Overview
The Gabrielli Group, established by the Angelo Gabrielli company in 1954, brings together several steel processing and manufacturing companies to better meet the needs of the steel market. Today the Group includes six companies each with its own identity, company name and sales organization. Approximately 1,200 employees work at the facilities in Northern Italy that cover an area of over 200,000 sq.m. with around 1,200,000 tons of steel being processed every year.
The Challenge
Gabrielli SpA of Cittadella (Padova, Italy) processes and sells sheet metal made of hot-rolled coils. The company wanted to optimize production and improve product quality in order to respond quickly and precisely to its customers needs. When the company decided to open a new production facility it took the opportunity to update the automated systems including the scanners for warehouse management.
The Solution
After careful consideration Gabrielli’s production site adopted a specially designed automated warehouse system that uses the Falcon™ X3 mobile computer to manage all coil handling operations in the warehouse. Gabrielli chose the Falcon X3 mobile computer for its unique characteristics that make it ideal for the steel industry. The Falcon X3 mobile computer resists multiple falls, accidental knocks and shocks, even in the harshest environments. Due to its ergonomics and light weight, the operator holds it comfortably in the hand and doesn’t get tired when using the device. The Datalogic patented ‘Green Spot’ technology incorporated in the mobile computer also gives the operator visible good read feedback directly on the code so there is no need to worry about not hearing the beep in loud areas, such as on the production line or the shop floor. Wi-Fi communication assures fast transactions and real time data updates. The option of displaying information in Microsoft or AS400 emulation allows for the possibility to better manage the different process phases.
The process starts when materials arrive at the warehouse. The operator reads the bar code with the Falcon X3 mobile computer to automatically associate the materials to the locations where they need to be placed. This allows sales people to see what materials are available in the warehouse in real time so they can accurately program production cycles for their customers.
Once an order arrives from the salespeople and a delivery date is provided, the picking phase begins. The operator reads the bar code on the coil with the mobile computer, automatically associating it to the coil ordered by the customer. If the picked up coil does not match the one ordered by the customer the system signals the anomaly with an error message on the display of the Falcon X3 mobile computer.
Tracking occurs during the entire production process and when complete the product is prepared for shipping. The warehouse operators use a packing order and the Falcon X3 mobile computer to read the Odette labels on the finished products and create a picking ticket to be used by the shipper to load the truck. Once the material is loaded into the truck the information on the picking ticket is downloaded by the system and delivery notes can be printed.
Results
The new automated warehouse system and Falcon X3 mobile computer have significantly improved materials handling for Gabrielli. The same four people that handled 25,000 tons of steel before the adoption of the solution now handle almost double the amount. The company’s plants work more efficiently and the tracking process has been optimized, allowing Gabrielli to provide a further guarantee of quality to its customers, which is extremely important because quality certification of the physical characteristics of materials is fundamental. In addition, the improved production cost control and logistics management allows Gabrielli to provide its customers with better offers, combining quality with competitiveness.
Customer: Gabrielli SpA of Cittadella
Industry: Manufacturing/Metal & Steel
Application: Warehouse management
Country: Italy
Datalogic Products: Falcon™ X3
