One pioneering step towards electric and digital mobility: a new production environment has been created at the BMW Group’s Landshut site, geared towards a high level of technical cleanliness and a sophisticated logistics infrastructure. io was commissioned to design and implement an integrated hygiene and logistics system to meet the required standards. 

The aim was to create the technical and organizational environment required to produce particularly sensitive components under controlled conditions. A priority was also to automate the supply and disposal of goods as far as possible. At the heart of it all is a highly complex control unit that places stringent demands on quality and purity in later use. This is manufactured under conditions of technical VDA 19-compliant cleanliness and in ISO 9-compliant clean rooms – to protect against particle contamination, something which cannot be categorically prevented under conventional production conditions. 

Another special feature of the project was that the new production and logistics facility was implemented in an existing building. These particular constraints had to be taken into account during the planning phase and initial upgrades made to meet the new requirements.  

Holistic hygiene approachone

The io project team began with a comprehensive on-site survey. “A hygiene approach for sensitive production areas has to consider many aspects – from personnel flows and their changing areas to the choice of suitable protective clothing,” explains Max Frentzel, Consultant at io. “In particular, the design had to take into account people’s role as a potential source of particles.” The hygiene zone now comprises two production lines, cleanliness laboratories and the connection to the conveyor system. The different cleanliness areas are separated from each other by a sophisticated ventilation system with a defined pressure cascade. The system reliably prevents dirt particles from entering, ensuring the necessary standard of cleanliness in sensitive areas. 

Highly automated logistics approach

Alongside the construction of the new production facility, the logistics were comprehensively restructured. The new logistics strategy was not just about ensuring the supply of the newly constructed production line in the same building. The BMW Group plant in Landshut also needed to have its existing supply function automated and expanded through additional storage capacity.

A range of layout solutions was discussed and evaluated together and a preferred option developed. io was also able to contribute various alternative technical solutions into the planning process which not only included the warehouse technology.