ME4262 - AIM

Auto Storage & Retrieval System

A/P Lee Kim Seng

 Auto Storage & Retrieval System
(Summary)
• Objectives
• Storage system performance
• Performance Criteria
- storage capacity
- system throughput
- utilization
- uptime reliability
• Common types of Auto-storage systems
- AS/RS
- Mechanized carousel systems
A/P Lee Kim Seng
 Auto Storage & Retrieval System
(Summary cont..)
• Categories of AS/RS
- Unit load AS/RS
- Miniload AS/RS
- Man-on-board AS/RS
- Automated item retrieval system
- Deep lane AS/RS

• Basic components of an AS/RS

- storage structure
- S/R machines
- storage module (pallet or Unit load)
- pickup & deposit stations (P/D)

A/P Lee Kim Seng

 Auto Storage & Retrieval System
(Summary cont..)
• Other features in AS/RS
- Aisle transfer car
- Full/Empty bin detectors
- Sizing station
- Load identification stations

• AS/RS controls
• Application of AS/RS
• Quantitative analysis of Carousel Storage
System

A/P Lee Kim Seng

 Auto Storage & Retrieval System
(Summary cont..)

• Carousel Storage System

• Control of Carousel Storage System
Manual - Foot pedal control
- Hand control
- Keyboard control
Computer control
• Quantitative analysis of Carousel storage
system

A/P Lee Kim Seng

 Auto Storage & Retrieval System
(Summary cont..)

Interfacing Materials Handling & Storage with

Manufacturing
- Information interface
- Mechanical Interface

A/P Lee Kim Seng

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Table 15.1 Types of Materials Typically Stored in a Factory

Type Description
1 Raw materials Raw stock to be processed or assembled by factory
2 Purchased parts Parts from vendors to be processed or assembled by factory

3 Work-in-process Partially completed parts between processing and assembly

operations
4 Finished product Completed product ready to be shipped to customer
5 Rework and scrap Parts that are out of specification, either to be reworked or
scrapped; chips and swarf, other materials that must be
discarded by the factory
6 Tooling Cutting tools and supplies used in the manufacturing and
assembly operations
7 Spare parts Spare parts used to repair machines and equipment in the
factory
8 Office supplies Supplies and other items used in support of plant and
company office staff
9 Plant records Records on product, maintenance records, etc.
Different companies have different reasons for
installing an automated storage system
Objectives:
1. Increase storage capacity
2. Increase floor space utilization
3. Recover space for manufacturing facilities
4. Improve security and reduce pilferage
5. Reduce labour cost in storage operations
6. Increase labour productivity in storage operations
7. Improve safety in storage function
8. Improve control over inventories
9. Increase stock rotation
10. Improve customer service
A/P Lee Kim Seng
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It is important in designing the storage system
that a malfunction of one component or a
section does not cause the entire system to be
down A/P Lee Kim Seng
The total maximum number of individual
parts that are expected to be stored
• Physical capacity of the storage system
should be greater than the actual
maximum number of parts that will be
stored
• Provide available empty spaces for
materials being entered into the system
• Allow for variations in maximum storage
requirements
A/P Lee Kim Seng
Defined as the number of parts/loads per
hour that the storage system can
a. Receive and place into storage and
b. Retrieve and deliver to the output station

The storage system must be designed for the

maximum required throughput that will occur
during the day
A/P Lee Kim Seng
A/P Lee Kim Seng
Storage transaction cycle time consist of:
− Time to pick up the part at the input station
− Time to determine the storage location
− Travel time to the storage location
− Unloading time at the storage location
− Return travel time

Retrieval transaction cycle time consist of:

− Time to determine the storage location of the part
− Travel time to the storage location
− Time to pick the part/item from storage
− Return travel time
− Unloading time at the output station
A/P Lee Kim Seng
The throughput capacity is also limited by the
capability of the materials handling system
that is interfaced with the storage system
If the materials handling system is incapable
of delivering parts to or removing parts from
the storage system at a rate that is
compatible with the transaction cycle time,
the throughput of the storage system will be
adversely affected

A/P Lee Kim Seng

Utilization of the storage system is defined
as the percentage of time that the system
is in use compared to the time it is
available
• It is desirable to design the storage system
for relatively high utilization, perhaps in
the range of 80% to 90%

A/P Lee Kim Seng

It is defined as the percentage of time that
the system is capable of operating
compared to the normal scheduled time of
system operation (Sometimes also known
as Availability)
• Malfunctions of the equipment, both
mechanical and electrical (e.g computer)
cause downtime that prevent the system
from operating

A/P Lee Kim Seng

A/P Lee Kim Seng
An automated storage / retrieval system
(AS/RS) is defined by the Materials
Handling Institute as follow:
A combination of equipment and controls
which handles, stores, and retrieves
materials with precision, accuracy, and
speed under a defined degree of
automation

