(openPR) - The demands placed on modern warehousing facilities are rising all the time. Increasing price pressure, higher standards as regards quality and delivery times, and the desire for individually designed products is driving demand for high-tech solutions. Many companies are looking to pick-by-vision, goods-to-man systems, autonomous vehicles and mobile robots to bring cost savings and greater flexibility. At transport logistic 2007 experts will be giving their assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of these new concepts.

Today´s highly dynamic markets are leading to an ever widening spectrum of items that have to be handled in the warehouses, more complicated order-picking processes and smaller pick quantities. How can companies maintain stable prices against a background of frequently changing product ranges and fluctuating handling volumes? The answer to this question is being sought ever more in high-tech solutions.

One way of boosting picking performance and reducing error rates is by using pick-by-vision systems. Here the figures relating to the particular picking commission are shown on a head-up display or projected direct onto the operator´s retina using a laser-supported system. Pick-by-voice operates in a similar way – in this language-based system the entire picking process is controlled via headphones and a microphone. The orders are radioed by the warehouse management system to the operator who then confirms the removal of the items from the shelf by saying a key word that is then recognised by the computer via voice recognition software. The freedom of movement gained in this way speeds up the picking process, the quality of that process improves and all without any need for complicated entry of data in a display. The only disadvantage of the system is that communication between the picking operators themselves is restricted.

Another solution is goods-to-man systems with automatic small-components warehouses (ACW), to supply stationary picking stations. One example of this is autonomous vehicles and mobile robots which depending on their specification not only assume functions in the warehouse aisles, but also in the front zone. The vehicles can be scaled flexibly to the actual performance requirements and they can grow via easy refits to meet expanding volumes.

But are these solutions suited to every company and every situation? “There is no general answer to the question of who benefits most from a fully automatic warehouse or pick-by-voice system, for example,” says Jan Schmidt, Senior Consultant and Division Manager of Strategy and Optimisation at the consultants i+o. “It depends on the size of the warehouse, the length of the contract, the location, the goods and many other individual factors. For example, pick-by-voice systems are not suitable for frozen goods warehouses.”

The kind of factors that companies must pay attention to when designing and operating these new system solutions will be discussed by experts at an event in the accompanying programme at transport logistic. Entitled ‘Warehouse concepts for highly dynamic markets – Is high-tech the solution?’ a panel discussion is to be held on 12 June 2007, from 1.30 to 3.00 p.m. in Forum III in Hall C4. Taking part in this discussion led by Prof. Dr Michael ten Hompel (Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics) and Prof. Dr Willibald Günthner (Professor in the Department of Materials Handling at the Technical University of Munich) are: Jens Fankhänel (CEO Central Europe, Dematic GmbH), Jean-David Attal (Board Member and Director of Development at Savoye Logistics GmbH), Jan Schmidt (Senior Consultant, i+o GmbH & Co. KG) and Fritz Mayr (Managing Director, CIM GmbH).

Further information: www.transportlogistic.de

About transport logistic
The 11th international trade fair for logistics, telematics and transport (12 to 15 June 2007 in Munich) presents the whole spectrum of the transport and logistics industry – telematics, in-company transport and material flow, logistics and freight transport. The fair aims to be a practical forum for information gathering and exchange in the diversely structured field of transporting freight – by road, rail, water and air. The visitor target groups of the fair are service-providers and decision-makers from the transport business, from industry, trade associations and freight logistics. In 2005 transport logistic attracted 1,333 exhibitors and around 40,000 visitors from a total of 103 countries. The statistics for the fair are independently audited on behalf of the Gesellschaft zur Freiwilligen Kontrolle von Messe- und Ausstellungszahlen (FKM), a society for the voluntary control of fair and exhibition statistics.

Messe München International (MMI)
Messe München International (MMI) is one of the world´s leading trade-fair organisations. It organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and new technology. Over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part each year in the trade fairs in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and in South America. With four subsidiaries in Europe and Asia and 66 foreign representatives covering 89 countries, MMI has a truly global network.

Press contact:
Petra Gagel
Tel.: +49 89 / 9 49-20244, Fax: +49 89 / 9 49-20249
E-mail: petra.gagel@messe-muenchen.de