A Basic Overview of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems and Their Usefulness

An automated storage and retrieval system is a set of computerized systems that are used to both store items in specific locations and to retrieve these items when needed. Unlike manual storage and retrieval systems which involve human labor to store and retrieve items, automated systems are entirely automated and don’t need explicit human involvement.

ASRS is used in the following cases:

• Highly accurate retrieval systems where there can be basically no margin for error
• To save space and store more items in the least space possible.
•  High volume warehouses where a lot of orders are processed each day.
•  Fast processing of orders where speed is paramount. 

There are many types of automated storage and retrieval systems, as many manufacturers offer custom configurations for clients as per demands. However, ASRS can be roughly categorized into two types: Vertical lift modules and Horizontal lift modules.

Vertical Lift Modules

Vertical lift modules prioritize height above, as they are stacked up high rather than occupying floor space like horizontal lift modules do. They are common sights in warehouses with very high roofs. They can be kept in collections of two or more, which can be connected together to work simultaneously. VLM has a central computer that has all the data about items and storage bins in that particular location. When the data is entered, a machine arm moves to the desired tray picks the item up and brings it down to the delivery point. The main difference of the vertical module is that the storage bins are non-movable, and an arm transfers the goods to and from the bins.

Horizontal Lift Modules

HLMs are more widespread in an area and occupy more space than VLMs. Unlike VLMs, horizontal modules have movable racks, and they rotate the entire arrangement into place for pickup. They don’t have any mechanical arm and rotate the entire shelf arrangement around a central carousel that is usually oval-shaped, and sometimes circular or rectangular. They are more prominent in small to medium warehouses, which have a somewhat lower volume of orders to process.

Lift modules are modern must-have machines for any kind of warehouse that deals exclusively in storage and delivery business, for ASRS make it very easy for businesses to propel their work into new heights while saving labor costs, space and improving accuracy by a huge margin.

Vertical Lift or Vertical Carousel: Which One is Right for Your Business?

Using automated storage has slowly become a standard for every storage and retrieval facility, whether big or small. They cut down human errors, boost productivity levels and have virtually zero down time with 24x7 operation. One of the most popular storage systems for small to medium warehouses are vertical storage systems, which stack up things horizontally, saving a lot of space in terms of floor space.

Now they are available in two flavors: vertical lift modules and vertical carousels. Both have a different method of storage and retrieval, and both have their advantages and disadvantages. So the main question now is, which one should you buy?

Vertical Lift Modules

They consist of two similar tray columns with a mechanical arm placed at the center. This arm is responsible for inserting stuff into the storage and for extracting stuff from the storage. When the commands are given, the arm moves to the specified location, withdraws an item and dispatches it to the retrieval area. It moves like an elevator.

Vertical Carousels

Here, a series of trays are fixed around a rotating chain that is moved around a pair of pulleys powered by a motor. When the command is given, the appropriate tray rotates around and moves to the desired location for retrieval. It moves like a Ferris wheel.

The Differences

The way they store and retrieve stuff is one of the main differences between both the sets of vertical storage modules. In case of vertical lifts, the storage trays remain fixed in their locations, and a mechanical arm moves around and retrieves the desired item. Because of no particular consistency in the size of trays, vertical lifts are beneficial for storing items of different sizes.

In case of vertical carousels, the entire arrangement rotates around a pair of pulleys, hence the size of storage trays need to be uniform. So carousels are perfect for storing items of similar sizes. They are also slightly cheaper than vertical lift modules, and often require slightly more space than vertical lifts.

In short, different business needs call for different types of vertical storage systems, so you can choose one that fully complements your work flow.

A Peek into the Underlying Systems behind Horizontal Carousels

Technology has found its way into almost every aspect of our daily lives, whether it is a personal aspect or a commercial aspect. Automation is one of the key reasons behind it, as it cuts down the time taken to perform a task while getting it done more efficiently. And in places like warehouses, efficiency is the key to get work done fast while minimizing errors whether they are human-based or machine based.

One of the key devices used to improve the efficiency of workflow in warehouses is an automatic storage and retrieval system. These are computer controlled systems that deal with storage and retrieval of packages and parcels which are stored in the warehouses. One of the widely used AS/RS systems is the horizontal carousel system, which is used in some of the biggest warehouses in the world such as Walmart and Amazon warehouses.

