A new automated handling system is currently being installed for one of the world's leading manufacturers of fasteners and mechanical fastening joints. This installation is part of a high-intensity production environment, with the goal of optimizing material flow between production areas and finished goods storage, reducing handling times and improving traceability throughout the supply chain.

The system configuration includes a combination of chain conveyors, a rail-guided automated shuttle, and two industrial lifts, ensuring continuous operation across two separate levels of the facility.

Horizontal handling: chain conveyors and rail-guided shuttle

Horizontal handling is managed by chain conveyors, chosen for their robustness and reliability in environments with high load/unload frequency. These conveyors are designed to safely and continuously handle pallets and industrial containers, and their modular configuration allows them to adapt to different load units.
Material transfer between production areas and storage zones is further optimized by a rail-guided automated shuttle, designed to ensure high precision in movement and maximum space efficiency.

Vertical handling: dual lifts for multi-level operations

To connect the two levels of the system, a vertical lifting solution with two independent lifts has been installed, capable of operating in synchronous or alternating mode. This setup helps reduce bottlenecks in vertical transfers, improves overall efficiency, and enables the separation of inbound and outbound flows between the two levels.

Achieved goals and operational benefits

The system was designed to meet two main objectives:
• Optimize handling times between the different functional areas of the facility;
• Minimize manual handling, increasing operator safety and reducing handling time.
The adoption of a fully automated system also ensures greater stability of internal flows, reducing the variability typical of manually managed processes and increasing the overall reliability of the logistics system.

Full integration with WMS for automated flow management

The new pallet handling system is fully integrated with the customer’s WMS (Warehouse Management System), ensuring centralized and automated management of logistics flows. Each movement—from production pickup to finished goods storage—is tracked in real time, allowing complete visibility of load units and accurate inventory control.
The native integration with the management system allows for the optimization of transport missions, reduction of waiting times, and improvement of operational accuracy. This advanced software-hardware architecture is a key element in boosting the efficiency and responsiveness of the internal logistics system, in line with industrial automation and Logistics 4.0 best practices.

The system is scheduled to go live in the coming weeks, following functional testing and staff training. Thanks to its performance-oriented design and simplified maintenance, the system represents a significant step forward for the customer in terms of logistics efficiency, operational safety, and production capacity.