Würth Industrie Service chooses Epson’s TM-C3400-LT

Würth Industrie Service is a full-service and logistics service provider in the assembly technology sector that supports industrial clients in improving their supply of C-parts (very low priced everyday essential items such as nuts, bolts, screws, etc).

With a range of over 1,000,000 items, the company is an ideal partner for clients from the automotive, mechanical engineering, assembly and chemical sectors, alongside many others. To guarantee the seamless and timely supply of C-parts, Würth Industrie Service uses a kanban system and at the centre of this is a refined circulation system of special transport boxes.

Background

"C-parts" are the problem children for industrial clients. A large number of articles generate a substantial administrative outlay for purchase, approval and control, however, they only represent a small part of the value of the goods – often less than 10% of the goods handled. Often, about 50% of all orders are involved only with the procurement of C-parts.

Leading manufacturers like Würth Industrie Service, therefore, specialise in the provision of services for the procurement and management of C-parts for made-to-order and mass production manufacturers. In this way, the client reduces their outlay to a minimum and, in addition, gets seamless flow control and documentation of every goods order and movement.

The Würth Industrie Service process is based on a barcode-supported container system that produces a rapid and secure supply of C-parts. For this, Epson's TM-C3400 series label printers produce the individual adhesive labels and are, therefore, central to an efficient supply chain.

Transport boxes, called "Würth small load carriers", are filled, provided with a client-specific barcode label and then remain with the client as a storage box. When they are empty, they are recorded and returned to Würth, where they are cleaned and refilled. For this circuit to function, all container movements are recorded, tracked and evaluated.

This takes place at Würth Industrie Service based on a special container label. In addition to data such as container size, fill amount and storage location, it also contains all the information necessary for batch tracking, such as client and Würth item number, fill amount and batch number Because of its high quality, the client can also employ the re-usable label for shelf marking. The C-parts are taken from the flexible front of the small load carrier.

High demands on the labels

The Würth Industrie Service process requires the use of special labels that must adhere strongly, so they do not detach in an industrial environment, yet must be easy to remove at the end of a container's cycle. Still greater demands are made by the company for the printing of the labels themselves. Therefore the C-parts are featured on the container labels, thus simplifying the finding of a special item.

Since November 2011, four of Epson's TM-C3400 series label printers have been supporting the logistics service provider from Germany. The TM-C3400 is a colour system based on Epson's inkjet printing technology. Thanks to its durable pigment ink, the device produces long-lasting and smear-resistant colour printouts on a variety of materials, such as pre-punched labels, armbands or – as in the case of Würth Industrie Service – continuous adhesive labels. It was this powerful printing technology in particular that was decisive in the selection of the Epson system.

Harsh industrial operating environment

"Industrial clients place very high demands on printed labels. In manufacturing companies, oils, cleaning agents and grease are used a great deal," explains Andreas Kania from the IT department of Würth Industrie Service. "For labels to survive in this environment, they must be resistant to chemicals and dirt. The TM-C3400 and its ink, guarantee label legibility, even in a harsh, day-to-day logistics environment." This is an essential prerequisite of a functioning store replenishment and supply system.

Another of its prerequisites is the rapid turnaround of incoming orders. These days, manufacturing companies operate virtually without a parts store. Diminishing stocks of C-parts must be replenished as quickly as possible. In the selection process, the TM-C3400 also scored on its speed. The device delivers up to 1,000 labels per hour and is easy to refill from the front. The printing data itself is sent automatically to the Epson printers from the control stations of the Würth conveyor system. A significant requirement of the company's was also to adopt a printing system that allowed maintenance-free use. One TM-C3400 ink cartridge is sufficient to print 7,500 labels and the standard integrated auto-cutter cuts rolled or continuous paper reliably, according to Würth's requirements. This avoids unnecessary paper cutting and avoids having to store different label sizes.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Before the introduction of Epson label printers, Würth Industrie Service produced its labels using the thermal transfer (TT) process. Apart from the higher usage costs of these devices, the TT printers could not process images. Only with the TM-C3400 was it possible to print a picture of the particular part onto the label and therefore onto the Würth small load carriers. As the clients use the containers for storage in particular, the product images facilitate the rapid location of any part. Printing in colour, which had also not been possible, now helps to avoid picking errors from the containers and at the same time maximises the quality and security of supply. Printed client logos, for example, individualise deliveries and make confusion virtually impossible.

As a result, the initial period of use of the new Epson printers was rated extremely positively by Würth Industrie Service. "We have been using this type of printer for about four months and our experiences have been entirely positive," sums up Andreas Kani.

Würth Industries Services was supported by Computer OEM Trading (COT) GmbH.  Michael Rabbe, system devices manager for Epson Germany, talks about the partnership: "Having worked with leading companies from different sectors, COT is both a technological driver and a flexible service provider. Based in Germany, the company is a recognised specialist in IT components and bespoke solutions in the logistics, manufacturing and trade sectors, which provides clients with two distinct advantages: on the one hand the company has outstanding technical understanding based on the know-how derived from its own development department and, on the other, it focuses directly on the needs of individual clients. In this wasy COT is in the position to fulfil even complex requirements rapidly, from an individual product to the complete system and from advice to service."