Cargo transportation is the basis of production processes in various types of storage facilities . Lifting and moving operations are less often carried out manually and require the use of specialized equipment. At the present stage of development of warehouse technical support, automatic components and assemblies are considered the most effective solution to transportation problems of this type. Another thing is that the implementation of this automation can have different structural forms and functional content.
What equipment is used for automation?
The entire working infrastructure can be defined by three functional groups:
- Stationary immovable devices and structures. This is a traditional container and other components of warehousing that perform the immediate task of maintaining the target product. In particular, the most common unit of this type is a shelf or rack.
- Automation as such is provided by drive mechanisms. These are motors connected to control controllers on the one hand, and on the other hand, mechanically connected with manipulators and other executive bodies. As a rule, the operation of automatic warehouses and their equipment is supported by electric motors, but in the presence of an effective forced-exhaust system, the use of gasoline engines is also allowed. Although the trends nevertheless indicate an increase in demand for compact rechargeable power supplies and industrial batteries, which together with automation comprehensively provide warehouse engineering functions.
- Executive devices. A wide range of technical means and mechanisms that directly perform the operations of loading, unloading, lifting and transportation of goods. It can be stacker cranes, chain conveyors, suspended manipulators, conveyor belts, etc.
Design of automatic warehouses
Designing is carried out in several stages, taking into account a large array of input data. First of all, a logistics scheme for cargo flows is determined, which will have to work within a specific warehouse site. By modeling, designers build a dynamic scheme of the movement of goods with operating points of loading, unloading and lifting. For the transport network, the flow paths with the technical infrastructure are calculated - the parameters of rails, conveyors, suspension systems, etc. are determined. Each executive body of an automated warehouse system receives its own specification at the design stage indicating the necessary operational characteristics. The capacity, gripping method, material of manufacture, wear resistance and other equipment qualities are mandatory taken into account. On the basis of the functional diagram, the final design part is developed with the distribution of places for optimal storage of goods from the point of view of ensuring their safety and ease of performing physical manipulations.
Elevator systems
In conditions of the maintenance of bulky goods at large high-altitude industrial areas, it is advisable to use the elevator configuration of the arrangement of the automated complex. These are vertical storage mechanisms on pallets that move along certain contours between technological storage points. Moreover, modern elevator structures are flexible in installation. They are built on prefabricated modules that allow wide possibilities for height growth. Interaction with goods in an automatic warehouse of this type is carried out by a manipulator-extractor with a given program of movement between the shelves. The device moves along the rollers with certain speed settings. To ensure the accuracy of manipulations, the mechanism is also equipped with special sensors for monitoring the position of the cargo, which in real time interact with response sensors in free places of the cargo.
Carousel systems
Similar systems are also called elevator systems. They are used in commercial storage facilities for multi-format products. However, the designers recommend that in advance as accurately as possible determine the size of the shelves by length, depth and height. This will optimize the space when managing multifunctional racks. The basis of automated storage systems of the elevator type is shelves connected by chains. They also move on closed rails due to the efforts of the electric motor. But unlike elevator systems, carousels can be not only vertical, but also horizontal. In the second case, a lower load is assumed due to the lack of lifting force.
Equipping an automatic warehouse for small products
The configuration of the warehouse infrastructure intended for the storage of small products is more oriented not on power characteristics with optimized transport schemes, but on the rationality of the cellular content. The principle of storing “goods to people” is also important, according to which the service process should provide a short access time to a specific unit of goods. In an optimized form, this concept is implemented without tare manipulations, which initially implies a special configuration for placing racks with high density and many transition sections. With regard to management, the automatic warehouses of small goods provide for the point-wise connection of the drive system with electronic control to each section. Together with the physical control mechanism in this case, a high degree of security is provided with unauthorized access control.
Positioning systems
Along with mechanical controllers and manipulators, devices are increasingly being introduced for the address positioning of smart racks and shelves. The structure of such systems includes code plates, through which synchronization with executive equipment is provided. For example, in coding of automatic warehouses with stacker cranes, binary number systems or the Gray code are usually used, which increases the reliability of addressing. General operational control is carried out through the on-board computer or centralized dispatch console.
Automated Warehouse Benefits
The concept of automation of warehouse storage gives a lot of advantages to the direct owner of the facility and maintenance staff. Among its main positive properties, the following can be distinguished:
- Rational use of the area. Space savings compared to traditional storage models can reach 75%.
- Minimizing the number of errors associated with the picking and distribution of goods.
- The ability to integrate intelligent access control with multi-level authentication by relevant rights.
- Ergonomic management. At the current level of development, warehouse automation seeks to completely eliminate the physical contact of a person with the working environment. Already in the near future, such systems will be able to be controlled via wireless remote channels with digital monitoring.
Disadvantages of an automated warehouse
Along with the advantages, there are weaknesses in automation systems in the conditions of warehousing of goods. They are associated with the following nuances of application:
- High investment. Like all new technologies, an automatic storage system is expensive at the first stage of implementation. Another thing is that in the future, these investments can pay off.
- Problems of interaction with customers. The efficiency of warehouse infrastructure management sufficient for payback is possible only in cases where all the logistics stages to one degree or another are subject to the principles of automatic control. Otherwise, technological difficulties may arise with the acceptance of goods, the recognition of markings and the implementation of other operational processes.
- High requirements for engineering and communications infrastructure. Technologically, providing a warehouse with automation is possible only if there are certain engineering and construction capabilities at a particular site.
Conclusion
In Russian conditions, the scope of application of automated systems is constantly expanding. Although the warehouse infrastructure is traditionally considered rather conservative in terms of technological support, increasing requirements for the characteristics of logistics processes are forcing owners to upgrade such facilities. However, while this applies only to large industrial enterprises and, in principle, technologically developed areas. For example, automatic warehouses of tools and equipment for construction purposes successfully work with elevator and carousel service technologies. Small goods are even more interested in a controlled automatic storage system. In particular, electronics, spare parts and other oversized, but expensive goods are increasingly being moved to rooms with sections provided with unauthorized access control.