Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML
Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML

Intralogistics planning

Are you planning a new warehouse and need advice on the best technology to use for optimal material flow or are you looking for someone to clearly reflect and analyze your processes? Then, regardless of the challenges you face, the Intralogistics Planning team provides you with comprehensive support.

Our portfolio covers the various stages of your individual planning project – from analysis to conceptual planning or tender support, to realization and operation – no matter what stage your project is at, we are at your side as a competent partner and take your logistics forward together.

In addition, our team offers individual training for your managers and employees on various areas in the logistics domain. If you have any questions about current topics such as Machine Learning (ML) or Artificial Intelligence (AI), please contact us.

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Quick Check

When investment resources are limited, the Quick Check provides a fast and efficient way to assess the current state of storage organization, technology, and IT. This streamlined tool assists small and medium-sized businesses in identifying weaknesses and areas for improvement, pinpointing areas for further investigation and creating a manageable list of recommendations for next steps. The Quick Check will help you clarify your key questions and develop a forward-thinking plan by making use of our leading technical expertise and extensive industry, process, and practical experience.

Advantages of the Quick Check

 

  • A neutral, external expert with extensive knowledge of logistics hardware and IT will conduct a quick, current, and forward-thinking assessment of your situation.
  • Transparency about existing weaknesses and potential areas for improvement. 
  • Concrete recommendations for action with prioritization of future measures
  • Argumentation support for allocation of investment budgets
  • Quick availability

Voices from the field

»Thanks to the support of Fraunhofer IML, DIY Element System GmbH was able to significantly improve efficiency of its warehouse logistics. We were particularly impressed with the small but effective process optimizations we made already during the conception stage, which resulted in significant savings without the need for expensive investments in new storage technology. Fraunhofer IML consultants contributed significantly to the success of the project due to their methodology and teamwork with our employees«

Christian Basedow, Investment manager Nimbus hands-on investors

Smart Planning

Smart Planning is a cost-effective and efficient solution for businesses that need to update their logistics solutions as customer demand increases, technology advances, order structure changes, and sales increase. Often, it is only a matter of time before the warehouse becomes too small or the warehouse technology no longer meets current needs. What should you do when your warehouse becomes the bottleneck for your entire logistics system? The solution would be detailed concept planning. However, time and money constraints do not always allow for this solution. 

The economical solution for warehouse planning

 

Safe time:

Through »Smart Planning«, we enable concept development without the need for extensive preliminary work, such as completing missing article master data. Despite, the time constraints, you can rely on the trustworthy advice of a knowledgeable partner. 

Save effort:

We will assist you with your project planning. This relieves your operationally involved employees of the burden of many planning tasks. Our extensive experience also provides you with an outside, objective perspective on your current solutions and structures.

Save expenses:

By simplifying some of the planning steps, you can get a solid storage concept at a very low cost. So even if you have a limited planning budget, we are the right partner for you.

 

As a neutral and independent partner, we offer our multidisciplinary know-how to support your project. Thanks to our many years of experience in Intralogistics Planning, we have both the procedural and technical know-how necessary to develop a customer-tailored concept.

Are you searching for competent and affordable warehouse planning?

In that case, »Smart Planning« is ideal for you!

Hybrid Planning

Hybrid planning for intralogistics systems requires in-depth process and industry knowledge as well as interdisciplinary expertise in warehouse technology, organization, and IT. This is why our warehouse design team consists of experienced engineers, IT specialists and logistics experts who are familiar with the latest trends, technologies, markets, and suppliers. Our team supports our partners with innovative ideas and total commitment: Clear in analysis, constructive in consulting, and competent in implementation. Hybrid intralogistics planning is divided into four stages, starting with the analysis of the current situation, and ending with the implementation.

Advantages of Hybrid Intralogistics Planning:

 

Save time and expenses:

Project processing by an interdisciplinary team of technology- and IT-experts improves efficiency and quality throughout the project, for instance, by recording current processes and designing solutions.

Optimal selection of equipment and technologies:

With the WMS database and a large number of supported technology and WMS tenders, our planning team has a comprehensive market overview and can assist tender and selection processes for WMS and technology providers efficiently. This also applies to the project-specific evaluation of possible provider constellations for the technology and IT scope.

Reduce WMS Implementation expenses:

When designing future solutions, the team pays attention to the available standard features of the WMS and avoids costly custom programming during the WMS implementation. 

The planned warehouse as a 3D-model:

Thanks to the cooperation of the departments »Intralogistics and IT-Planning« und »Machine and Systems«, the warehouse planning process can be enriched in the future with the help of the generative creation of the 3D-model of the warehouse. The three-dimensionality of small 3D models gives a new perspective to warehouse planning and gives customers a new view of the planned warehouse.

Voices from the field

»Theory and practice were well expressed in the cooperation. The Fraunhofer project team brought both, leading the project to a successful conclusion. Thank you.«

Norbert Streveld, Executive Director DIY Element System GmbH

 

Additional Informations

References

Thanks to many years of experience, we have proven reliability, solution competence and foresight in numerous projects with different partners and on different intralogistics topics.

Seminars and lectures

We are happy to share our knowledge and experience. Get an overview of current seminars and lectures from the logistics industry.

Logistik 4.0

In Industry 4.0, the real and digital worlds continue to grow together. The 4th industrial revolution has long since ceased to exist only on paper and as a vision, but also on the shop floor, where Industrie 4.0 technologies are creating significant competitive advantages for both large and small and medium-sized companies.

Fashion Logistics

As a specialist in textile logistics, we know that the textile market has its own style: Short product life cycles, strong seasonal peaks and high dynamics along the supply chain make the textile and apparel industry a particularly challenging and complex market.

Return management

The growth of online trade is unstoppable. Returns are a necessary evil in this context and must be taken into account in companies' business models.

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence bundles proven principles and practices into an overall strategy. Coordinated strategies and concepts as well as the continuous improvement of processes and procedures form the basis for a successful company. Operational Excellence focuses on people in order to meet current and future requirements.

Cognitive ergonomics

In the project »Cognitive Ergonomics«, psychosocial job characteristics of employees in the field of order picking are being investigated. Typical psychological workloads of warehouse workers can be deadline and performance pressure, monotony or multitasking.