Feb 26, 2011 
Variosystems manages thousands of components for its customers’ assembly jobs. Until recently, the component storage has required significant effort. Now, with Essemtec's Tucano, component reels and trays can be stored locally in production.
For several months, Variosystems has been testing the Tower storage system in production. Open component reels and trays were not returned to the main storage, but kept within the Tower. This concept minimizes logistic efforts, reduces feeder setup time and the increases production flexibility. Based on the positive experience and savings, Variosystems decided to automate its complete component stock and move it into production.
Variosystems implements multiple Tower automatic storage systems from Essemtec. The Tower protects components from ESD, humidity and high temperatures when they are not set up on feeders. It features a controlled dry climate, in which components with MSL classification can be stored even without dry packs. Component storage and retrieval is simple, fast and fully automated.
The Tower offers storage space for 546 reels. For additional storage capacity, multiple towers can be clustered. The system includes software for stock management and consumption tracking. Component retrieval is just-in-time (JIT) when they are needed for feeder setup. The access time for every component is only 8-12 seconds.
Additionally, the Tower can reduce component storage and management costs in small or large production. It shortens access and handling time, avoids unnecessary baking of MSL classified components and saves masses of MSL and ESD protection packing materials.
The Swiss machine manufacturer Essemtec (http://www.essemtec.com) is a market leader in manufacturing flexible production systems for industrial users. Essemtec has been developing, manufacturing and marketing equipment and machines for all processes in the electronics industry since 1991: printers, dispensers, pick-and-place and soldering systems. Manual, semiautomatic and fully automatic systems are available. The range of products also includes transportation and storage systems, as well as software solutions for planning, simulation optimization and documentation of manufacturing. All Essemtec systems are optimized for maximum flexibility. Users can switch from one product to another in no time, making maximum use of available production capacity. Essemtec - Be more flexible.
