Multi-level Storage Rack Shuttle Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems using shuttles face challenges in scalability and performance, particularly in combining the advantages of roaming and captive shuttles while minimizing roaming movement.
Innovation Solution
A storage system that utilizes dedicated storage rack levels for fast and slow mover transport units, with shuttles prioritized to fast mover levels and temporarily roaming to slow mover levels for retrieval, using exchange systems to facilitate level changes and optimize throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If roaming shuttles are used to service multiple levels, then scalability is improved, but retrieval performance decreases due to decrease in number of shuttles and roaming lift restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into multiple levels, each level having its own dedicated shuttles for independent servicing. This segmentation allows each shuttle to operate autonomously on its assigned level without waiting for level changes, thereby maintaining high retrieval performance while the overall system remains scalable through additional levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-level captive shuttle model to a multi-level architecture where shuttles operate independently on each level. This dimensional expansion allows the system to scale vertically by adding more levels with dedicated shuttles, avoiding the performance degradation associated with roaming shuttles that must travel between levels.
2Productivity
If captive shuttles are used that remain on their respective levels, then retrieval performance is maintained, but scalability is limited in terms of number of shuttles vs. retrieval performance
Solution Approach 1:
The storage facility is divided into multiple independent levels, each with its own captive shuttles. This segmentation enables the system to scale by adding more levels with additional shuttles, rather than being limited to a single level with a fixed number of shuttles. Each level operates independently, maintaining high retrieval performance while increasing overall system capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exploits the vertical dimension by creating multiple serviceable levels. Instead of expanding horizontally with more shuttles on a single level, the architecture scales vertically by adding levels, each with its own dedicated shuttles. This dimensional approach simultaneously improves scalability and maintains retrieval performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If roaming shuttles are used to consolidate and sequence retrieved items, then versatility is improved, but consolidation and sequencing performance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
Each level is equipped with its own shuttles that can independently perform consolidation and sequencing operations for items retrieved from that level. This eliminates the need for roaming shuttles to transport items between levels for consolidation, as each level has the capability to consolidate and sequence items locally, thereby maintaining high consolidation performance while preserving versatility.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
AI summary
Storage system for transport units (T), with an exchange system and is operable to - use at least one first storage rack level (3) for dedicated storage of fast mover transport units (FT), which is serviced by storage-entry and removal-from-storage apparatus (5) present on each such level and each such level is directly connected to the at least one removal-from-storage lift (8A) and the at least one supply-to-storage lift (8B), both removal-from-storage lift (8A) and supply-to-storage lift (8B) having interfacing rack conveyors (9) arranged within the footprint of the racking; and is operable to - use at least one second storage rack level (3) for dedicated storage of slow mover transport units (ST) or reserve transport units (RT) within the same aisle as the first storage rack level (3) for dedicated storage of fast mover transport units (FT), which is serviced by storage-entry and removal-from-storage apparatus (5) that change levels via the exchange systems; wherein the storage-entry and removal-from-storage apparatus (5) of the first storage rack level (3) for dedicated storage of fast mover transport units (FT) are controlled to have a high probability of being in a first storage rack level (3) for dedicated storage of fast mover transport units (FT) and only leave such first storage rack level (3) temporarily to enter second storage rack level (3) for dedicated storage of slow mover transport units (ST) or reserve transport units (RT) to retrieve a slow mover transport units (ST) or reserve transport units (RT) and transport such to a first storage rack level (3) via the exchange systems.