm automation
Johan Oosting, project manager at ConDoor Door Components, explains: “We explored our options before assigning this tailor-made automation project to a supplier. From the beginning, it felt like the right choice to start with Toyota Material Handling. They showed they had the knowledge and a clear view on what our business needed to grow. When the project was up and running, we could see that everything has come together nicely. We soon concluded that a total of 3 AGVs (automated guided vehicles) could be deployed in this logistics process.”
Niek Lammersen, sales development manager at Toyota Material Handling, adds: “We welcomed the challenge put to us by ConDoor because it was not entirely standard. We love to think outside the box and come up with the best possible solution for customer specific requirements.”
Customised solution, a challenge
Here, the challenge was that ConDoor uses a custom tray and the pallet racks are placed in a herringbone pattern, making it more difficult for AGVs to navigate between the racks and to reach goods. Space is limited. The cells present all kinds of safety issues. It’s very important that the AGV comes to a halt at exactly the right time and that the tray is positioned at the correct height, so that a robot arm can pick the springs from the tray.
The AGVs have to communicate with the robot zone and Toyota’s intelligent automation software (T-One) has to sync with the customer’s own warehouse management system (WMS). ConDoor now has a very flexible Autopilot system running, where four systems are seamlessly working together in what is a relatively complex process.
A collaboration to be proud of
Initially, ConDoor had 2 AGVs active but they soon realised they could easily expand with a 3rd AGV. Adjusting the AGVs to perform in this type of environment was a challenge. One Toyota handled really well. Johan concludes:
“We had very good support during the rollout. The good cooperation with all parties involved gives everyone a real sense of pride.”