Forklift computers boost at Jaguar Land Rover

When premium automotive manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover was looking to automate its new 400,000 sq ft (37,000 sq m) parts warehouse in Ellesmere Port, it needed proven mobile computers for its 30 forklifts and a wireless network infrastructure that could be up and running within just six weeks.

Jaguar Land Rover had already invested heavily to develop and improve the efficiency and responsiveness of its supply chain. It has rationalised the number of parts required for a growing range of models and improved parts distribution. It has also invested in a new logistics centre at Ellesmere Port. Here it can support production of the new Range Rover Evoque model, manufactured at its Halewood plant.

A high level of automation in the warehouse is key to the efficiency of its operation, with forklift trucks being used both to put-away components received from suppliers and to pick orders bound for the production line. Jaguar Land Rover needed to equip each forklift with a rugged truck-mounted computer to guide operators through put-away and order picking operations. As well as being tough enough for use in the fast-moving warehouse environment, the units needed to support the warehouse’s management system, be easy for operators to use and comfortably run for a complete shift without needing to change or recharge batteries.

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The company was looking for a proven solution that would be quick to implement, as the new facility needed to be operational within a tight timescale of just six weeks. Taking all of these factors into account Jaguar Land Rover chose the Thor VX8 Vehicle-Mount Computer from Honeywell Scanning & Mobility. As well as meeting all of its operational requirements it features Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, a rugged yet functional touch-screen design and a tough IP65 rating.

“The ability for our software to work seamlessly on the Honeywell Thor VX8 units was a deciding factor in their selection for use within the facility,” states Steve O’Connor, logistics launch manager for Jaguar Land Rover. “This, alongside their ruggedness and ease of installation was of great importance given the timescales.”

For real-time visibility of operations at the facility, establishment of an effective Wi-Fi network throughout a warehouse that is bigger than five Premiership football pitches was just as important as the correct choice of mobile computer.

Honeywell partner Ensign, which has worked successfully with Jaguar Land Rover for over eight years, was also commissioned to design and install the Wi-Fi network with comprehensive wireless coverage as part of a wider network infrastructure. The wireless network needed to be able to handle the 30 forklifts moving at high speed throughout the warehouse.

Working at heights of up to 9 metres engineers installed a total of 39 Cisco 1262 access points. Of these 11 were mounted on the periphery walls of the building and 26 were positioned on girders in central areas of the warehouse. Each Cisco access point was fitted with a MIMO antenna and housed within an IP rated fibreglass enclosure to ensure the electrical connections were protected from the extreme warehouse conditions.

The result was an effective wireless network throughout the warehouse, which enables forklift operators and their Honeywell Thor VX8 Vehicle-Mount Computers to remain in constant contact with the network for full real-time visibility of operations.