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Intralogistics 4.0 and the intelligent material flow systems of material flow technology

Konrad Wolfenstein
Smart Intralogistics 4.0 Automation - Image: Xpert.Digital & Maciej Bledowski|Shutterstock.com

Smart Intralogistics 4.0 Automation – Image: Xpert.Digital & Maciej Bledowski|Shutterstock.com

The materials handling and intralogistics sector is part of mechanical engineering and deals with the organization, implementation, and optimization of internal material flows using technical systems and services. The intralogistics sector includes manufacturers of lifting equipment and cranes, forklifts, and warehouse technology (e.g., buffer storage ), as well as software providers and complete system suppliers.

Intralogistics refers to the logistical flow of materials and goods that takes place within a company's premises. The term was defined to distinguish it from the transport of goods outside a factory, for example, by a freight forwarding company.

We divide intralogistics 4.0 into 4 segments

Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0, or 4.0, is the term for a future-oriented project aimed at the comprehensive digitalization of industrial production, making it better equipped for the future. The term originates from the German Federal Government's Research Union and a project of the same name within the Federal Government's High-Tech Strategy. The goal is to integrate industrial production with modern information and communication technologies. The technical foundation for this is intelligent and digitally networked systems. These systems are intended to enable largely self-organized production: in Industry 4.0, people, machines, systems, logistics, and products communicate and cooperate directly with one another. This networking will make it possible to optimize not just a single production step, but an entire value chain. The network will also encompass all phases of the product lifecycle – from the initial product idea through development, manufacturing, use, and maintenance to recycling.

In 2019, the German materials handling and intralogistics industry generated approximately €23 billion in revenue and employed 128,000 people (2018). The industry figures refer to the following sub-sectors: cranes and lifting equipment, industrial trucks, continuous conveyors, logistics software and electrical automation, series-produced lifting equipment, storage facilities, as well as assembly, installation, and repair services.

Intralogistics – Production volume in Germany until 2020

Intralogistics – Production volume in Germany – Image: Xpert.Digital

This statistic shows the development of production volume in the materials handling and intralogistics industry in Germany from 2010 to 2020. In 2019, the production volume of the German materials handling and intralogistics industry was estimated at approximately €24.5 billion. – *Estimate. **Forecast

Production volume of the materials handling and intralogistics industry in Germany from 2010 to 2020

Intralogistics – Number of employees in Germany up to 2019

Intralogistics – Number of employees in Germany up to 2019

This statistic shows the number of employees in the intralogistics sector in Germany from 2010 to 2019. In 2019, the materials handling and intralogistics sector in Germany employed approximately 132,500 people. Figures for the years prior to 2015 are taken from previous years' publications.

Number of employees in the materials handling and intralogistics industry in Germany from 2010 to 2019

Key export countries for the German materials handling and intralogistics industry

Intralogistics – Germany's most important customer countries – Image: Xpert.Digital

The three most important export markets for the German intralogistics industry are the USA, France, and the Netherlands. In 2019, Germany exported materials handling and intralogistics products worth approximately €1.7 billion to the USA.

This statistic shows the most important export countries of the German materials handling and intralogistics industry in 2018 and 2019. In 2019, Germany exported materials handling and intralogistics products worth approximately 554 million euros to Austria.

Intralogistics – Germany's most important customer countries

2019

2018

Key countries worldwide for conveyor technology and intralogistics exports

Intralogistics – Key export countries worldwide – Image: Xpert.Digital

The statistic shows the most important countries worldwide for conveyor technology and intralogistics exports in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, France exported conveyor technology and intralogistics products worth approximately 3.6 billion euros.

Mechanical engineering & plant engineering: Germany's total export value in 2018 was €15.9 billion. This makes Germany the world's largest exporter of products in the materials handling and intralogistics sector.

Intralogistics – Most important export countries worldwide 2018

Material flow systems (Material Handling Automation)

When considering the flow of materials beyond the boundaries of individual production areas, we speak of a supply chain. More recently, the term value stream has become common, and its use is linked to the requirement that material flows be designed in such a way that value is added to the material in terms of customer benefit, thus avoiding waste.

In the relevant production areas, where material flow is affected during processing, handling, and distribution, these can include individual workstations, factories, departments, or plants. Areas can encompass various stations between goods receipt and goods issue: inspection, storage, processing, conveying (transporting), handling, assembly, collection, distribution, sorting, order picking, and packaging. At the boundaries of these areas or at the stations, the material flow is recorded based on the material flow objects. These can be goods, parts, or assemblies, but also different loading units, transport aids, and means of transport.

Material flow technology

Material flow technology is a subfield of mechanical engineering; it is the study of the design, planning and production of systems for transporting goods.

The subject of material flow deals with both the conveyed goods themselves and the conveying equipment, divided into discontinuous conveyors (e.g., cranes, industrial trucks) and continuous conveyors (e.g., belt conveyors, screw conveyors, chutes, and drop pipes), as well as the storage of the conveyed goods. Key performance indicators for material flow systems are calculated using material flow accounting or material flow analysis methods. Material flow analysis refers to the recording of transport processes and procedures, as well as storage and unintended residence of all materials within a company. The goal of this analysis is to identify weaknesses in the material flow and investigate their causes. Additionally, it enables the determination and allocation of material flow costs to the departments involved. Material flow is a significant cost and time-intensive factor. Therefore, material flow analysis is also considered to have high strategic importance. The graphical representation of material flow systems serves to highlight and clarify relationships and processes in order to identify specific data and weaknesses and facilitate their assessment.

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That's why Xpert.Plus is for smart intralogistics with AI for intelligent material flow systems in material flow technology

Xpert.Plus is a project from Xpert.Digital. We have many years of experience in supporting and advising on storage solutions and in logistics optimization, which we bundle in a large network Xpert.Plus

Konrad Wolfenstein

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