Automated dispensing and procurement of consumables

Würth’s ORSY®mat vending machines optimize the procurement process for PPE and other consumables. Various models of the Welotec industrial routers have been used in these vending machines worldwide since 2010/11 to transmit data to a central system.

About Würth

The Würth Group is the world market leader in its core business: the manufacture and trade of assembly and fastening technology. It currently consists of over 400 companies and is active on the market in more than 80 countries.

Würth Industrie Service GmbH & Co. KG focuses on the C-parts requirements of manufacturing industrial companies within the Würth Group. With individually tailored and automated procurement and logistics systems, customers are supplied directly to the production line or directly to the respective place of consumption and workplace.

A central component of the supply solutions are the modular ORSY®mat vending machines, which provide auxiliary and operating materials such as gloves, tools or batteries and reorder them in an automated process.

Initial situation

The ORSY®mat vending machines are modular and customizable dispensing machines for a wide variety of materials, such as PPE (personal protective equipment), maintenance supplies or tools, which allow unlimited material provision directly at the point of need without time restrictions and effort. Different models such as spiral, carousel, drawer or flap dispensers are offered. All withdrawals are logged by the ORSY®mat vending machines, after which the goods requirement to be reordered is automatically transmitted to Würth Industrie Service. As a result, MRO items and small parts required for a smooth production process are permanently available. Process costs can also be reduced, as the ORSY®mat takes over tasks that are normally performed by warehouse staff and the purchasing department.
In order to be able to ensure a flawless process, the data from the ORSY®mat vending machines must be transmitted securely and reliably to the central warehouse of Würth Industrie Service. Various models of Welotec’s industrial routers have been used for this purpose since 2010/11. These are convincing due to their reliability, long-term availability of the components and the flexibility of the installation options in limited spaces.

Solution

The setup of the ORSY®mat vending machines consists of various components. Depending on the model, the integrated panel PC is connected to the drawer, flap or carousel modules and collects information on individual withdrawals as well as the current stock of the respective items. The Internet-enabled industrial routers receive the information thus determined. The router then automatically communicates the relevant information to the Würth Industrie Service merchandise management system. There, the necessary processes are automatically initiated so that the stock of the vending machines is replenished.

Industrial routers from Welotec

The routers are installed differently, depending on the ORSY®mat model. Due to the flexible different installation options, the routers are mounted on the top-hat rail or directly in the device, depending on the requirements. Since the routers can be installed from all sides, various options can be realized. In addition, the routers are convincing in the setup due to their robust and high-quality metal housing.
Würth relies on the industrial routers of the TK500 and TK800 series in the dispensers. The TK800 routers are used worldwide, as they are also certified for the Australian, US and Chinese markets. The TK525L LTE industrial routers are used as standard in Europe and feature up to five Ethernet ports, an integrated firewall to protect against unauthorized access, and cost-effective 4G LTE connectivity (LTE Cat. 4). Due to their compact housing dimensions, they are designed to be particularly space-saving. Thanks to the high operating temperature range of -15 to +70 °C, trouble-free operation is guaranteed. Due to their approvals and certifications, the TK812L LTE industrial routers are designed for global operation with different frequency bands. They also have up to two Ethernet ports, an integrated firewall and 4G LTE.

Industrial antenna from Welotec

In the ORSY®mat vending machines used in Europe, the Welotec 4G plug-on antenna is implemented as standard for the TK525L industrial router. This antenna impresses with its easy mounting possibilities and the groundplane-independent design. The rod antenna supports all 4G LTE frequency bands and offers reliable support in the frequency range from 698 to 960 MHz and 1710 to 2700 MHz.