Contract machining firm Microart, based in Bavaria, has invested in a UniTower storage system and two automatic KASTOwin A 4.6 bandsaws from Kasto. All three are adjacent to one another at one end of the factory.

The cutting range of the saws is 460 mm, large enough for most of the material machined by Microart. Stock processed on the saws is stored in the 15.6-m high tower, which has space for 100 cassettes that hold material up to 6.5 m long. Two types of cassette are used with heights of 160 and 300 mm. Up to 2.5 and 3 tonnes can be loaded into each cassette type respectively. A storage and retrieval machine (SRM) handles the load carriers to deliver stock to the operator at ground level.

Previously, Microart employees had to laboriously store and retrieve long goods manually, but now they only have to push a button. The SRM automatically finds the relevant storage location thanks to the KASTOlogic warehouse management system. After employees receive order data, they call up the required material via a touchscreen which delivers the cassette to the retrieval station.

“The tower storage system and two automatic bandsaws run very smoothly,” states Dr Alexander Artmann, managing partner of Microart. “These investments have enabled us to set important milestones with regard to our corporate goals of automation, productivity, flexibility and quality.”
Managing director Michael Kerscher adds: “If there is a slight malfunction of the equipment, it is usually fixed easily and quickly by remote maintenance. However, if it’s really necessary, a Kasto engineer arrives at our factory in next to no time.”

For further information
www.kasto.com