Transporting Robot Control for Grid Load and Fatigue Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic movement systems in storage and retrieval facilities lack safety ratings and do not account for the loading and fatigue of grid pathways, leading to potential non-safety-critical damage and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that determines and limits the load and fatigue on grid pathways by breaking down routes into legs, using a route determination unit, clearance unit, constraint area determination unit, and calculation unit to manage robotic movement, ensuring safe traversal and preventing overload on critical areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robotic transporting devices operate freely on the grid-like structure, then productivity and accessibility are improved, but the grid structure suffers from excess loads and fatigue leading to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously monitors the load and fatigue status of grid cells and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust robotic movement authorization, preventing excessive loading while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the operational status of grid cells between authorized and restricted based on real-time load conditions, making the grid structure adaptable to current stress levels
2Productivity
If multiple transporting devices are allowed to move simultaneously, then productivity increases, but the load and fatigue on grid pathways increases causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The controller selectively authorizes or restricts movement in specific grid cells rather than controlling all movements uniformly, allowing partial operation that balances productivity with structural protection
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time monitoring of grid cell status provides feedback that enables dynamic adjustment of movement authorization, ensuring reliability while maintaining optimal throughput
3Force
If the grid structure is designed to support heavy loads, then transporting capacity is improved, but the system becomes less adaptable to dynamic load conditions and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The grid cell status can dynamically change between authorized and restricted states, making the system adaptable to varying load conditions without requiring a permanently over-engineered structure
Solution Approach 2:
The controller proactively restricts movement in grid cells approaching fatigue limits before damage occurs, preventing safety issues rather than reacting to them
Data Source
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AI summary
A controller is provided to control movement of a plurality of transporting devices. In particular, the controller limits the loads imparted on a grid of pathways structure by the plurality of transporting devices to prevent non-safety-critical damage from excess loads and/or fatigue. In particular, there is provided a controller arranged to control movement of a plurality of transporting devices, the plurality of transporting devices arranged to transport containers, the containers being stored in a facility, the facility arranged to store the containers in a plurality of stacks, the facility comprising a plurality of pathways arranged in cells so as to form a grid-like structure above the stacks, wherein the grid-like structure extends in a first direction and in a second direction, the plurality of transporting devices arranged to operate on the grid-like structure. The controller comprises a route determination unit arranged to determine a route from one location on the grid-like structure to another location on the grid-like structure for each transporting device and a clearance unit arranged to provide clearance for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the determined route. The controller also comprises a constraint area determination unit arranged to determine a plurality of constraint areas based on the grid-like structure and a calculation unit arranged to calculate a constraint limit in each constraint area. Moreover, at least one of the clearance unit is further arranged to grant or withhold clearance to a transporting device to traverse a portion of the determined route based on the calculated constraint limit in the particular constraint area, and the route determination unit is further arranged to determine a route for a transporting device from one location to another location traversing or not traversing a particular constraint area based on the calculated constraint limit in the particular constraint area.