One Solution's Logistics Material Handling Case Study

Key Technologies

• Hytrol zero pressure ABEZ conveyor, pallet conveyor, and chain transfers
• Two Datalogic line scanners
• Gorbel G-Force lift assist and custom end tooling from Talon Design
• BMH Controls utilizing Omron PLCs, Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) and IO hardware
• BlueArc Engineering Container Loaders
• Tuff Automation Container Stackers

Business Challenges

• One Source Logistics (OSL) needed to process Containers coming from and going to the Honda assembly plant in an efficient and reliable manner
• The damage to automobile parts and containers needed to be minimized
• Labor costs needed to be reduced and ergonomics needed to be improved
• OSL wanted a system that could serve as a model for all future facilities

Results

• Labor costs went down significantly, and ergonomic conditions for the workforce improved
• The damage to parts and containers was greatly reduced
• The new system went live one week earlier than originally anticipated
• BMH was awarded additional business as a result of a job well done

Case Study Video- Script

One Solution Logistics is a subsidiary of American Honda Motor Corp. OSL’s primarily responsibility is to handle all of the logistics associated with getting automobile components and returnable containers to and from the Honda assembly line. OSL’s new Greensburg, IN facility is the first OSL consolidation center to be connected directly to an assembly plant. All other OSL facilities are located a few miles away from the assembly plants.

OSL and its sister companies, Midwest Express and Honda Logistics, have locations all over the world. In North America these facilities are located in Marysville, Ohio; East Liberty, Ohio; Lincoln, Alabama; Alliston, Ontario; El Salto, Mexico and now Greensburg, Indiana. The OSL Consolidation Center is located at the top of the screen. It is approximately 500,000 sq. ft. and is connected to the Honda assembly plant via an above-ground tunnel.

In addition to handling all of the full and empty returnable containers going to and from the assembly line, OSL also performs other services for Honda. These services include storage and kitting of parts, cart repair, and freight consolidation.

The objectives of this project were to process containers coming from and going to the Honda assembly plant in an efficient and reliable manner, minimize damage to automobile parts and containers, reduce labor costs, and improve ergonomics. It was also expressed to BMH early on in the project that OSL’s chief focus was creating a system that would serve as a model for all future OSL facilities.

The OSL project is comprised of three sub systems. The Large Container Sorting System which sorts empty returnable containers coming back from the assembly plant. The Small Container Sorting System which sorts smaller returnable containers coming back from the assembly plant. And the Small Parts Picking System which handles returnable containers filled with automobile parts going to the assembly plant.

The function of the Large Container Sorting System is to sort and stage empty returnable containers prior to their shipment back to their respective suppliers. The containers sorted in this system are 48”L x 45”W or larger. The heights of each container range from 25” to 50”. The throughput rate of this system is 6 containers per minute. Three OSL associates operate this system each shift. OSL is currently operating only one shift per day due to the downturn in the automobile industry. However, the system was designed for two shift operation.

Containers are transferred off of cart trains coming from the Honda assembly plant and placed on the conveyor system via a custom un-loader designed and built by Blue Arc Engineering. Two trains, each containing 6 carts arrive every 2 minutes.

The initial system design requested by OSL called for Gorbel G-Force lift assists with special rigid mast end tooling to transfer the large containers from the trains to the conveyor. However, after many design review meetings, this design was abandon because of throughput and ergonomic concerns. In its place came the design of custom Un-Loader shuttles. The Un-Loaders incorporated many of the semi-automatic and ergonomic features required by OSL and also allowed for a quicker, more reliable transfer of the containers from the trains to the conveyor. The un-loaders operate very similar to a fork truck. The operator is positioned in a cab at the rear of the shuttle and has control of the mast, forward and reverse transverse, as well as extension. The Un-loader can also be operated in an automatic retraction mode.

The function of the Small Container Sorting System is to sort and stage empty returnable containers prior to their shipment back to their respective suppliers. The containers sorted in this system are 44”L x 23”W or smaller. The throughput rate of this system is 15 containers per minute. Four OSL associates operate this system.

Due to labor constraints OSL wished to allow containers to circulate in a carousel fashion on one of the sorting lanes. This would allow one OSL associates to keep up with the rush of containers coming each time a train arrived. BMH utilized two sections of Htyrol zero pressure accumulation conveyor sitting side by side connected by an overhead pull-off device positioned on each end.

The function of the Small Parts Picking System is to sort and stage returnable containers filled with automobile parts prior to their shipment to the assembly plant. The containers handled in this system are 44”L x 23”W or smaller. BMH was informed that the throughput rate of this system was to be two containers per minute. However, in actuality OSL is processing approximately 10 containers per minute. Six OSL associates operate this system.

