Maintenance contract from M-Back GmbH & Panem Backstube GmbH

After successful completion of an automated deep-freeze storage at Panem Backstube GmbH in Bleicherode (Germany), AFT negotiated a maintenance contract (including 24/7 on-call service).

Additionally M-Back GmbH made a service arrangement with AFT. Both companies are producers of bread and bakery products. AFT delivered the conveying technique for both companies in order to automate their deep-freeze storages.

AGVi-vehicles for BMW Berlin

AGVi-vehicle

BMW plant Berlin (motorcycle division) reordered three more AGVi-vehicles for their packaging line.

In 1997 the packaging line was installed the conventional way with energy transfer via copper bus bar. Later, in 2002, the whole line has been altered into an AGVi line with inductive energy transfer. The vehicles are needed for the transport of motorcycles during the process of packaging. At an unloading station the packaged motorcycles are picked up by forklift trucks and put into storage.

AFT project for industrial bakery

AFT has put a new conveyor system for the frozen section of an industrial bakery located in Bleicherode (Germany), into service.

After packaging and palletizing the products are guided, by roller conveyors with an integrated turntable, to the frozen storage area. An interim storage has been implemented using a Stacker Crane (SC). According to customer orders, the products are taken by a second SC and travel via chain conveyors and eccentric lift tables to the shipping area. The provision of empty palette stacks has been realized via a separate conveyor line, consisting of a vertical lifter and chain conveyors. They transport the empty palette stacks from the shipping area and guide them to the production and packaging sections.

AFT High Bay Warehouse for car bodies

High bay warehouse for car bodies

AFT has accumulated – through numerous deliveries at home and abroad – extensive experience in car body storage technology.

A Dutch carmaker ordered from AFT, at the end of 2013, the realization of a complete high-bay warehouse for car bodies. AFT became the general contractor.
The 20 m High Bay Warehouse poses with his 420 storage pitches, as a capacity buffer between the production areas “shell” and “paint”. For the placement strategy of the production control system (PCS), requirements of the warehouse management prevail. The PCS allocates the different body types evenly onto the three storage lanes. It also keeps travelling distances of the stacker cranes at a minimum by preferably allocating storage pitches close to the outlet. The car bodies will then be outsourced, by the Stacker Crane, according customer orders to get the desired paint job. However, before being painted, the car bodies will be closely inspected if any post-processing is necessary. So called Body Bars serve as transport and storage assistive equipment. They are mounted on the bottom side of the car bodies, closely following its contours, to ensure an exact positioning and damage free handling. They will be removed before the bottom assemblies are brought on its way to the paint shop. Three, around twenty meter tall Stacker Cranes, will regularly serve 24/7 on almost eight meter long lanes after the initial production phase. AFT meets the high requirements of the car manufacturer, concerning entire system availability, reliability and performance, already today.
AFT implemented this project in the Netherlands. Planning, layout and realization comprised all production and storage relevant devices, including electrical control and storage management software and last not least, steel construction of the storage rack and the entire building itself. Entire building has to be taken literally here, as it comprises even the sprinkler system, heating (and their related control systems), walls and roof. AFT has put all this into reality during a time span of only six months.

AFT enters into service contract with SCA Hygiene Products BV (NL)

After successfully finalizing the implementation of a storage and retrieval conveyor system for the Dutch customer SCA Hygiene Products BV, AFT subsequently entered into a service contract.

AFT now supports SCA Hygiene Products BV with several years of 24/7/365 on call duty. At this location SCA is producing hygienic incontinence products. Conveyor technique from AFT contributes to this production process, by ensuring a continuous and automatic supply of material.

30 years AFT

There’s something to celebrate…

Today, AFT celebrates the 30 years anniversary!

AFT-Project: Container weighing at the University Hospital of Tübingen

Part of the reorganization measures at the AWT facility of the University Hospital/Tübingen consisted of equipping a weighing device at the last buffer conveyor location in front of the lift at the pharmaceuticals dispatching station.

Four computerized weighing cells control that the container will neither be overloaded, nor interfere with the transport of AWT carriers. An overloaded container will not be allowed to automatically continue, as it causes an error message and will therefore be stopped. To remedy this, the container will be manually dragged back and be at least partially discharged, before it is allowed to continue.

General Motors subsidiary Shanghai (SGM) places two orders for Wuhan and Jinqiao plant

AFT scored orders from SGM Wuhan and SGM Jinqiao and is now in charge of delivering and installing a heavy duty EMS (electric monorail system), featuring height adjustable hoisting hangers for the Wuhan 2 car plant.

That is a complete system, for an entirely new final assembly line and includes the process of the so-called “marriage”. “Marriage”, in car manufacturer terms, designates the process of joining the engine (or a complete power train) and the chassis. Furthermore, for the Jinqiao plant step 2, AFT is going to deliver an entire set of new height adjustable hangers for an existing heavy duty EMS.

BMW/BBA has ordered several EMS (Electric Monorail System) for their new factory in Shenyang-Dadong (China) from AFT

Expanding their factory in Shenyang-Dadong with a new body shop for the popular long version of the BMW 5 series, BMW/BAA ordered all necessary EMS entirely from AFT Schopfheim.

A typical intercompany-project for AFT. AFT Schopfheim as the general contractor is in charge (of engineering etc.), while AFT Shanghai directly delivers subsections such as steel construction, production and assembly. Production launch is scheduled for the middle of 2016.

Engine-Gear Box Line for BMW Dingolfing, Germany

Expanding their Dingolfing plant (near Munich), BMW has ordered a new engine-gear box line, for their final assembly, from AFT Schopfheim.

There, the engine torso and the gear box are equipped by workers, while being conveyed on ground floor lines. Subsequently, after joining the two
parts, they are passed to the scissors lift of the assembly EMS line (also delivered by AFT). The assembly EMS line conveys the engine-gear box units
along all dedicated work areas, where they are semi-automatically equipped with additional parts. Another, also new, inductive floor transport line
carries the front-axles, which are bound to be connected to the engine-gear box units, during the so-called “engagement”. Finally, the completed
drive unit is passed on and conveyed by AFT´s transport EMS line, in order to find its place in the chassis.