A/P Lee Kim Seng

• Consists of a series of storage aisles that are
serviced by one or more storage/retrieval (S/R)
machines, usually one S/R machine per aisle
• Aisles have storage racks for holding materials to
be stored
• S/R machines used to deliver/retrieve materials
to/from the racks
• AS/RS may have one or more input/output stations
[pickup-and-deposit (P&D) stations] where
materials are delivered/picked up from the system
A/P Lee Kim Seng
1. Unit load AS/RS – A large automated
system designed to handle unit loads
stored on pallets or other standard
containers.
This system is computer-controlled and
the S/R machines are automated and
designed to handle the unit load
containers

A/P Lee Kim Seng

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2. Miniload AS/RS – Used to handle individual
parts or supplies contained in bins or
drawers within the storage system.
S/R machine designed to retrieve the bin
and deliver it to P&D station (manually
operated) at the end of the aisle so that the
individual items can be withdrawn from the
bin.
Bin is returned to its location in the system
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3. Man-on-board AS/RS – The man-on-
board system permits individual items to
be picked directly at their storage
locations.
The transaction time is thus reduced.

A/P Lee Kim Seng

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4. Automated item retrieval system – Items
are stored in single-file lanes rather than in
bins. When an item is to be retrieved, it is
released from its lane onto a conveyor for
delivery to the pickup station.
Supply of items in each lane is replenished
from the rear of the retrieval system so that
there is flow-through of the items, thus
permitting first-in/first-out inventory
control.
A/P Lee Kim Seng
A/P Lee Kim Seng
5. Deep-lane AS/RS – This system is suitable
when large quantities are to be stored but
the number of separate types of materials
is relatively small. The system stores up to
10 or so loads in a single rack, one load
behind the next.
Each rack is designed for ‘flow-through’,
with input on one side and output on the
other side.
A/P Lee Kim Seng
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1.Storage structure
2.Storage/retrieval (S/R) machine
(3 drive systems are required:
Horizontal, vertical and shuttle)
3.Storage modules (e.g. pallets or
unit loads)
4.Pickup and deposit stations
A/P Lee Kim Seng
A/P Lee Kim Seng
1. Aisle transfer cars
Aisle transfer cars are used to move S/R machines
back and forth between aisles to perform the
storage and retrieval functions. (in the case of low
activity per aisle)

2. Full/empty bin detectors

3. Sizing stations
Use to ensure that oversized loads do not enter
into the AS/RS.

4. Load identification stations

A/P Lee Kim Seng
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• Each compartment is identified by a
location number, based on alphanumeric
codes, which indicates aisle, horizontal
position, and vertical position in the
structure.
• Record of these locations is called the
item location file. Each time a storage
transaction is completed, a record of the
transaction must be entered into the item
location file. A/P Lee Kim Seng
Computer controls and programmable
controllers are used to determine the
required location and guide the S/R
machine to its destination

A/P Lee Kim Seng

Computer control permits the physical
operation of the AS/RS to be integrated
with the supporting information and
record-keeping system

A/P Lee Kim Seng

Storage transactions can be entered in real
time, inventory records can be accurately
maintained, system performance can be
monitored, and communications can be
facilitated with other factory computer
systems

A/P Lee Kim Seng

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 (miniload,
man-on-board)

A/P Lee Kim Seng

Focus on capacity and operating performance of
the AS/RS

A/P Lee Kim Seng

Let nv = the number of vertical load compartment to be arranged
Let nh = the number of horizontal load compartment to be arranged

Capacity per aisle = 2 nv nh

Assumed that parts/loads are stored on both sides of the aisle

Let x = horizontal dimension of a unit load
Let y = vertical dimension of a unit load

Thus the height and length of the AS/RS aisle will be:
(Tompkin) Tolerance
Hs = nv ( y + 0.25 m )
Tolerance
Ls = nh ( x + 0.25 m )
A/P Lee Kim Seng
System Throughput was defined as the
number of storage transactions per hour
that the AS/RS is capable of accomplishing

A Single-Command Cycle involves either

entering a load into storage, or retrieving a
load from storage, but not both in one cycle

A Dual-Command Cycle involves both

entering a load into storage and retrieving a
load from storage in the same cycle
A/P Lee Kim Seng
Assumptions made (Computation of
transaction cycle time) :
1. Randomized storage of loads in the AS/RS
2. The storage compartments are of equal
size
3. The P&D station is located at the base and
at the end of the aisle
4. Constant horizontal and vertical speed of
the S/R machine
5. Simultaneous horizontal and vertical travel
A/P Lee Kim Seng
Let Vh and Vv be the horizontal and vertical speed of the S/R machine

Ls Hs
th = tv =
Vh Vv

Then, the following two parameters can be defined:

T = max ( th, tv )

th tv
Q = min ( , )
T T
A/P Lee Kim Seng
The average single-command transaction time is given by:

Q2
Tsc = T ( + 1 ) + 2 Tpd
3
Tpd = shuttle time to perform a pickup or deposit

The average dual-command transaction time is given by:

