Case study — internal logistics in automobile manufacturing
85% shorter training, almost zero error rate
How DHL Exel Slovakia managed the growing production of its Bratislava car plant without increasing the number of employees — thanks to the M2L (Pick to Light) system from M2M Solutions.
0,0001 %
current picking error rate
-85 %
shortening the training time for a new employee
2 000+
various parts picked for three car models
DHL EXEL SLOVAKIA AT A GLANCE
Location Bratislava
Function Internal logistics in car production
Employees 1200
Systems in use M2L (Pick to Light)
Growing production, lack of people, pressure on quality
DHL is a global leader in the logistics market and offers a comprehensive portfolio of logistics and transport services through its four divisions. At the Bratislava car plant, it provides internal logistics — picking parts at commissioning workplaces exactly according to the production plan for a specific vehicle.
The constant increase in production, requirements for flexibility, lack of personnel and pressure to improve quality have presented DHL with a new challenge. When processing several cars at the same time, the need arose for more precise navigation, sequencing and control of parts picking. Manual management of these processes increased the risk of errors, slowed down the operation and made it difficult to have an overview of the status of individual positions.
The key became the need to simplify and speed up parts picking without having to change the existing shelves and large boxes at the workplace.
Are you dealing with the same thing at your workplace?
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One worker has to pick parts for multiple orders or vehicles at the same time and paper records can no longer handle it?
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Navigation to the correct warehouse position depends on the operator's experience, not on the system?
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Is your production growing, but you can't endlessly add people to the picking station?
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Do you lack reliable control of the correctness of picked parts before they are handed over to production?
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Do you want a modern solution that doesn't require demolishing or changing existing racks and boxes?
Good news: the solution is deployed directly into the original racks and boxes — without rebuilding the workplace.
Own patented Manipulate 2 Light system
By combining the pick by light and push to light methods, M2M has designed and created the unique Manipulate 2 Light system, protected by industrial design PUV50145-2014. The selection control from larger positions is ensured by a laser sensor with a range of up to 10 meters — the light goes out only after the selection is detected, so the operator has immediate confirmation of correctness.
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Selection control with a laser sensor with a range of up to 10 m.
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The LED goes out only after the actual selection is detected.
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Quick installation and easy change of position size with a swipe of the hand.
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The M2L system was deployed in production within 3 months and DHL has been using it since 2015.
M2L - manipulate to light (Pick to Light)
Color and number of lights instead of paper instructions
To navigate and sequence multiple cars simultaneously, M2M used programmable RGB LED strips. Different colors and the number of lit LEDs distinguish individual cars and the number of parts being picked — the cart is divided into three sections by color, each for a different car. Paper instructions have been replaced by digital instructions with a check of already loaded parts.
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Programmable RGB LED strips for navigating and sequencing multiple cars simultaneously.
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The number of lit LEDs indicates the exact number of pieces to be picked.
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Digital control replaces paper records.
0,0001 %
picking error rate
-85 %
shorter training time for a new employee
2 000+
various parts for three car models
What did it bring to DHL Exel Slovakia?
Measured in real operation of consignment offices.
Further operational improvements
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The workplace could be expanded without the need for new employees, despite increasing production.
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A paperless environment was created with easy training for new and replacement operators.
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Real-time overview of warehouse inventory and part types in the workplace.
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DHL even created a recruitment video from its workplace with M2L.
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DHL is expanding its cooperation with M2M to include other solutions — WMS, TLS and custom-developed applications.
In the next phase, DHL is expanding the project to include worker navigation when placing parts in carts, image recognition as a final check, and the integration of augmented reality for real-time recording of picked parts.
A new level of picking from M2M Solutions
Proprietary patented mechanism
Manipulate 2 Light is a unique M2M solution, protected by an industrial design — not licensed box technology from a third party.
Deployment without rebuilding the workplace
The system is deployed directly into existing racks and large boxes. Preserving the original infrastructure was an explicit requirement of DHL — and we met it.
Production growth without increasing the number of people
The workplace was able to expand to additional production volumes without adding personnel — the solution scales with production, not with the number of people.
Long-term cooperation, not a one-time project
DHL has been using the solution since 2015 and is gradually incorporating other M2M systems into it — WMS, TLS and custom applications.