How Does Automation Work? An Interview with Louis Vieira

Many companies these days are turning to automation to make their intralogistics setup efficient and future-proof. But a major step like this requires careful consideration and proper planning. Louis Viera, Head of Sales Automation & Intralogistics Germany at Linde Material Handling, explains what to do, which driverless transport systems are most suitable, and why good project management is essential.

Louis, why is the trend in intralogistics moving so strongly towards automation?

For many companies, competitive pressure is increasing and the number of orders is growing. At the same time, there is a shortage of skilled workers and new recruits, especially in the warehouse and in production. These pressures are only likely to increase in the coming years as the baby boomers gradually retire. Automated guided vehicles could be one way to mitigate this shortage of personnel, particularly when it comes to monotonous and repetitive tasks. This, in turn, would take the pressure off the other employees, who could then dedicate their time to more important tasks. We are already seeing today that this can quickly pay off: although automated vehicles are relatively expensive to buy, they save you money from the very first minute they go into operation, helping to reduce both labor costs and accidental damage. The vehicles are also less susceptible to wear, which means they can be operated for longer and reduce ongoing service costs.

Why would you recommend Linde Material Handling solutions to customers?

We offer a complete automation package, starting from comprehensive consulting and extending to the wide range of trucks in the MATIC series. This means we can cover almost all relevant warehouse processes. For complex transportation tasks in wide-aisle and high rack warehouses, for example, we recommend our automated reach and VNA trucks. For ground transport or combined applications with storage and retrieval up to around four meters, we have automated mobile platforms and pallet stackers available.

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In your experience, what are the most important factors for customers?

System availability is a key concern for many customers. We offer an impressive range of standardized components that allow all Linde MH network partner technicians to carry out maintenance and service work, which greatly increases the availability of the vehicles during ongoing operations. Last but not least, it’s extremely important for our customers to have an automation layout that is scalable, expandable, and extendable. Flexibility is the keyword here—and that’s certainly something we can provide with our solutions.

What do customers need to be aware of when automating their processes?

Experience shows that caution is essential. In the past, automation was mostly just about individual process steps. Today, it’s often entire zones that are being automated. This naturally makes the process more complex. In order to automate processes efficiently, they first need to be accurately mapped and standardized. Only then can we establish which tasks are suitable for assigning to automated guided vehicles. Are they being used to transport goods between roller conveyors and transfer stations? Or do they handle replenishment in the warehouse? What does integration into existing processes look like? If the devices are used in mixed operation with manual forklift trucks, for example, this needs to be taken into account during planning. You need to have the right IT infrastructure in place so that the vehicles can exchange data with our customers’ existing warehouse management system.

What factors are important in ensuring successful implementation?

A structured approach and professional project management don’t just help to maintain an overview; in fact, they are the key to success. Customers and suppliers need to work closely together and with clear goals in mind. That’s at least half the battle in ensuring that the project runs smoothly and that everyone is happy at the end.

What does professional project management look like in concrete terms?

Quality milestones at the end of each project phase have proven to be effective. We also use checklists to check that all targets and requirements have been met, so that the next stage can begin. This starts from preparing a quotation, and continues through the development of the automation layout, project realization, and on-site implementation with subsequent ramp-up phase, right through to live operations with service and maintenance. Project managers should also be appointed on the customer side to act as contacts for the overall project.

In addition to all the technical aspects, of course, people also play a major role. How are employees integrated into the projects?

That is an important point. Successful change management is crucial here. Employees should be included in the process at an early stage. This can be done through acceptance workshops, for example, which explain what the project is about and give employees the chance to ask questions. This allows us to handle any objections right from the outset. It is equally important to train employees in how to use automated vehicles. For example, they need to ensure that nobody walks into the security scanner area or that goods carriers do not block the vehicles’ transport and travel routes.

How much time do you need to plan for an automation project?

That all depends on the scope and complexity of the project. Some projects last seven months, others for several years. However, improvements to the software systems are helping to reduce implementation times. For example, our new automated Linde pallet stacker, the L-MATIC HD k, uses innovative software solutions to reduce commissioning time.