Definition

Due to their ability to fully utilize space for storing goods, these warehouses are often metaphorically referred to as "vertical warehouses."

The Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) is a revolutionary achievement in logistics technology. It typically consists of high-level racks, aisle stackers, conveyors, control systems, and a Warehouse Management System (WMS), enabling automated storage and retrieval operations of unit loads under the control of a computer system.

Development History

The emergence and development of automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) are the outcomes of production and technological advancements. In the early 1950s, the U.S. saw the birth of AS/RS using bridge cranes; by the late 1950s and early 1960s, driver-operated aisle cranes in AS/RS appeared; in 1963, the U.S. was the first to adopt computer control technology in high-bay warehouses, establishing a computer-controlled AS/RS. Subsequently, AS/RS automated rapidly in the U.S. and Europe, forming a specialized discipline. In the mid-1960s, Japan began to develop AS/RS, with an increasingly rapid pace, becoming one of the countries with the most automated AS/RS in the world today. China's research and development of AS/RS and material handling equipment started relatively early; in 1963, a bridge crane (from the Beijing Research Institute of Lifting and Transportation Machinery under the Ministry of Mechanics) was developed, and in 1973, China began to develop an AS/RS controlled by computers (15 meters tall, with the Lifting Institute under the Ministry of Mechanics responsible), which was put into operation in 1980. As of now (2009), China has over 1,200 automated AS/RS. Due to their high space utilization, strong inventory handling capabilities, computerized control management, and their benefits for implementing modern management, AS/RS have become an indispensable warehousing technology for corporate logistics and production management, and are increasingly valued by businesses.

Application

Automated vertical storage systems have a wide range of applications, spanning nearly all industries. In our country, the main industries utilizing automated elevated warehouses include machinery, metallurgy, chemicals, aerospace, electronics, books, food processing, tobacco, printing, distribution centers, airports, and ports.

Basic composition

The automated vertical storage system is basically composed of the following parts:

4.1 High-rack storage: Steel structural storage for goods. Currently, there are mainly two basic types: welded racks and assembled racks.

4.2 Pallet (Container): A device used for carrying goods, also known as a work station tool.

4.3巷道堆垛机: Equipment for automatic loading and unloading of goods. Divided into two basic forms: single-column and double-column; and into three basic forms: straight, curved, and transfer car.

4.4 Conveying System: The main peripheral equipment of the automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), responsible for transporting goods to or from the stacker. There are many types of conveyors, including roller conveyors, chain conveyors, lifting platforms, distribution carts, hoists, and belt conveyors, among others.

4.5 AGV System: Automatic Guided Vehicle. Divided into Inductive Guided Vehicles and Laser Guided Vehicles based on their guidance methods.

4.6 Automatic Control System: The automatic control system for driving various equipment of the automated storage and retrieval system. Currently, fieldbus-based control mode is predominantly used.

4.7 Inventory Information Management System (WMS): Also known as the Central Computer Management System. It is the core of a fully automated three-dimensional storage system. Currently, typical automated three-dimensional storage systems all use large database systems (such as ORACLE, SYbase).Build typical client/server architectures (e.g., in SE), which can be interconnected or integrated with other systems (such as ERP systems).

 Superiority

The advantages of an automated vertical warehouse are multifaceted, and for businesses, they can be reflected in the following aspects:

Space utilization

5.1 Enhance Space Utilization: The early concept of three-dimensional warehouses was fundamentally about enhancing space utilization and fully conserving the limited and valuable land. In some developed countries in the West, the idea of enhancing space utilization has taken on a broader and deeper meaning, with land conservation being linked to energy conservation, environmental protection, and other aspects. Some even consider the space utilization rate as a crucial indicator for evaluating the rationality and advancement of the system. The space utilization of a three-dimensional warehouse is closely related to its planning. Generally, automated high-rise warehouses can achieve a space utilization rate 2-5 times higher than that of ordinary flat warehouses, which is quite remarkable.

Logistics System

5.2 Facilitates the formation of advanced logistics systems and enhances corporate production management levels. Traditional warehouses are merely places for storing goods, with preservation as their primary function, representing a "static storage" approach. Automated vertical warehouses, equipped with advanced automated material handling equipment, not only allow for the automatic storage and retrieval of goods within the warehouse as needed but also enable organic connections with production stages outside the warehouse. Through computer management systems and automated material handling equipment, warehouses become a crucial part of the corporate production logistics. The entry of externally purchased components and self-manufactured production parts into automated warehouses is a stage in the overall production process. Short-term storage is to automatically release goods for the next production stage, thereby forming an automated logistics system. This is a "dynamic storage" method, also a significant technical trend in the development of automated warehouses today. The aforementioned logistics system is also a subsystem of the entire corporate production management system (ranging from ordering, necessary design and planning, scheduling and production arrangement, manufacturing, assembly, testing, shipping, etc.). Establishing real-time connections between the logistics system and the corporate system is another significant technical trend in the development of modern automated overhead warehouses. Modern enterprises have higher management requirements, and the mindset of "management creates benefits" has become a consensus among most modern corporate managers.

Production management is a crucial component of enterprise management, encompassing product planning, production organization, logistics planning, procurement of external equipment, product quality, cost estimation, and more. As a central part of the production process, the automated overhead storage system is almost involved in the entire production management process.

Access and withdrawal rhythm

5.3 Accelerate the pace of goods handling, reduce labor intensity, and enhance production efficiency. Establish a logistics system centered around an automated multi-level warehouse, which also boasts the advantages of rapid intake and output capabilities of the automated high-level storage. It can swiftly and properly store goods in the high-level storage (intake) and also deliver the required components and raw materials to the production line in a timely and automatic manner. This feature is unattainable by conventional flat warehouses. Moreover, the implementation of the automated multi-level warehouse is a typical example of reducing labor intensity. This reduction is comprehensive, including: 1) Replacing manual handling of goods and picking with automated aisle stackers, which is both quick and labor-saving. As workers do not need to enter the warehouse, the working environment is greatly improved. 2) Utilizing a computerized management system for goods management significantly enhances the management capabilities, making warehouse management scientific, with improved accuracy and reliability. Tasks like intake/output management, inventory, and reporting become simpler and faster, greatly reducing the labor intensity. 3) Supporting the multi-level storage system with auxiliary conveying equipment at the warehouse entrance simplifies and facilitates intake/output operations. 4) The automated multi-level warehouse system requires minimal personnel for operation and system maintenance, saving both human and material resources, reducing costs, and improving the working environment, achieving multiple benefits with a single action.

Excess Inventory

5.4 Reducing Inventory Capital Pressure Through investigations of some large enterprises, it has been found that due to historical reasons, management methods are outdated, material management is scattered, making it difficult to establish a tight connection between production management and production processes. To achieve expected production capacity and meet production requirements, an adequate supply of raw materials and components is necessary. This results in a significant inventory issue. How to reduce inventory capital pressure and fully meet production needs has become a major challenge for large enterprises. The high-bay storage system is one effective means to address this issue. 1) A factory logistics system centered around an automated high-bay storage facility solves the circulation and supply-demand conflicts across various production stages. It ensures that the supply of raw materials and the production of components meet optimal levels. 2) The establishment of a computer network system allows for more timely and demand-matching procurement of raw materials and purchased components. 3) The implementation of a computer management system strengthens macro-control functions, enabling production stages to better meet actual demand. 4) The establishment of finished goods and semi-finished goods warehouses addresses temporary discrepancies in market supply and demand, fully utilizing the company's production potential. 5.5 Symbol of Modern Enterprises Modern enterprises adopt intensive large-scale production models, requiring close integration of all production stages into an organic whole. Production management must be scientific and practical, with decision-making being scientific. Establishing an automated high-bay storage system is one powerful measure to achieve this. As previously mentioned, automated logistics systems offer unparalleled advantages in maximizing space utilization, meeting production requirements, reducing labor intensity, improving production efficiency, strengthening production and material management, and reducing inventory capital pressure. These are precisely what modern enterprises require and pursue. Due to the adoption of computer management and network technology, it is now possible for corporate leaders to quickly grasp various material information and for engineers, production managers, and technical staff to promptly understand inventory information for optimal production process planning and efficiency improvement. The Internet and corporate intranets provide extensive space and robust technical support for online connections with the outside world, breaking through information bottlenecks, broadening horizons, and promoting both external and internal integration. Looking at large enterprises domestically and internationally, since the 1960s, the gradual adoption of automated logistics systems has become an indispensable part of corporate production management. According to relevant statistics, Japan has already established over 8,000 automated high-bay storage facilities (logistics systems). The establishment of an automated high-bay storage system has become one of the important symbols of modern enterprises.