Complete AS/RS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System) Facilities Breakdown
The complete system is divided into six major modules: racking structure, storage/retrieval machines, conveying and transfer systems, intelligent material handling, sensing and safety accessories, and software control systems. It is widely used in factory raw material warehouses, finished goods warehouses, cold chain, pharmaceutical, and e-commerce warehousing.
I. High-Rise Storage Racking (Storage Structure)
1. Main Racking Types
1. Beam-Type AS/RS Racking for Stacker Cranes: Combined steel structure, available in rack-supported or rack-independent designs, height 6–35m, load capacity per storage location 500kg–3t, compatible with aisle-bound stacker cranes, FIFO (First In, First Out), strong versatility.
2. Shuttle Cart Dense Racking (2-way / 4-way shuttle): Dense multi-deep storage, storage density increased by 40%–80% compared to conventional AS/RS, equipped with shuttle carts + elevators, suitable for large volumes of same-spec goods (raw materials, grain & oil, cold chain).
3. Mini-Load Mezzanine Racking: Floor height 3–8m, box-type small item storage, paired with mini stacker cranes / carton shuttles.
Accessories
Steel pallets / plastic pallets, storage location end stops, rack rails, impact protection guards, maintenance platforms, lightning protection and grounding components.
II. Core Storage and Retrieval Equipment (Automatic Storage/Retrieval within Racking)
1. Aisle-Bound Stacker Crane (Standard for Traditional Pallet AS/RS)
- Types: Single-mast (light load ≤1t), double-mast (heavy load 1–8t); straight-rail stacker, curve-rail stacker, transfer-rail stacker
- Components: Travel mechanism, hoist mechanism, dual-extend telescopic forks, servo motors, laser positioning, safety anti-collision devices
- Parameters: Travel speed 80–360m/min, lift speed 20–120m/min, positioning accuracy ±2mm
2. Shuttle Cart System (High-Density AS/RS)
- 4-Way Shuttle Cart: Capable of moving in four directions (forward, backward, left, right), automatic level and aisle changing, powered by lithium battery / supercapacitor, speed 2–4m/s, first choice for dense storage warehouses
- Mother-Daughter Shuttle Cart: Mother cart handles aisle transfer, daughter cart handles storage/retrieval at storage locations, enabling deep multi-position storage
3. Carton Stacker Crane / Miniload: Automated storage of small cartons and parts
III. Inbound/Outbound Conveying and Transfer System (Racking and Warehouse Transfer Station)
Connects inbound station → stacker crane pickup location → outbound sorting area. Common equipment:
1. Roller conveyors, chain conveyors, belt conveyors
2. Lift-and-transfer units, diverters, vertical lifts, spiral continuous elevators
3. Pallet destackers, pallet stackers, buffer/staging conveyors, weighing and rejection conveyors
IV. Warehouse Transfer Equipment (Connecting Production Lines / Trucks Outside the Racking)
1. RGV (Rail-Guided Vehicle): High-speed transfer on fixed floor rails, speed 3–4m/s, ideal for high-volume point-to-point transfer
2. AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) Forklift / Laser-Guided AGV: Trackless flexible transfer, interfaces with trucks and production lines, flexible and adjustable routes
V. Sensing, Identification, and Safety Accessories
Barcode readers, QR code scanners, photoelectric sensors, over-height/over-width load detectors, safety light curtains, emergency stop switches, fire sprinklers, smoke and heat detectors, limit switches, conductor rails, electrical distribution cabinets, fieldbus components.
VI. Three-Tier Intelligent Software Control System (The Brain of the AS/RS)
1. WMS (Warehouse Management System): Inventory management, inbound/outbound order processing, storage location planning, cycle counting, integration with ERP/MES (enterprise production systems)
2. WCS (Warehouse Control System): Coordinates task allocation and route optimization for stacker cranes, conveyors, and AGVs
3. PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) Machine-Level Control: Low-level motion control and fault self-diagnostics for individual stacker cranes / conveyors
