Logistics the smart way: IoT scale iSCALE revolutionizes digitalized warehouse management

Industry 4.0 does not work without Logistics 4.0. Increasing digitalization is changing and optimizing all industrial processes. Sustainably. No wonder that digital technologies are already ensuring more efficient goods handling in warehouses, for example. This development promises a lot of potential: Numerous processes converge within warehouse logistics that have a significant and direct influence on the entire value chain.

A convincing example is the smoothest possible sorting, storage and forwarding of so-called C-parts: Materials with a low value but parallel high procurement quantity. What many entrepreneurs do not know: In the case of C-parts, the process costs account for around 80% of the total costs, while the costs for the material itself are only around 20%. With an optimized C-parts management, these costs can be significantly reduced - in this area, many companies have a lot of unused savings potential!

Logistics revolution iSCALE: sensor-controlled, digital and fully automated Kanban weighing system

For exactly this problem, our partner HK.SYSTEMS, together with us, Würth Industrie Service and Kellner & Kunz, has now developed the optimal solution: "iSCALE" - a sensor-controlled, fully automated Kanban weighing system. And nothing less than a revolution in digitalized warehouse management for efficient C-parts management.

As an innovative Kanban solution, iSCALE is based on state-of-the-art IoT technology and revolutionizes complete C-parts management: the system digitizes all processes of logistical warehouse management, enables significant process savings, reduces inventories at the customer's site, takes up significantly less space and thus ensures maximum transparency.

Together with HK.SYSTEMS, ROBIOTIC took care of the rapid, holistic development of the design and construction, the sensor technology as well as the implementation of the radio technology used and the particularly energy-efficient firmware.

Flexible, precise and reliable digital warehouse logistics

For companies, iSCALE not only functions in a conventional Kanban material warehouse. They can also use the system for supply on the line and directly at individual assembly stations. The operating principle is based on state-of-the-art IoT wireless technology: the iSCALE system is equipped with a sensor-controlled scale. This permanently determines the weight of the C-parts in the container and transmits it directly to the merchandise management system via an encrypted interface. If the weight falls below a defined value, a message is automatically generated and an order and subsequent subsequent delivery are triggered. The scale system will be implemented successively for all container sizes of Würth Industrie Service based on the VDA standard (2115, 4115, 4315).

iSCALE: Advantages at a glance

The advantages of this completely new system are obvious:

Independent reporting of requirements directly from the production site to the ERP system
Flexible, self-sufficient deployment optionsNo local power supply necessary
State-of-the-art IoT wireless technology
Cost-efficient, fast processing
Maximum process transparency
Reliable material supply
Efficient use of space

Conclusion: iSCALE as the ideal solution for optimized, digital C-parts management

iSCALE is particularly suitable for manufacturing companies that have irregular requirements for direct materials. The system enables significant process savings with a reduction in tied-up capital, as high inventories at the customer's site can be eliminated, thus reducing space for storage locations.

In this way, the entire supply chain and the flow of materials to the point of consumption can largely control itself and thus improve decisively: The permanent inventory check via iSCALE identifies demand fluctuations and demand peaks at an early stage. Fully automated logistical warehouse management with the system thus replaces time-consuming inventory determination, reordering and intermediate storage in one fell swoop. And compared to conventional storage solutions, iSCALE requires only half the shelf depth previously occupied.