4 Q3
Tdc = T ( + 0.5Q2 - ) + 4 Tpd
3 30

A/P Lee Kim Seng

Consider the operation of a unit load AS/RS
that uses an S/R machine for each aisle of
the system. The length of the storage aisle
is 300 ft and its height is 50 ft. Horizontal
and vertical travel speeds of the S/R
machine are 400 ft/min and 75 ft/min,
respectively. The S/R machine requires 30 s
to accomplish a P&D operation.
Determine the single-command and dual-
command cycle times for the storage
system.
A/P Lee Kim Seng
The values of th and tv are computed as

300 ft Ls
th = = 0.75 min th =
400 ft/min Vh

50 ft Hs
tv = = 0.667 min tv =
75 ft/min Vv

T = max ( 0.75, 0.667 ) = 0.75 min T = max ( th, tv )

0.667 th tv
Q = min ( 1.0 , ) = 0.8889 Q = min ( , )
0.75 T T
A/P Lee Kim Seng
The single-command transaction time is

0.88892 Q2
Tsc = 0.75 ( + 1 ) + 2 (0.50) Tsc = T ( + 1 ) + 2 Tpd
3 3
= 1.9475 min

The dual-command transaction time is

4 0.88893
Tdc = 0.75 ( + 0.5(0.8889)2 - ) + 4 (0.50)
3 30
= 3.2786 min
4 Q3
Tdc = T ( + 0.5Q2 - ) + 4 Tpd
3 30
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(ranging from 3 to 30 m in length).

A/P Lee Kim Seng

It is mechanized rather than automated.
The load/unload station is manned by a
human worker who activates the
powered carousel to deliver a desired bin
to the station.

A/P Lee Kim Seng

Video clip
“horizontal_carousel”

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Video clip
“verticlecine”

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• Permits greater variety of control features
• Operator can enter the desired bin position
and the carousel is programmed to determine
the shortest route to deliver the bin to the pick
station.
• Contains controls for bi-directional jogging of
the carousel, and emergency stop controls

A/P Lee Kim Seng

• Are implemented using various computer
configurations, from microprocessor-based
controllers for individual carousels to
centralized delicated mini-computers that
control multiple carousels

• Features include the capability to maintain

data on:
− Bin locations
− Items in each bin
− Inventory control records
A/P Lee Kim Seng
A/P Lee Kim Seng
The circumference of the carousel track is given by:
C = 2 ( Ls – Ws ) + π Ws

Let nc = number of carriers

Let sc = spacing between carriers
then nc sc = C

If nb = Number of separate bins hung from a carrier

Then the total number of bins on the carousel = nb nc

A/P Lee Kim Seng

Assumptions made:

1. A transaction cycle consists of either a

retrieval or a storage, but not both (Single
command transaction)
2. The speed of the carousel is constant (Vc)
3. Random storage is used in the carousel

A/P Lee Kim Seng

For a single direction carousel, average travel distance is given by:
Lr = 0.5C

Time to complete a retrieval transaction, Tr is

0.5C
Tr = + Th
Vc

For dual directions carousel,

Lr = 0.25C

0.25C
Tr = + Th
Vc
A/P Lee Kim Seng
The oval of a top-driven carousel track has a length =
50 ft and width = 4 ft. The speed of the carousel = 75
ft/min. There are 50 carriers around the carousel, and
each carrier has 5 bins suspended from it.
For a single-direction carousel and a bi-directional
carousel, compare how long will it take to retrieve 20
parts from the carrier if each part is in a different
storage bin and random storage is used in the
carousel.
Also, determine the spacing between carriers on the
carousel. The handling time associated with a
retrieval = 20 s.
A/P Lee Kim Seng
 The circumference of the carousel track is

π
C = 2 ( 50 – 4 ) + 4π
C = 2 ( Ls – Ws ) + π Ws
= 104.57 ft

For a single direction carousel, the retrieval of 20 parts would require

104.57
0.5C
20Tr = 20 ( 0.5 x + 0.333 )
Tr = + Th
75
Vc
= 20.61 min

A/P Lee Kim Seng

For a bi-directional carousel, the retrieval time for 20 parts would be

104.57
0.25C
20Tr = 20 ( 0.25 x + 0.333 )
Tr = + Th
75
Vc
= 13.63 min

The spacing between carriers along the carousel would be

104.57 C
sc = sc =
50 nc
= 2.091 ft

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Interfacing Material Handling & Storage
with Manufacturing

A/P Lee Kim Seng

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This concerns with the flow of information
that must accompany the movement and
storage of materials in the factory
(materials identification and tracking,
inventory control, production scheduling,
and data communications required to
coordinate and control the various system
in the plant)

A/P Lee Kim Seng

This deals with the problems of transferring
parts and loads between storage systems,
material handling systems, and production
systems
The design of the mechanical interface depends
on:
- The type of handling equipment used
- The system that is to be interfaced with the
handling system
- Whether manual or automated loading/unloading
A/P Lee Kim Seng
Problems in mechanical interfacing
include:
1. Positional accuracy of the handling
system at the transfer station
2. Methods of transferring parts or loads
to and from the handling system

A/P Lee Kim Seng

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