Today’s automotive assembly plants have a rigorous dependency on their suppliers. This case study highlights one of the certified first-tier suppliers to a luxury SUV assembler. They build wiring harnesses specifically to a customer order (for a specific vehicle) at a remote factory, ship to a third party logistics operation near the assembly plant and deliver to the assembly line Just in Time (JIT) and Just in Sequence (JIS). Responsive, selective harness retrieval is achieved with an AS/RS buffer system. The buffer services two assembly lines running at different rates. The challenge (solved by the supplier and their 3PL company) is to handle large wiring harnesses. Harnesses with full option content weigh upwards of 100 lbs. and fit in a tray footprint of 6’ x 2’ when folded. Additionally, an essential requirement is to protect each custom built harness so that it can be installed without problem in the host vehicle.

Input Operations
A fork truck will bring pallets of harness trays to the truck dock directly to the unloading area and place them at the end of the input conveyor. The operator uses a gantry lift to transfer load trays onto the input conveyor. Each harness ID is automatically scanned into the ASRS system.
 

Storage Operations
Loads are seamlessly tracked from the input scanner to the STV to the aisle conveyor to the AS/R machine and into the storage location. When stored, load identity is communicated to the Host computer where it is immediately available for selective retrieval, should the assembly line require the harness. Typically, the harness is not required for 24 hours.

Output operations
As automobiles in the assembly factory reach a decision point where the body is painted and committed to final assembly, a signal is sent to all JIT suppliers for their components. Harnesses are picked from the AS/RS rack simultaneously from two assembly lines. Loads are routed from the rack by an SR machine to an output aisle conveyor to the correct line output conveyor. When a full pallet load is retrieved, the load operator selects the trays in reverse line sequence and places them on a returnable plastic pallet base. This process enables the assembly line operators to select each tray in line sequence with minimal effort. A second ergonomic consideration tray orientates for correct alignment at assembly point for a lift-and-place into the auto for minimum assembly time.

The project was fast-tracked and came in on schedule. The system was installed in a new construction area of the 3PL’s existing facility. They continued their operations without loss of productivity. All information systems were operational with clustered servers to assure uptime. UPS for the IT systems was included.
 

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