In the next millenium with moderm storage technique
Hoechst realizes an automatic conveying and storage system for the new production center in Suzano / Brazil
The worldwide acting pharmaceutical business Hoechst Marion Roussel reinforces its production capacity in Brazil. The new factory in Suzano/São Paulo which is to be operational in fall 99, has been conceived, concerning the production courses and the internal logistics, following the most modern aspects.
The team and enterprise involved in the global plan succeeded in planning in their innovative pharmaceutical industry, a typical example of a modern production factory, considering the highest demands.
The automatic conveying and storage system
The central link between the areas of receipt, production and dispatch, is the automatic conveying and storage system, which supplies every operation at the right time with the right material.
The conveying and storage system comprises essentially the following areas: central receipt for raw material and packing material; sample picking separated by raw material and packing material; High-bay warehouse (height 26 m) for the storage of about 10.000 pallets with raw material and packing material, as well as of finished products; commissioning area for the production (dispensing) and for the packing; dispatch.The planning Fundamentally, three standard conditions which are the technical feasibility, the observation of the legal and working regulations, as well as the noticeable profitability have also to be carried out by the planning. But another dimension –

the system flexibility – is standing out in the forefront.
The current requirements which are asked to a system from the "outside" can significantly change with time. Particularly today, with the dizzy change in the economic environment, there are always higher requirements concerning delivery readiness, flexibility and quality. The solution concepts which are conceived for the current need, but which in the same time have an extension potential and a great system flexibility, are the main subject and have consequently an effect on the planning of the logistic systems.
Interdisciplinary and provident work in the expert team is considerably asked. It can be noticed retrospectively about the planning phase by Hoechst Marion Roussel, that this has been a particularly great success. The great experience gained in the operation of the Hoechst Marion Roussel team, made up of planning experts from the parent company in Frankfurt and from the factory in Sao Paulo, as well as the specific experience of the architecture and production planning business and from Stöcklin (represented in Brasil - Vast-Besth Tel. 011 5093 9211) as system supplier, have substantially contributed to the reaching of the planning objective.
Which are the following: structured and dynamic progresses and merchandise flows; peak power consideration, with the possibility to install gradually for all the situations increases of performance; development of a layout with a great flexibility potential, which can be functionally extended; and this with no important interruption; observation of all the required cleanness requirements (GMP) of the pharmaceutical factory; information technical integration on the highest safety level; observation of the required conditions in the scope of the economics calculation.
The logistic concept
The result of the combined executed planning is a conveying and storage system, which connects together the different areas in the classic vertical production process.


The logistic concept
The result of the combined executed planning is a conveying and storage system, which connects together the different areas in the classic vertical production process.
The information technical integration
As central element between the higher order EDP (Host System with SAP/R3) and the installation controls for the stacker crane units and the different conveying installation areas, the warehouse management system LAKOS takes over the following main jobs:

  • Control and coordination of all the physical material flows within the automatic conveying and storing system. Transport routes which are optimized and determined according to the installation occupancy of every single area part.
  • Store management on article level. While that the higher order EDP system simply recognizes all the single articles and lots, the exact storing place respectively, the place on the conveying installation, amounts per lot and with this also all the other article data are conducted to the warehouse management system, and also managed. acquisition of all the merchandise entries on article level. The single operations as the repalletization, sample picking, quarantine management, are also supported by the store management system.
  • Preparation of the requirement for single production lots, transmitted by the production control system of the higher order EDP. The EDP transmits in the other hand only the respective total demand, while that the warehouse management system is responsible for the placing at disposal of the single articles. The article amounts per job are prepared by the warehouse management system according to different criteria: production lot; expiration date; available amounts on corresponding charge carriers, etc.
  • Record, preparation and filing of the whole article movements.
  • Turns and preparation in due time of the single merchandise exits
  • ∑Management of the other storing areas as: broach store in the dispensing; label and leaflet store; special store for the removal of materials with lack of quality.
    The LAKOS warehouse management system distinguishes itself among others through the following characteristics: user friendliness; high level of standardization and even so, great flexibility for customized applications; shortest starting durations.
    A particular challenge represented also the certification of the interface to SAP. It is guaranteed through this, that the validation criteria are completely fullfilled also for this sensitive area.
    On the last straight line
    With the implementation of the stipulated planning concept, all the essential objectives establishing the bases of the project were executed.
    This applies to the requested system capacity and the volume criteria, as much as to the information technical integration and the logical implementation of all GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), respectively, validation criteria.
    The conceived solution distinguishes itself, also especially by its great system flexibility and a significant extension potential. The initial definite budget scope, and the connected profitability reflections are not only respected, but also still further optimized.
    The installation user as partner
    With what success a collective integration of the developments and functions occurs and how far the higher order objective of the requested profitability is reached, depends, besides the experience of the supplier, also to a large extent on the user "Input".
    By the planning and realization of new installations on the greenery is worth : The absolute solution will never be, as nearly every project is subjected to technical as much as to financial restrictions. An optimum solution is yet always possible. But it presupposes that from the very begining, to conform to the operation specific experiences and clear objective formulation of the user, as much as to the professionnal experience of the supplier, as basis for the concept to conceive and for the planning progress.
    Only the supplier which goes towards the user and which understands the requirements and the needs in their globality, will be able to propose a solution, which is determined in detail for the utilization.
    A strong partnership between user and supplier is, on that subject, the key to the success.

Technical data:
Warehouse height 26 m
Warehouse length 90 m
Nr. of aisles 4
Nr. of stacker cranes 4
Storage capacity approx. 10’000 pallets
Pallet dimensions 1.000 x 1.200 mm
Pallet weight 1’000 kg
Nr. of operational levels 3
Input (single cicle) 48 pallets / hour
Output (single cicle) 30 pallets / hour
System PLC Simatic S7
WMS Alpha Dec Server
Operational System Unix
Pallet Rack (conventional) Águia

 

Magazine : Movimentação & Armazenagem – jul/aug 1999