Skoda has opened a new automatic warehouse for small-sized parts (AKL) in its plant in Kvasiny, Czech Republic. The Czech manufacturer has invested over EUR 8 million in this innovative solution. The new AKL will enhance the efficiency of handling the increasingly diverse types of material.
Michael Oeljeklaus, board member for production and logistics, Skoda Auto, said “With the new automatic warehouse for small-sized parts opened in Kvasiny, we continue our journey to automating the process of shelving and picking small-size parts at Skoda Auto. The AKL technology will increase our efficiency and productivity, make our logistics processes more effective, help us reduce material inventories and enhance the ergonomic and occupational-safety parameters of our workplaces.”
The solution comprises a system of automatic shelving carried out by camera-fitted robots and automatic robot-aided picking, lifting tables and pusher. The robot reloads boxes from the conveyor to the trolley completely automatically without any human intervention.
The Kvasiny plant produces, among the others, the Skoda Kodiaq and Skoda Superb and will soon be launching production of the new Skoda Karoq. In its AKL facility small-size parts are stored in a central location inside the parts warehouse, and the shelving and picking processes are fully automatic. From the AKL the parts are transported directly to the assembly line, using a Just-In-Sequence system, thus in the exact order in which they should be used. The new AKL in Kvasiny offers a capacity of 45,000 small load carriers (KLT).
The construction work in Kvasiny started in January 2016. Skoda Auto has invested over €8 million (Rs 61 crore), expecting to achieve annual cost savings of more than €1 million (Rs 7.6 crore).