Tractor Trailer Storage System for Flexible Warehouse Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage systems, such as high-bay warehouses, have limited adaptability and high costs due to fixed storage rack dimensions and the expense of stacker cranes, which restrict handling capacity and storage size, leading to inefficient storage and retrieval times.
Innovation Solution
A chaotic storage system where products are stored on trailers that are moved by tractors, with central control determining individual storage positions, allowing for flexible adaptation of handling capacity and storage size, and reducing costs by using multiple, inexpensive tractors and trailers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional high-bay warehouses with fixed storage racks and stacker cranes are used, then storage structure stability is improved, but adaptability of handling capacity and storage size deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into independent trailers (storage units) that can be freely combined with tractors (handling devices). Each trailer is a separate, movable unit rather than part of a fixed rack structure, enabling flexible reconfiguration of storage capacity and handling capacity independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static fixed racks to dynamic movable trailers. The number of trailers and tractors can be adjusted dynamically based on demand, and trailers can be moved between storage positions and handling positions flexibly, allowing independent adaptation of storage size and handling capacity.
2Productivity
If expensive stacker cranes are used in conventional high-bay warehouses, then handling capability is improved, but system cost deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex stacker cranes with simpler, cheaper tractors and trailers. The tractors are designed to be less expensive mechanical devices that can perform handling functions through coupling with trailers, reducing the cost of the most expensive mechanical components in the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The tractor serves multiple functions: it acts as both a handling device for moving trailers and a transport device within the storage system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized expensive equipment while maintaining handling capability.
3Reliability
If only one stacker crane is used per aisle in conventional high-bay warehouses, then collision risk is reduced, but storage and retrieval time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The single stacker crane function is segmented into multiple independent tractors operating in parallel. Each tractor can independently handle trailers, allowing simultaneous storage and retrieval operations across multiple aisles or zones, thereby reducing total handling time while maintaining collision safety through decentralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailer acts as an intermediary between storage positions and handling positions. Multiple tractors can couple with different trailers simultaneously, enabling parallel operations. The central control coordinates tractor movements to prevent collisions while maximizing throughput.
4Stability of the object's composition
If storage racks are designed with fixed dimensions in conventional high-bay warehouses, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability of storage size deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system transitions from fixed-dimensional racks to dynamically adjustable trailer-based storage. The number of trailers can be increased or decreased based on storage demand, and trailers can be positioned flexibly within the warehouse space, allowing storage size to adapt to changing requirements while maintaining structural stability through standardized trailer designs.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2a~2d
AI summary
Unlike many storage systems where goods are parked along rails and physical guides, in this system, the cargo (1a,...) on trailers (2a,...) is moved to the desired position and placed on a level, freely accessible storage area (3a) by self-propelled tractors (4a,...). The easily scalable number of tractors, which simultaneously perform the loading and unloading operations, allows for a high throughput rate.