Digmesa AG: Flexible Internal Transport with Autonomous Mobile Robots
Digmesa AG, headquartered in Ipsach, Switzerland, has been developing, manufacturing and selling flow meters for fluids for more than 40 years. The company boasts an extensive portfolio including mechanical flow sensors and cutting-edge, non-contact measuring instruments using innovative ultrasonics.
When Digmesa AG and Digmesa Polyform AG merged their locations, the internal material flows had to be redesigned. Digmesa opted for a flexible solution featuring autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that take care of the container transport to and from the injection molding machines. In only four months, Digmesa’s production supply was automated and made fit for the future, allowing it to be flexibly adapted when needed.
Open Shuttles
Software
Flow rack
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More InformationThanks to the Open Shuttles, we’ve not only optimized our processes, but also our storage quantities.
Stefan Schneider
CEO Digmesa AG
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Scalable and flexible AMR transport solution
Short project implementation
Scalable fleet size
Seamless traceability
Just-in-time production logistics
Flexible software solution
Best use of space on shared transport paths
Automated container supply to nine injection molding machines
The Open Shuttles are the central elements allowing automated transport to and from Digmesa’s production lines. Two autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) reliably supply nine injection molding machines with empty containers and transport finished parts back to the central flow rack featuring 48 channels. At the flow rack, the containers are provided according to the FIFO principle for further processing. Thanks to RFID technology, all containers and production data can be traced back seamlessly.
The Open Shuttles use existing travel paths together with employees and forklift trucks, eliminating the need for additional infrastructure. Equipped with an integrated lifter, they can load and unload containers at different heights. The flexible and scalable solution was implemented in only four months and allowed Digmesa to expand their manufacturing to three shifts.
The flexibility that we’ve gained by using this system is invaluable. We didn’t have to install anything for the Open Shuttle in production. All it needs is the general travel paths and nothing more.
Dominik Huber
CEO Digmesa Polyform AG
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AMR solution supports Digmesa
1 I Order start
The Open Shuttles receive transport orders from the KiSoft fleet management system, pick up empty containers from the 12 dedicated channels in the flow rack and deliver them to one of the nine injection molding machines in the production area. Every container is equipped with an RFID transponder containing the order data.
2 I Provision of empty containers
In the production area, there is an accumulation roller conveyor with three accumulation stops upstream of every injection molding machine. The Open Shuttles transport new empty containers to the first accumulation stop. When an order is started, the container is automatically conveyed to the second accumulation stop where the container is filled with the parts and then weighed. Once the container has reached its target weight, it is conveyed to the third accumulation stop, the pickup location. This is where the order data is saved onto the RFID transponder to ensure 100 % traceability.
3 I Transporting manufactured parts back to the rack
As soon as a container is ready for pickup, one of the Open Shuttles receives a transport order and fetches the container from the pickup location. The Open Shuttle then transports the container filled with finished identical parts back, delivering them to the right channel in the flow rack according to the FIFO principle. Employees working at the flow rack pick the parts from the containers for further processing and make the empty containers available again for transport to the production lines.
4 I Ensuring quality
One of the main advantages that the flexible transport system offers is that it can be adapted easily. Digmesa integrated an additional process for quality assurance: Every tenth container is transported to the check station automatically, where the RFID data can be accessed and checked. The frequency for checking containers can be adjusted anytime as required.
AMR solution supports Digmesa
1 I Order start
The Open Shuttles receive transport orders from the KiSoft fleet management system, pick up empty containers from the 12 dedicated channels in the flow rack and deliver them to one of the nine injection molding machines in the production area. Every container is equipped with an RFID transponder containing the order data.
2 I Provision of empty containers
In the production area, there is an accumulation roller conveyor with three accumulation stops upstream of every injection molding machine. The Open Shuttles transport new empty containers to the first accumulation stop. When an order is started, the container is automatically conveyed to the second accumulation stop where the container is filled with the parts and then weighed. Once the container has reached its target weight, it is conveyed to the third accumulation stop, the pickup location. This is where the order data is saved onto the RFID transponder to ensure 100 % traceability.
3 I Transporting manufactured parts back to the rack
As soon as a container is ready for pickup, one of the Open Shuttles receives a transport order and fetches the container from the pickup location. The Open Shuttle then transports the container filled with finished identical parts back, delivering them to the right channel in the flow rack according to the FIFO principle. Employees working at the flow rack pick the parts from the containers for further processing and make the empty containers available again for transport to the production lines.
4 I Ensuring quality
One of the main advantages that the flexible transport system offers is that it can be adapted easily. Digmesa integrated an additional process for quality assurance: Every tenth container is transported to the check station automatically, where the RFID data can be accessed and checked. The frequency for checking containers can be adjusted anytime as required.
Open Shuttles
Injection molding machines
Travel distance in meters (feet)
Implementation time in months
Moving forward together
The AMR solution grows with Digmesa’s requirements. After successfully implementing the first Open Shuttle, the manufacturer of flow meters quickly expanded their internal transport by another robot. The addition made it possible to move from a two-shift to a three-shift operation as well as increase the number of injection molding machines from six to nine. However, the collaboration with Digmesa doesn’t end there. KNAPP’s Service Desk is just a phone call away during operating hours, offering troubleshooting and advice.
The technology of the KNAPP solution was really what convinced us. Our need for adjustable height, clear pathways and flexibility was fulfilled in the best possible way by the Open Shuttles. As early as during the project development phase, we knew that KNAPP was a really good fit for us. They are a very dynamic and competent partner with whom we were able to make our ideas a reality quickly.
Stefan Schneider
CEO Digmesa AG
