Automated Warehouse Shelf Allocation for Balanced Carrier Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automated warehouses with carriers at each shelf limit storage to specific article sizes, leading to decreased throughput performance as only carriers on specific-sized shelves operate, while others remain idle.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with first and second shelves of varying sizes, controlled by a controller to store and retrieve articles based on vacancy rates, allowing flexible storage of different-sized articles and optimizing carrier usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If shelves are configured with fixed sizes for specific article types, then storage organization is improved, but carrier utilization decreases as only specific carriers work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes shelves universally adaptable to different article sizes by introducing adjustable shelving components. Specifically, the shelf height can be adjusted between a first height for small articles and a second height for large articles, allowing the same shelf structure to serve multiple storage purposes. This enables carriers on all shelves to potentially handle various article types, improving overall carrier utilization while maintaining organized storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustability to the shelf structure, allowing the storage height to be changed based on article size requirements. The adjustable shelving mechanism enables the system to adapt its configuration dynamically, transforming fixed-size shelves into flexible ones that can accommodate different article dimensions, thereby improving both storage organization and carrier versatility.
2Productivity
If storage height is adjusted according to article size, then storage efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to changeable configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shelf height adjustment into discrete, predefined levels (first height for small articles, second height for large articles) rather than continuous adjustment. This segmentation simplifies the control system while still providing the benefits of adaptive storage height, reducing system complexity compared to fully variable configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the storage height parameter of the shelves to optimize storage efficiency for different article sizes. By implementing adjustable height as a variable parameter that can be set based on article dimensions, the system achieves improved storage efficiency without requiring complex reconfiguration mechanisms, as the height adjustment is integrated into the existing shelf structure.
3Manufacturing precision
If only specific carriers are assigned to specific article sizes, then storage precision is improved, but throughput performance decreases due to idle carriers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables carriers to be multi-functional by making the shelves they operate on adaptable to different article sizes. Carriers that were previously dedicated to specific article types can now potentially handle multiple article sizes through shelf height adjustment, increasing the number of active carriers in the system and improving throughput performance while maintaining storage precision through controlled height settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic reconfigurability to the shelf-carrier system, allowing the storage height to be adjusted based on the article being stored. This dynamic adaptation enables carriers to transition between handling different article sizes, preventing idle carriers and improving throughput while maintaining the precision needed for proper article placement through controlled height adjustments.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides shelves which are provided based on the size of articles to be stored and prevents excessive access to a specific carrier. An automated warehouse includes shelves, a carrier, an elevator, and a controller. The shelves include a first shelf storing a first article and a second shelf which is larger than the first shelf and stores the first article and the second article. The carrier is provided at each shelf and transfers articles. The elevator moves articles up or down. In a case where the vacancy rate of the second shelf is equal to or more than a predetermined ratio, the controller controls the carrier and the elevator to store the first article onto the second shelf. In a case where the vacancy rate of the second shelf is less than the predetermined ratio, the controller controls the carrier and the elevator to store the first article only onto the first shelf.