Intelligent storage solution for window construction

At FENSTERBAU FRONTALE 2020 in Nuremberg, the trade fair for the window, door and façade construction sector (18th to 21st March), the sawing and storage technology specialist KASTO Maschinenbau will be presenting its space-saving UNITOWER tower storage system and other solutions. With immediate effect, the automatic bar stock and sheet metal storage system is available with an integrated pick-by-light function which saves time and avoids errors during stock picking. In the “Smart Solutions Corner”, visitors will also be able to find out about KASTO’s Industry 4.0-oriented solutions.

The UNITOWER tower storage system is available in several variants and has been designed as a modular system consisting of various individual modules. This means that it is an easy task to put together custom solutions. Depending on the model, the maximum length of items entered storage is between 2,000 and 14,600 millimetres. With the UNITOWER, system heights of up to 25 metres can be achieved without difficulty. Thanks to their variable loading height, the tower storage systems are much more space-saving than conventional floor and cantilever storage systems. The load carriers are handled by a storage and retrieval machine (SRM) with a crossbeam. Together with the superbly-efficient drives, this ensures fast access times and saves energy.

The optionally available pick-by-light function is particularly helpful in storage systems in which the pallets or cassettes are subdivided into multiple storage compartments. It is integrated in the KASTO storage system’s controller, which tells it which article needs to be stored or retrieved for the relevant job. After the load carrier has been moved to the station, the contents of the cassette are illuminated by a light beam. The operator recognizes the correct compartment at a glance and is able to store or retrieve the item without error. This saves time and prevents incorrect assignments.

The UNITOWER storage system is controlled by KASTO’s own ProControl and ExpertControl software solutions. These can be operated easily and intuitively by means of a graphical interface. The user can call up and control various functions such as storage compartment and cassette management, order expediting and system diagnostics using the touch screen. High availability is ensured by KASTO's sophisticated service concept. This not only includes round-the-clock telephone advice, a rapid supply of spare parts and highly competent on-site support, but also remote monitoring via the Internet. This enables KASTO experts to find and rectify faults at an early stage before they lead to costly system failures.

Visitors to KASTO’s trade fair booth will also discover the “Smart Solutions Corner”. Here the company will be exhibiting its developments dedicated to the topics of digitalisation and Industry 4.0. For example, it will present its KASTOlogic warehouse management system. This permits end-to-end management and control of automatic storage systems as well as mobile stock management of manual storage areas. Other highlights will include the KASTOapp machine status display, the KASTOoptisaw saw plan generation system and the interactive remote maintenance solution, KASTO VisualAssistance. A video will show visitors how storage, sawing and material handling processes can be completely automated and optimised with KASTO solutions – all from one single source.

Source and photo: KASTO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG