Article Storage Facility With Priority Unloading Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article storage facilities face inefficiencies when unloading an article stored behind another article, as the process requires returning the second article to the storage rack, increasing the time to unload the first article.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control device that switches the transport device to an unloading priority mode, allowing the second article to be transferred first, followed by the first article, and then returning the third article to the storage rack, thereby reducing the time to unload the first article.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the second article is returned to the storage rack before unloading the first article, then the storage rack structure is maintained, but the time to unload the first article increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device dynamically switches between two control modes (first control mode and second control mode) based on operational priorities. In the second control mode, the system prioritizes unloading the first article by transferring both the second article and first article to the transport device, traveling to the relay section, and transferring the first article to the relay section without returning the second article to the storage rack. This dynamic mode switching resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to adapt its behavior based on whether structure maintenance or unloading speed is the higher priority.
2Productivity
If the transport device follows the conventional sequence of operations, then all articles are properly managed, but the efficiency of transporting articles decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device implements dynamic mode switching between a conventional control mode and an unloading priority control mode. The second control mode optimizes productivity by eliminating unnecessary return trips to the storage rack when unloading the first article. While this introduces control mode switching complexity, the benefit of significantly reduced unloading time and improved article transport efficiency justifies the added control sophistication.
3Ease of operation
If the second article is transferred to the transport device and then returned to the storage rack, then the first article can be unloaded, but the time to complete the unloading process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by transferring the second article to the transport device in advance, before the first article is unloaded. In the unloading priority mode, the second article is transferred to the transport device and held there, allowing the first article to be unloaded immediately without waiting for the second article to be returned to the storage rack. This preliminary transfer action eliminates the time delay associated with returning the second article to the storage rack.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport device serves as an intermediary between the storage rack and the relay section. Instead of directly returning the second article to the storage rack, the transport device holds the second article temporarily and uses this intermediary position to facilitate the unloading of the first article to the relay section without the time-consuming return trip to the storage rack.
Data Source
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AI summary
An unloading priority mode is a mode for causing a transport device to execute a first transfer operation, a second transfer operation, a first travel operation, a third transfer operation, and a second travel operation in this order. The first transfer operation is an operation of transferring a second article to the transport device. The second transfer operation is an operation of transferring a first article to the transport device. The first travel operation is an operation of traveling to a position corresponding to a relay section while holding the first article and the second article. The third transfer operation is an operation of transferring the first article to the relay section, and thereafter transferring a third article to the transport device. The second travel operation is an operation of traveling to a position corresponding to a storage section while holding the second article and the third article.