Smart learning with smart storage:

The Hänel Lean-Lift® provides university students with practical insights into cutting-edge storage and intralogistics systems.

At its Weiden campus, the East Bavarian Technical University (OTH) Amberg-Weiden has taken a step toward practical teaching and modern intralogistics. By investing in a Hänel Lean-Lift®, the university offers students a unique opportunity to familiarize themselves with automated storage processes. This forward-looking project was made possible thanks to the support of the Member of the Bavarian State Parliament, Dr. Stephan Oetzinger.

The new Hänel Lean-Lift® is a heavy weight in every sense of the word. Weighing around seven tons, the automated vertical lift is precisely tailored to the needs of OTH Amberg-Weiden. The Lean-Lift® was placed in the newly developed intralogistics laboratory and is an important element of the “SAP-based SmartFactory”, a digital model factory that provides practical training for students.

For Professor Günter Kummetsteiner, an expert in integrated logistics systems, this purchase has fulfilled a long-held desire. The innovative teaching approach was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Bavarian State Parliament.

Practical training with cutting-edge technology

The Hänel Lean-Lift® was installed and put into operation at OTH Amberg-Weiden following a joint design and planning phase with the experts from Hänel. The state-of-the-art Hänel storage system has since added a great deal of value for student education.

The automated vertical storage system offers Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Healthcare students valuable insight into operational logistics and modern storage management, allowing them to gain practical experience with SAP-based processes, preparing them to meet the demands of industry.

The university uses Lean-Lift® model 2460-635 as a central material and small parts storage system, enabling transparent inventory control. At the access point, the Hänel Pick-o-Light®-Vario unmistakably identifies the precise location where the item can be found using a LED indicator. The use of Plexiglas in the lift shaft cladding reveals the innovative technology of the Hänel Lean-Lift® and accentuates its contemporary appearance.

OTH Amberg-Weiden as a pioneerin the higher education landscape

OTH Amberg-Weiden is breaking new ground with the installation of the Hänel Lean-Lift®. It is one of the few universities to have integrated such a system into their academic teaching, making it particularly attractive for industrial partners. A number of companies have already expressed their interest in collaboration and are providing additional equipment.

But the potential of the Hänel Lean-Lift® is far from exhausted. The OTH team is currently working on integrating the Lean-Lift® into the university’s existing SAP S/4HANA system and is using the REST interface recently provided by Hänel to do this. This interface enables seamless inventory management and automatic control of storage and retrieval. Additional investments from the state funds provided are already being planned.

This pioneering project has allowed OTH Amberg-Weiden to set new standards in practical university training and strengthens its position as an innovative educational institution in the field of intralogistics and digital factory processes.

The installation of the Hänel Lean-Lift® at OTH Amberg-Weiden impressively highlights the added value of innovative storage and logistics solutions in academic education. The Hänel Lean-Lift® not only enables space-saving, efficient, and automatic storage, but also offers students practical insights into modern storage management systems.