ALS Automatic Logistic Solutions: Revolutionizing Warehousing and Distribution
Opening parcels at home is often not an easy task - for those who have to deal with this work process on a large scale in a company, ALS (Automatic Logistic Solutions) has a very fast and efficient method. BOS, or Box Opening System, is the name of the machine for automatically opening parcels. The company responds individually to the needs of the user.
Parcel opener – Box Opening System
ALS promises cost savings of 70% to 90% because their machines can do what they do five to eight times faster than before and what do they do? They make automatic parcel openers! A parcel rolls over a delivery belt and a machine cuts it open. Klas Bömecke: A clean cut, isn't it? Paul Kammerscheid: Absolutely! Klas Bömecke: That's quite impressive Mr. Kammerscheid, I mean, opening parcels is something that you understand from your own household as something very mundane. You go at it with a knife and somehow you get the thing open, but of course that's not possible by industrial standards.
Paul Kammerscheid: So at least we have something in common, namely this hand knife (standard household cutter knife) that we use at home. We can use the same blade with our different machines and, as you said, it's a very clean, smooth cut. However, this is only one variant. We can currently make nine different cuts with this machine alone - that's the Bos system - and we use different cutter heads, different knife blades, depending on what is needed for the customer's application. Klas Bömecke: Now you have several machines on offer because other companies may only need one cut. Paul Kammerscheid: Yes, we have 5 different systems at the moment. We only started with one system two and a half years ago and have built up the system according to customer requirements. We work according to the modular system and these 5 systems have a total of around 40 models at the moment, so that we have the right solution for each customer for the desired cut with the corresponding blade and also different throughput numbers or capacities of the systems. Klas Bömecke: And there are actually different types of cut required by the industry, because they have very different requirements for their cartons? Paul Kammerscheid: Yes, it essentially depends on the contents of the cartons, the thickness of the carton and how the customer wants the carton to be opened. What we see here, for example, is a hinge cut. This means that one side remains closed and you can open and close the carton, which is always interesting if there is a shipping label that should remain with the goods until I finally take the goods out of the carton, because I may have to check the label again, for example for returns, if there is no returns bill. This machine here makes seven different cuts. But we are still developing it further. Depending on when a customer wants a new cut, the machine is also taught this via the control system and so we are extremely flexible to have the right cut for everyone.
Automatic parcel opener: hinge cut and window cut
Klas Bömecke: Your other models are more for customers who always have the same requirements, aren't they? Paul Kammerscheid: Yes, you have to differentiate between two basic techniques: One is, the carton is stopped and the blade moves around the carton or the blade is stationary and the cartons are pushed underneath or past the side, so to speak, in order to then cut open the carton. Klas Bömecke: Now you've told me something about a window cut. We can see that over there. Both go to a different location on the stand. Klas Bömecke: When I open a package at home - with this carpet knife - then I somehow stuff it in there. Most of the time it's not very coordinated and you always have to be a bit worried about your fingers. Paul Kammerscheid: That's right, yes, and you've already seen that if you get too deep into the box, the goods will be damaged. With a blade like this you have a pulling cut, which we have as an alternative if we already know that the box is very full then we have a rolling knife and the difference - you can imagine - if I go over your jacket with this (points to the carpet knife) it's ruined. If I go over the jacket with this, it pushes the goods away, so it's undamaged. Klas Bömecke: And it's still razor sharp? Paul Kammerscheid: It is razor-sharp. Both the outer and the inner blade. And depending on how deep you penetrate the cardboard with the knife, you can only perforate or cut. Klas Bömecke: Why do I want to perforate? Paul Kammerscheid: This is particularly desirable for window cutting, which means we have a cardboard box here. Mr. Kammerscheid takes a package with a smaller window cut out in a square Klas Bömecke: Window cut is clear.
Paul Kammerscheid: This means that in the mail order picking process, the goods are often picked out of the carton and a window is cut into it, but the goods are only perforated so that they don't fall out during transportation inside the warehouse - until the carton is on the right shelf - and then this window is removed by hand, so to speak. What you can see now - and this is the only reason why customers buy the machines - is that nothing is cut here, of course, and this happens with the perforating knife, which rolls over the goods and pushes them away if the knife penetrates too deeply into the carton, so to speak. Klas Bömecke: It's very clever, so to speak, it really only cuts through what it's supposed to cut through! Paul Kammerscheid: Yes, it does. Klas Bömecke: That's amazing. Paul Kammerscheid: And we can also use this knife for different systems so that we can make pulling or rolling cuts for window cutting as well as for other cuts. We can of course cover the entire spectrum of all industries or commercial products. This means that whether it's textiles, hardware, butter or cheese, we have the right knife for the job.
Klas Bömecke: Okay, so they are absolutely versatile, but who buys their machines? I mean, it won't be anyone who only has 10 parcels a day. Paul Kammerscheid: In principle, in industry, in wholesale and mail order, e-commerce, fulfillment - in other words, wherever there are large volumes of parcels and in all industries. Here we have the example of textiles, but we also have applications in the butter and cheese sector where the goods are packaged in hygiene film. We have C-parts, we are in the pharmaceutical sector, basically everywhere where goods are unpacked - repacked. For example - this is my favorite example - a food manufacturer that has to unpack 16 million empty new yoghurt pots a day in order to place them in filling machines and fill them with yoghurt or dessert. Klas Bömecke: And there is no longer anyone standing there with a knife and scissors, but with your machine. Paul Kammerscheid: Still today. But we are increasingly expanding there and as long as we are exclusive in the market, we are of course also counting on being able to expand quickly with the machines. Klas Bömecke: And what are the next fields you are tackling? Paul Kammerscheid: Well, we are currently cutting corrugated cardboard and, as you can imagine, there is also other packaging, which means we will also be able to process other materials in the future. Klas Bömecke: I can't wait to see what else is coming! Thank you very much and I wish you continued success. Paul Kammerscheid: Thank you and goodbye.
