Box Order System for fresh food

The patented solution aims to set new standards in the handling of totes and cardboard boxes within the fruit & vegetable and perishable environment.

The patented BOS has a modular design. Every module consists of one replenishment crane and four picking cranes - the Box Picking Machines (BPM). After the receiving process, the single-item tote box stacks are separated from the receiving pallet and then directly stored into the pick front through the replenishment cranes.

The store-friendly tote picking is achieved highly dynamically by means of the newly developed BPM crane. The BPM was designed in a way that its light-weight telescopic fork doesn't lift, but embraces the totes or stacks. The advantage: Not only single crates, but also a number of load carriers adapted to the customer order - that means full tote stacks, partial stacks, or single stacks - can be removed in a completely flexible manner from the rack. During the transportation to the next pick position, they are directly consolidated to store-friendly units without errors using the stacker crane.

Finally, the built dispatch units are automatically palletised, stretch-wrapped, and provided for dispatch as double-decker pallet just before shipping. BOS is able to fully automatically store and pick either totes or cardboard boxes, and beverage crates. Compared to a conventional warehouse logistics, the BOS convinces with its cost-effectiveness, efficiency, flexibility, and ergonomics.

Witron explained the development of the BOS, starting with the requirements of the market, the motivation for the development and its realisation. Considering key points, Witron also illustrated how a planned BOS installation would reap rewards for a European food retailer. Open questions were answered in detail.