Hybrid Automated Manual Storage Facility Priority Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article storage facilities face a trade-off between operational efficiency and installation costs, as high automation leads to increased costs but reduces efficiency when manual labor is introduced.
Innovation Solution
The proposed article storage facility consists of a first storeroom with high automation, a second storeroom with lower automation, and a retrieval work section, where a control system prioritizes unloading article holders from the first storeroom to maintain high operational efficiency while keeping installation costs low.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the entire storeroom is automated with stacker cranes and control systems, then operational efficiency is improved, but installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The storeroom is divided into a first storeroom with high automation (stacker cranes) and a second storeroom with lower automation (manual or simplified handling). This segmentation allows the system to achieve high operational efficiency for frequently accessed articles while reducing installation costs for less critical storage areas, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different levels of automation are applied to different regions of the storeroom based on local requirements. The first storeroom receives automated stacker cranes for high-frequency operations, while the second storeroom uses simpler manual handling for low-frequency operations. This local differentiation optimizes the balance between operational efficiency and installation costs.
2Device complexity
If manual labor is introduced to reduce automation, then installation costs are reduced, but operational efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments storage operations into automated handling for the first storeroom and manual handling for the second storeroom. This ensures that high-value, frequent-access articles benefit from automated efficiency while less critical articles use cost-effective manual methods, preventing overall operational efficiency from deteriorating despite reduced automation in parts.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of fully automating the entire storeroom, the system applies automation partially to the first storeroom only. This partial automation achieves sufficient operational efficiency for critical operations while avoiding the excessive costs of complete automation, resolving the contradiction between installation costs and productivity.
3Quantity of substance
If more housing sections are added to increase storage capacity, then article holder storage is improved, but system complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Storage capacity is expanded by adding housing sections to the second storeroom which uses simpler manual handling. This approach increases overall storage capacity while adding less complexity compared to expanding the automated first storeroom, as manual sections require fewer integrated control systems and mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
An article storage facility 100 includes a first storeroom 1 and a second storeroom 2 with a lower degree of automation than the first storeroom 1. The number of first housing sections 12a in the first storeroom 1 is greater than or equal to a total number of target types, which are types of articles 9 to be stored in the first storeroom 1, out of the articles 9 of all types to be specified by order information. The number of second housing sections 21a in the second storeroom 2 is greater than the number of first housing sections 12a. A control system 10 executes an unloading process to cause the transport apparatus 4 to unload an article holder 8 holding articles 9 of the ordered type from either the first storeroom 1 or the second storeroom 2 to a retrieval work section 3 such that the first storeroom 1 is given priority over the second storeroom 2.