Future-proof spare parts supply for automotive manufacturers

io, the world's leading technical consulting and planning company, has supported a Bavarian automotive manufacturer in automating its small parts processing.

In response to the growing volume of orders and the increasing need for fast, on-time order processing and delivery, io planned an automated warehouse system together with BMW, which was successfully put into operation at the Dingolfing site in the spring of 2024.

Within the scope of this project, io supported the BMW Group from the conceptual design of the warehouse system, through detailed planning, tendering and awarding, to implementation, commissioning and acceptance. The commissioning of the new storage system and the relocation of spare parts was monitored and controlled by io using a customized dashboard. The automated storage system was implemented by the Dutch logistics general contractor Inther Group.

The compact small parts shuttle warehouse ensures highly dynamic storage processes. Its 80 shuttles, including dynamic tote conveyor technology, ergonomic and height-adjustable storage, picking and packing workstations, as well as automatic carton erectors and stackers, are the key to this. For quality assurance during order picking, a pick-by-light system was installed to indicate to workers which spare parts should be removed from the picking bins provided.

"Thanks to the new small parts shuttle warehouse and the ergonomic workstations, the efficiency of storing, picking, packing and shipping spare parts has been sustainably optimized and raised to a new level of automation," says Christian Schindler, project manager and senior consultant at io, about the successful completion of the project.

The heart of the logistics system is the highly dynamic shuttle warehouse. Small parts are stored four deep in 4 aisles on 20 levels in approximately 80,000 storage locations. This extremely compact storage increases the throughput speed in order processing.