DS SMITH: Robots at work, investing in technology to increase sustainability
DS Smith is constantly innovating to provide the best paper products and service for their customers. That’s why they decided to invest in 10 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to operate at their Kemsley Paper Mill, bringing major benefits for their workers, customers and the environment.
Kemsley Mill is no stranger to innovation
Kemsley has a long history of adopting the latest technology. When it was originally built in 1924, its four paper machines were the largest in the world. Today, the mill is the UK’s biggest recovered fibre-based paper operation and the 2nd largest in Europe, with an annual production capacity of over 840,000 t.
How to move thousands of tonnes of paper quickly, safely and sustainably?
Every day, around 2,400 t of paper leave the Kemsley mill for their customers. That’s the equivalent weight of 457 fully grown male elephants.
So, with the mill operating around the clock, 363 days a year, how does DS Smith manage this constant volume of paper reels moving from its machines to the warehouse, ready for despatch?
DS Smith needed a reliable solution to maintain efficiency in their continuous operations, and here’s where Rocla AGVs come into play, ensuring seamless 24/7 performance, enhancing productivity and increasing safety at the facility
Enter a team of skilled people, assisted by Rocla AGVs
Our intelligent, all-electric Rocla AGVs perform a variety of tasks around the now fully automated warehouse. This includes collecting reels from the production conveyor, storing them, and picking them for orders. The team at Kemsley has been upskilled to programme and maintain the new robot workforce, and when the AGVs aren’t tasked with work, they automatically switch to housekeeping mode, rotating stocks in order of age and consolidating stocks to maximise the warehouse capacity.
Five benefits to using new AGV technology
- AGVs don’t make mistakes
According to a GE digital survey1, human error is the biggest cause of unplanned downtime in manufacturing. AGVs operate 24/7 within strict rules that ensure constant performance time after time without incident. So DS Smith’s customers’ orders can always be met reliably. - Improved loading times
The recent boom in E-commerce has increased the demand for their papers and packaging. Rocla AGVs can transport the paper reels safely around the warehouse at up to 4,5 mph, with more precise stock handling, less damage to reels and improved loading times. So they can get paper to their customers sooner. - Reduced energy consumption
Our AGVs operate with zero local emissions within the warehouse and will enable DS Smith to operate efficiently with overall energy savings for decades. When an AGV detects a battery at 30%, it completes the current task and takes itself to the Automated Battery Exchange Station, where it chooses the optimum charged battery, ready for another 10-hour shift. - Zero accidents
The safety of the workers on the site is key and their long-term target is zero accidents at all the sites. Rocla AGVs improve workplace safety because, unlike traditional forklifts, they don’t require operating personnel, have monitored top speeds and can be fully equipped with sensors, alarms, lasers, or cameras to ensure zero harm. - More sustainable
The average lifespan of a forklift is 5 years of 24/7 operation. These AGVs are expected to be in service for up to 12 years since the project implementation date. Another example of how DS Smith is meeting the targets in their Now & Next Sustainability Strategy, and building the circular economy by keeping resources and materials in use longer.
Our AGV Solution
In 2020, driven by the goals of streamlining processes, achieving sustainability, and enhancing safety and efficiency, DS Smith introduced an AGV solution at their 96,000 m2 site. This solution included 10 Rocla AWTcc Paper Roll Clamp AGVs.
The Roll Clamp AWT is specifically designed for reel-handling applications, making it ideal for vertical and horizontal reel transport in printing houses, paper mills, converting, warehousing and more. At Kemsley, these vehicles manage reels weighing up to 3,500 kg and stack them at heights of up to 8.5 m performing warehouse processes.
We have not had a single damaged reel since the go-live in October – Glenn Gibson, Warehouse Manager at DS Smith
Currently, all roll movements within the warehouse are automated with AGVs. Two conveyors transport the rolls from production to the warehouse. The AGVs then pick up these rolls and deliver them to warehouse deep-stacking lane addresses determined by the Rocla WMS. When the expedition schedule and loads are indicated from the ERP to the WMS, the Rocla AWTs transport the rolls to dedicated lanes for each shipment in the dispatching area. After the truckloads are commissioned, operator-driven clamp trucks load the rolls onto trailers.
Thanks to the Automatic Battery Exchange system, where AGVs autonomously exchange their discharged battery for a fully charged one, this solution can operate 24/7, ensuring optimal performance and eliminating downtime due to charging needs.
Robots at work: DS Smith is investing in the latest technology to increase sustainability
DS Smith is investing in people and technology to embrace Industry 4.0
Manufacturing has always adapted and evolved but the papermaking industry isn’t famous for change. It’s often held back by the scale and capital investment needed to adopt new technology, so progress has come slowly and incrementally.
DS Smith is bucking the trend. By investing in AGVs, and training people to work alongside them, they are embracing Industry 4.0 – the fourth industrial revolution. Focused on digitalisation, Industry 4.0 will further boost the use of digital technology with smart and autonomous systems fuelled by data and machine learning.
Read the story on DS Smith’s website here
Results
By implementing a Rocla AGV Solution, DS Smith has significantly enhanced safety, reduced damage to goods, and achieved its sustainability goals. “We’ve actually removed the diesel trucks we had running around, so now our warehouse is fully electric,” explains Gibson. Additionally, the easy-to-use interface and highly communicative nature of Rocla AGVs allowed the logistics team at DS Smith to quickly adapt to this new technology, showcasing their leadership in innovative intralogistics solutions.
1 After The Fall: Cost, Causes and Consequences of Unplanned Downtime
