Rack Store Conveyor Vehicle Transfer Buffer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shelf storage systems face inefficiencies due to the blocking of pre-zone conveyor technology when conveyor vehicles are moved for maintenance or repair, leading to reduced system performance and high handling capacity issues.
Innovation Solution
A shelf storage system design that decouples load manipulation from conveyor vehicle transfer movements, allowing conveyor vehicles to be transported and handed over at optimal times, with a buffer system that can be stationary or mobile, and a control device managing these operations to maintain high efficiency and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conveyor vehicles are moved to pre-zone conveyor technology for maintenance or repair, then maintenance can be performed on conveyor vehicles, but the pre-zone conveyor technology is blocked and system efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A buffer system is introduced as an intermediary component between the rack storage and the pre-zone conveyor technology. The buffer system temporarily stores conveyor vehicles, allowing them to be removed from the main system for maintenance without blocking the pre-zone conveyor technology. This mediator enables independent maintenance operations while preserving system productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional zones: rack storage, buffer system, and pre-zone conveyor technology. This segmentation allows conveyor vehicles to be transferred to the buffer system for maintenance while the pre-zone conveyor technology continues to operate independently, resolving the conflict between maintenance needs and system efficiency.
2Productivity
If additional conveyor vehicles are introduced to increase handling capacity, then system performance improves, but the same maintenance blocking problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer system serves as a dedicated intermediary zone where multiple conveyor vehicles can be staged and maintained separately from the operational flow. This allows the system to accommodate additional conveyor vehicles for increased capacity while providing a separate maintenance pathway that does not interfere with system operations.
3Reliability
If conveyor vehicles are kept in the rack storage system for continuous operation, then system availability is maintained, but maintenance and repair operations become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer system acts as a temporary holding zone that enables smooth transition of conveyor vehicles between operational and maintenance states. Vehicles can be transferred to the buffer system for maintenance without removing them from the overall system, maintaining availability while enabling easy access for repair operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a rack store system and to a method for operating it in an automated manner, having a rack store with store racks which are arranged adjacently with respect to one another, between which at least one rack aisle (8) extends from a first rack store side to a second rack store side and which have storing positions for freight in rack levels (11) which lie one above another, and having guide tracks (14a, 14b) which extend along the rack aisle (8) in the rack levels (11), and having a conveyor vehicle (4) which can be moved along the guide tracks (14a, 14b) in order to manipulate the freight, and having a receiving device (42) for the conveyor vehicle (4), which receiving device (42) can be raised and lowered to the height of the rack levels (11), wherein the conveyor vehicle (4) is moved between the rack levels (11) via the receiving device (42) by a control device in a first operating mode, characterized in that the receiving device (42) is moved to a transfer level (90) by the control device in a second operating mode and, in said transfer level (90), the conveyor vehicle (4) is moved between a buffer system (51) and the receiving device (42).