The NIMMSTA Smart Watch technology allows the 44 employees to keep their hands free while interacting quickly with the warehouse management system. This has led to a significant optimization of processes. With this innovation, the Fürth center has set new standards for high-performance picking and fundamentally revolutionized the way logistics works.
Every day, 44 employees work in the small parts warehouse (KTL) alone, spread over three levels and with over 80,000 storage locations at the site. Two thirds of the output volume is handled in the KTL alone. Up to 35,000 orders come in every day from a total of 550 customers, some of them with priority rush orders. The introduction of smart watches in January 2022 marks a significant step towards process optimization and has revolutionized work: hands remain free, processes are faster, interaction with the warehouse management system is direct and precise.
Mercedes-Benz's Fürth logistics center has set new standards for high-performance picking with the introduction of NIMMSTA's Industrial Smart Watch. With the ambition of increasing process efficiency and freeing employees' hands during picking, NIMMSTA technology has given these objectives a boost. In the small parts warehouse (KTL) alone, 44 employees pick every day, spread over three levels and with over 80,000 storage locations at the site. Two thirds of the output volume is handled in the KTL alone. Up to 35,000 orders come in every day from a total of 550 customers, some of them with priority rush orders.
The introduction of smart watches in January 2022 marks a significant step towards process optimization and has revolutionized work: hands remain free, processes are faster, interaction with the warehouse management system is direct and precise.
As part of multi-order picking, the logistics staff at Mercedes-Benz always pick five orders at the same time, which significantly increases productivity. In the first step, the containers are pre-equipped from A-E, i.e. container A and the corresponding code are married. The employee then receives information on the Smart Watch about the storage location, the removal quantity and in which bin the items are to be picked. In order to maximize accuracy, an error message appears on the Smart Watch display in the event of an incorrect scan. This must then be confirmed either via the touch display or via the trigger.
Additional acoustic and visual feedback helps to immediately draw the employee's attention to the error. This multi-stage feedback process minimizes errors and increases picking precision.
If, according to the system, a storage compartment is empty after removal, this information appears on the Smart Watch display with two options: "Confirm" or "Correct". Employees can confirm directly on the back of their hand that this information is correct, which means that the compartment will be refilled later, or if there are still goods in the storage compartment, a correction can be made using a numeric keypad with the correct quantity.
In cases where the stock is insufficient for a picking order, the Smart Watch allows the employee to enter the correct quantity directly. The "F2" function button opens a numeric keypad for this purpose. This can mean that the stock is marked for a partial delivery or that a repeat order is initiated. This direct interaction avoids delays and the workflow is maintained despite stock shortages.
Our software analyses, controls and optimizes each work step in real time.
The individual steps for each task are displayed to the employee on the smart watch. Even in the desired language.
The LightTag provides visual support. It flashes and shows the worker the next step in a matter of seconds.
