Case Study Logistik Service GmbH industrial PC‘s help optimize the deployment of heavy-duty transport vehicles
noax IPCs for organizing transport jobs at Logistik Service GmbH
Thousands of tons in motion The heavy transport vehicles at Logistik Service GmbH are an awe-inspiring sight. Slag extractors and low-profile dump trucks weighing in at more than 110 tons thunder across the factory grounds at voestalpine Stahl GmbH while rolling pallet transporters boast loads of 300 tons. In terms of costs, 4,000 to 5,000 hours of this type of work each year rise easily into the millions, not to mention the burden on our environment. It is no wonder that management at voestalpine Stahl GmbH and its subsidiary, Logistik Service GmbH, place great value on optimizing operationsand eliminat„When you transport hundreds ing unnecessary of tons of goods on bumpy routing. What roads, you are dealing with better way to do completely different IT requirethis than to install ments than in an office setting.“ the latest IT equipment straight into the vehicles? As a result, back in 1998 the IT departments of both companies decided to go with noax industrial PC’s. Now, voestalpine and Logistic Service GmbH use noax PCs not just in their transport vehicles but in a variety of areas including specialty vehicles, management warehouse at the cold rolling plant, at the steel works and in other smaller divisions of the company. Firmly mounted in the driver’s cab of a range of specialty vehicles, they provide drivers with current information on transport jobsand routes. Engineer Ernst Riepl is responsible for transport logistics at LogServ and explains, “When you transport hundreds of tons of goods on bumpy roads, you are dealing with completely different IT requirements than in an office setting.” You need basically the same durability in your IT setup as you do in your vehicles.” Due to their robust construction, noax IPCs were obviously predestined for their job with Logistik Service
GmbH at the voestalpine Stahl GmbH facility Directly mounted to the chassis of the transport vehicles, all of the vibrations from the motor and the movement naturally go straight into the computer as well - and it has to be able to deal with those forces.
Durable in the dust But it is not only their resistance to vibration that makes noax PCs suitable for use at Logistik Service GmbH. Their sealed construction and protection class IP65 rating are also bia features.
redefine the concept of industry-ready. Computers from other manufacturers let fine dust into the machine’s interior through ventilation slots. This obviously causes major damage. So noax IPCs are completely dustproof. Logistik Service GmbH uses the noax Compact C12 model with a 12” monitor. This size gives drivers a comfortable screen to work with that shows all vital information clearly. The noax PCs stays in contact with the company network using a WLAN connection. This allows drivers to either send or retrieve any information they need straight from the touchscreen. For them it represents a massive simplification of their work because there is no more keyboard and mouse to deal with. The voest subsidiary went with SyncroTESS application software from Inform GmbH in Aachen, a platform developed to optimize internal logistics processes at large plants. The software allows the company to plan vehicle and equipment deployment, generate transport orders and organize incoming and outgoing deliveries. It also manages the warehouse as well as monitors the loading and unloading of trucks and transport vehicles - automatically and with full tracking capabilities.
Downtimes reduced dramatically Because these machines play an essential role in many complex processes, reliability is at the top of the list for Ernst Riepl and his colleagues. “We are totally dependent on the IT-supported vehicle deployment system functioning propWith a noax IPC, drivers can exchange transport erly,” says Riepl. “If the PC in the driver’s cab data with the company‘s IT network fails, the vehicle is more or less down as well. These computers are constantly exposed to the Then everything comes to a standstill.” That extremely fine dust of slag and ore operations. is why he so greatly appreciates the easy-toYet the machines from Ebersberg continue to repair nature and modular construction of the
Logistik Service GmbH was originally established to provide expertise in heavy transport and special goods logistics for Austria‘s largest steel manufacturer. As a result of this know-how, however, the company now generates over half of its revenue from businesses outside the parent company. noax industrial PC‘s contribute greatly to LogServ‘s ability to consistently provide its customers with high-end logistics solutions.
