JÄKL from Karvina cooperates with VSB-TUO on an innovative warehouse automation project

ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Karvina (AMTP), a traditional Czech manufacturer of profiles under the brand JÄKL, is collaborating with the Technical University of Ostrava (VSB-TUO) on a project for enhancing storage and handling processes in storage halls.

The project focuses on locating tagged bundles of longitudinally welded thin-walled steel profiles, pipes, and thin-walled open profiles in the storage spaces of the Karvina plant. “Our goal is to utilize the existing system and enhance it with active elements for monitoring and integration with peripherals, including MES system and crane control,” says René Fabik, CEO of ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Karviná. “The collaboration output should be faster shipment, time savings in loading preparations, and increased workplace safety,” added Fabik.

The main element of the proposed solution is the detailed monitoring of the 3D position of the load or crane trolley during crane operation. The crane will be equipped with a load detection system, which will allow for automatic confirmation of load movement and reduce the risk of operator errors. “We are currently working on several options for load detection. We are considering, for example, the implementation of an optical system using a laser scanner or the implementation of a weight sensor. Testing and optimization are planned for 2024, with full implementation expected to start in 2025,” said René Fabik.

Experts from the Department of Automation and Control at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at VSB-TUO are involved in the problem solution as part of the research project REFRESH which aims to support collaboration between students, researchers, top experts, companies, and representatives of the public sector. “Connecting academic and industrial partners contributes to transforming the Moravian-Silesian Region into a smart and green region and is an important prerequisite for successful innovation development. Many small and medium-sized companies, along with major industrial players, have promised to be part of the project, and here we see a specific real-life example of collaboration,” says Igor Ivan, the principal investigator of the REFRESH project and Vice-Rector for Strategy and Cooperation at VSB-TUO.