Horizontal carousel consists of a fixed number of storage containers which consists of storage bays or trays that are arranged adjacent to each other. All the storage bays are connected to one another by connecting rails and modules, and the entire arrangement is fixed to a mount, which can be either ceiling based or floor based.

Most of the arrangements in horizontal carousel designs are set up in a complete loop, so that retrieval is done efficiently and fast. Every column consists of a fixed number of storage bays, which are usually welded to the frames. Some arrangements also demand removable trays, as specified by the organization. The rotating carousel usually arranges itself based on the coordinates input on the central controlling computer and is delivered to the pickup point.

The efficiency is increased manifold when using horizontal carousels because of their systematic arrangements. It is estimated that these automatic storage and retrieval systems increase productivity by nearly 70% due to no human involvement in the entire storage and retrieval process. They also decrease occupied floor space by nearly 75%, because there is no need for wide aisles between the columns for workers to walk on, for the computers to get everything done on their own.

Types of Material Handling Solutions

The warehouse can operate properly when they are fully equipped with material handling solutions to keep the products. The productivity of the place is bound to increase by and large if you have the right kind of material handling equipment with you. It not only reduces the requirement of manual labor and optimizes the work proportion. 

Conveyers: A conveyor belt is the same thing that you see on an airport to transfer luggage from the airplane to you. You can get the conveyor belt installed in the big warehouse to transfer the products from one end to another. The bulky items can be moved seamlessly without the involvement of manual labor. It helps to move in various shapes and sizes. The conveyor belts formulate a vital part of the automation process.

Dock equipment: The runners and aluminum board help in shifting the heavy items from one point to another. There is an automatic shipment unloader as well that helps in taking off the load from the trucks. It can slide down without tumbling down from the truck. Eh, container ramp is also used for the same purpose but for bigger items. You can easily move the items up and down from the truck with the help of the container ramp. 

Drum handling equipment: If you load up items that are contained in a drum, you might need the trolley for drum handling. It moves from one place to another with little pressure. The drum grab can also airlift the drum from one corner of the warehouse and transfer it to the other end without much effort. Other items include digital fuel meter and drum heater belt that can be put to varied uses in the warehouse.  Hence these items are quite important for people who store products in drums in their warehouse. 

Scissor lifts and load handling: one of the most common materials handling products is the scissor lifts that can latch on to the heavy products and move them on the designated spaces with just the movement of the lever. There are many products that can help in load handling in large warehouses.

An Analysis of How Horizontal Carousels Work

Horizontal carousels have recently come into the limelight in the industrial storage sector because of their high efficiency in storing and retrieval of stored items. They are used worldwide, and find use in all kinds of warehouses and garages, from small to large.

But how do they work, and what makes them more efficient than legacy storage options?

The main component of a horizontal carousel is the central rotating apparatus that is the key to quickly accessing the desired item in storage. They are usually arranged in an oval fashion, although ‘rectangular’ would be a more apt description. This unit is usually controlled by a computer, usually known as pick light system, which takes user input and makes the carousel work and retrieves the exact item as needed by the user.

 

Attached to the central unit are shelves or containers. They are of different shapes and sizes and can be customized by the manufacturers as per the needs of the buyers. They are uniformly designed and are arranged in a straightforward fashion for easy and quick retrieval. The height of these containers is usually adjustable. If the operator needs to retrieve more than one item in a particular order, this can be fed into the computer software and it will bring up the appropriate containers in the appropriate sequence, saving considerable time and effort. This is often called as batch picking.

Sometimes, bigger workshops and warehouses use more than one horizontal carousels connected to each other in a pre-defined style. This is done to reduce the time needed for retrieval and cut down on more effort while getting multiple tasks done at the same time. These arrangements are sometimes known as pods.

Horizontal carousels are slowly replacing legacy storage units everywhere, and for the following reasons:

• Their compact designs save more floor space than ever, giving operators and staff more room to work with.
• Automated arranging systems cut down time loss in productivity by a huge margin
• Computerized pick light system improves the accuracy of item retrieval to up to 99.9%
• These systems are perfectly suited for batch picking, one of the most commonly practiced aspects of most workshops, factories and warehouses around the world.