Every mile counts, when you‘re transporting hundreds of tons in materials. Industrial PC‘s from noax optimize deployments
IPC, not to mention the excellent service from noax. “Helping customers help themselves” is one of the basic pillars of the noax service philosophy. While many manufacturers require a defective computer to be sent in before it is returned - often weeks later - for operational use, noax has a qualificationprogram to make its customers into certified partners. Special training seminars provide the necessary knowhow to get your IPC back up and running in just a short period. If the customer requests it, noax will also provide loaner machines while the computer is being repaired.The system has proven very effective at LogServ.For over five years now, noax IPCs have been installed in the company’s special transportvehicles. In this period not one single vehiclehas been forced to stay at the depot due to a computer problem. In addition to the clever service program, noax IPCs convince when it comes to their inner qualities. The industrial computers feature hard drives, a distinct advantage over other mass storage media. Access to a hard drive is significantly faster and writing files to the hard drive causes fewer problems than with other
storage devices. Still, this detail was cause for skepticism among management at LogServ and voest alpine because the hard drive itself was thought to be particularly susceptible to failure. This initial mistrust among voest engineers was quickly disspelled, when the IPCs proved themselves more than reliable in everyday operations. If a customer still requests an alternative to traditional hard drives, noax can equip its IPCs with solid state disks (SSD). Regardless of whether you have an SSD or a hard drive, all primary components in a noax computer feature hightensile mounting elements and function without problems even after the greatest of shocks - the ultimate objective of noax IPCs is operational reliability. The rugged construction combined with the proprietary noax motherboard and a completely sealed design contribute to the computer’s IP65 protection class rating. The completely sealed construction allowed noax developers to avoid using sensitive external fans or the ventilation slots mentioned above. The IPC’s internal fan and inherently intelligent housing design also keep the computer’s internal mechanisms from overheating. The fan transfers
Despite strong vibrations that shake the entire vehicle, the noax IPC still reliably provides its services
any heat to the housing, which consists of a specially designed ribbed aluminum that then allows heat to quickly dissipate to the outside. An internal control system monitors certain para-meters such as temperature or voltage and shuts the machine down if limits are exceeded. Damage from heat or voltage surges are therefore avoided. This is yet another module that guarantees overall operational reliability. This coordinated effort between the different components has proven itself even in extreme summer temperatures when the cab of a vehicle can reach 50°C.
The next generation Riepl is more than satisfied with the industrial computers, “Since 1998, when we bought our first noax industrial PC, we have had no problems worth mentioning. These PCs are still performing the same service „These computers can do for ourheavy transport their job until they no operations.” Still, a longer function. And in switch to the next genmy experience this can eration is coming soon. be a fairly long time.“ Although Riepl and his colleagues also looked at IPCs from other manufacturers, LogServ has once again given the nod to the company from Ebersberg. In addition to the nine successful years that LogServ employees have worked with noax computers, the noax PCs were simply better when compared to other industrial PC’s. Still, not all of the older IPCs installed in vehicles will be replaced by new ones. Riepl explains that, “In our experience, the noax industrial PC is a safe and durable investment. That is why we use the old computers as long as we can. For me, it’s a question of cost efficiency.”
Logistik Service GmbH
Specifications and Application
Overview of Components
Company Profile:
Objectives:
Hardware:
Logistik Service GmbH is founded on April 1st, 2001, as a 100% subsidiary of voestalpine Stahl GmbH. The parent company gains a leading position among steel companies worldwide. Its subsidiary specializes its capabilities on the entire spectrum of logistical services for heavy transport. The company has 850 employees and generated revenues of 134.6 million Euro in fiscal year 2007/2008. Nearly half of those revenues are from companies apast of voestalpine Stahl GmbH.
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Optimization of resources for heavy-duty vehicle deployment
– Industrial PC Compact C12 and C15
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Computer-aided resource planning
– In-house developed noax all-in-one motherboard
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Improvement of delivery efficiency
– Input: particularly robust touch panel
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Cost reductions
– Bright, high-contrast TFT display
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Documentation of orders for tracking purposes
– Protection class IP65
For more information, please visit: www.logserv.at
– Completely sealed, without external fan
IPC Requirements:
Software:
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Use for vehicles in heavy transport deployments
– Operating system: Windows XP
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Resistance to jolts and shocks
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Resistance to dust and slag
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Easy for employees to use
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Easy-to-read touchscreen displays
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Maximum reliability in the most extreme conditions
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Control over certain parameters (temperature, voltage, etc.) to ensure operational readiness
– Application program: Logistics Software SyncroTESS from Inform GmbH www.inform-ac.com
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