Storage Rack Density-Based Bin Assignment for Vibration Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face issues with guidance inaccuracies due to manufacturing tolerances and vibrations caused by high-speed transport vehicles, leading to misplacement and collisions of piece goods, which affects performance and availability, especially when handling a large number of piece goods with low turnover rates.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves detecting the density of each piece good and assigning it to specific storage locations based on limit values, using a control system to manage storage bins into 'critical' and 'uncritical' categories, and employing an elastically flexible compensating element in the transport vehicle's guide unit to minimize vibrations and ensure accurate placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed transport vehicles are used to increase productivity, then the storage system can handle more piece goods efficiently, but manufacturing tolerances and vibrations cause guidance inaccuracies leading to misplacement and collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines the density of each piece good before storage and pre-assigns it to an appropriate storage bin category (critical or non-critical). This preliminary classification ensures that even if placement inaccuracies occur during high-speed operation, they do not result in collisions or misplacement problems, as the system is already prepared with suitable storage locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different storage strategies to different storage bins based on their characteristics. Critical storage bins (first storage location category) are used for piece goods with density above a threshold, while non-critical bins (second storage location category) are used for lighter piece goods. This local differentiation allows the system to tolerate placement variations in non-critical bins while maintaining precision where necessary.
2Quantity of substance
If piece goods are stored in all available storage bins to maximize space utilization, then storage capacity is optimized, but vibrations from transport vehicles cause goods to shift and collide with storage bin walls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent differentiates between critical storage bins (first category) and non-critical bins (second category) based on their susceptibility to vibration-induced shifts. By classifying storage bins locally rather than uniformly, the system can maximize utilization of non-critical bins while maintaining reliability in critical bins where piece goods are less susceptible to vibration effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of piece good density as the basis for storage bin assignment. Piece goods with density above a threshold are stored in critical bins where they are less affected by vibrations, while lighter goods are placed in non-critical bins. This parameter-based classification allows full utilization of storage capacity while maintaining stability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the transport vehicle moves at high speed to improve efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but turbulent air currents cause piece goods to shift within storage bins
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary density determination and classification of piece goods before the high-speed transport operation. By knowing the density characteristics in advance, the system can assign piece goods to storage bins where they will be least affected by turbulent air currents generated during high-speed operation, thus maintaining position stability without reducing transport speed.
4Manufacturing precision
If manufacturing tolerances of guide rails are reduced to improve guidance accuracy, then placement precision increases, but system complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to eliminate the harmful effects of manufacturing tolerances through more precise guide rails, the patent converts this limitation into a benefit by using density-based classification. The system accepts that placement variations will occur but ensures they are harmless by storing appropriate piece goods in bins where such variations do not cause collisions or misplacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from improving physical guide rail precision to using a density parameter for smart storage bin assignment. This parameter change allows the system to achieve reliable operation with standard manufacturing tolerances, avoiding the increased complexity and cost associated with high-precision guide rails.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures reliable storage operations even at high performance levels by preventing unnecessary repositioning of piece goods and maintaining accurate placement, reducing energy consumption and improving system availability.
Implementation Method 1
Vibrations which are generated by the piece goods handling device during its movement are transmitted to the storage rack... an elastically flexible compensating element in the transport vehicle's guide unit to minimize vibrations
Implementation Method 2
employing an elastically flexible compensating element in the transport vehicle's guide unit to minimize vibrations and ensure accurate placement
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for storing different types of unit loads (95-1, 95-2) in a storage rack with storage locations (96-1, 96-2) arranged in superimposed storage levels and adjacent to one another. The unit loads are conveyed to the storage locations by means of a unit load handling device movable along a guide rail in front of the storage rack, and from the unit load handling device into the storage rack and onto the storage locations by means of a transport device. A unit load property characteristic, in particular a density, is recorded for each unit load and compared with a limit value. The first unit loads (95-1) are stored by means of the unit load handling device and transport device on unoccupied storage locations (96-2) of the second storage location category if a deviation below a limit value is detected.Second-order items (95-2) are stored on unoccupied storage locations (96-1) of the first storage location category using the item handling device and transport device, provided that a deviation exceeding a limit value is detected.