Containers are positioned on pallets in the picking lanes. OSL associates pick individual containers and place them on Hytrol model RB conveyor. Heavy containers are picked with Gorbel G-Force lift assists with special end tooling. The empty pallets are placed on Hytrol LREZ pallet accumulation conveyor which is positioned under the RB conveyor. The empty pallets convey to pallet stackers. After being placed on the RB conveyor, containers are conveyed to Hytrol accumulation conveyor where they staged for operators placing them on trains traveling to the assembly plant. Heavy containers are loaded onto the trains utilizing Gorbel G-Force lift assists with specail end tooling.

Above are pictures of the Gorbel G-Force lift assist and custom end tooling provided by Talon Design. The G-Force is a servo driven device that provides the associates with infinite adjustability and superior control when handling heavy containers. The end tools were specially engineered to be properly balanced for all of OSL containers. The end tools also were required to be manual, further complicating the design.

This was a unique job for us in that the customer specified we use Omron PLCs, HMIs, and IO hardware. It was unique in that Omron is a Japanese company and it not widely used in the United States. This was a challenge for us because we had very limited experience with Omron. Bryan Evans, the lead Controls Engineer on this project, worked hard to become proficient with Omron through informal training and working with an Omron expert to learn the ins and outs of the control system. Overall Bryan liked Omron. Also, it proved to be very cost effective. Item for item, it is probably about 60% of what similar Allen Bradley components cost. The other major electrical components we used were Efector photoeyes, Siemens motor starters, Banner ultrasonic sensors, and Datalogic scanners. All worked well except the banner ultrasonic sensors. Turns out we got a bad manufacturing batch and to date we have replaced 10 to 15 of those sensors. Thankfully, the customer has been understanding.

BMH Controls did all of the electrical design and panel build but we hired extra resources to get the programming done. When we were about 8 weeks from Go live it became apparent we were going to need bandwidth to finish the programming. We contacted a small company in Indianapolis that had Omron experience. Since all the hardware was in place they could immediately dive into the HMI design and start programming the PLCs. This company programmed the large container sorting area and BMH controls programmed the small container sorting area and the small parts picking system. Everything came together well and go live was very successful. Since OSL is staffed to be self sufficient with their own controls engineer and maintenance staff the time from go live until they took complete ownership of their system was short. They were eager to learn the system and took over support just a few days after go live. Since then there has only been a handful of site visits by us...all of which were to upgrade their system. In the end, the customer was very satisfied and it was a successful project.

Hello, my name is Blain Cook, a Senior Project Engineer with Bastian Material Handling. I served as the project manager for the OSL system. The relationship between OSL and BMH began in October of 2007 through cold calls at the Honda facility. The formal request for proposal was sent out in October of 2007. BMH was officially awarded the contract in November of 2007 and the kickoff meeting wad held in December of 2007. Simulations of the Large Container and Small Container Sorting Systems were completed in January of 2008. Installation occurred in March, April and May of 2008 with testing and beneficial use occurring in June and July of 2008. BMH was given final acceptance in August of 2008. As a result of the recession, OSL and Honda have not yet ramped up to full production.

When installation began in March of 2008 the OSL building was still under construction. The building was not heated and many areas of the floor and ceiling were not yet finished. As a result of the ongoing construction BMH had to work with in conjunction with Honda’s construction management firm Global Performance. Another constraint BMH faced was the tight restrictions for contractors working onsite. All BMH employees and subcontractors had to park offsite and either take a shuttle bus or registered company owned truck to the jobsite. In addition drug screenings, hard hats, steel toed boots, and safety glasses were mandatory requirements.

Due to the amount of manual interaction involved in the operation of the small container sorting system, a lot of customer involvement was required during the installation of the this system. Above are pictures of the system’s gravity pallet lanes. Details such as pitch and elevation of conveyor as well as the location of the overhead stop/stop cable all had to be Ok’d by the customer per our FSD. The final system to be installed was the Large Container Sorting System. Above is a picture of two of the accumulation conveyors. This system took the longest to be installed – approximately 6 weeks.

Once the National Machinery and Conveyor crew completed setting an accumulation bank, the Beihle Electric crew began pulling wires to the devices. The electrical installation of this system took over 6 weeks. BMH was very impressed with the professionalism of the National Machinery installation crew. Their ability to quickly and reliable install the equipment resulted in no damage to any equipment. They were also able to complete welding and other modifications onsite.

This project was a complete success and all of the customer’s goals were achieved. The go-live occurred one full week prior to the scheduled date. In addition, BMH continues to receive additional business both with OSL and Honda as a result of this project. The biggest testament to the success of the project is the fact that OSL continues to be a strong reference and great customer for BMH.

This project was a tremendous success. Despite the many complexities of this project, the BMH team executed on all fronts. This is a great testament to the teamwork found within BMH and BMH-Indy Sales. This project was bid with a markup of just twelve percent. Through good purchasing and sound project management, it is possible to turn a good project into a great project. This is the first project that anyone on the team has been a part of in which the customer is so satisfied with the end product that he takes the entire BMH project team out to a Sushi dinner. BMH looks forward to a great continued relationship with the OSL and Honda team.