More and more companies are ditching their traditional warehouse storage systems in favor of automated solutions that can both maximize space and speed throughput. This is especially true in complex, large-scale operations, where manual storage systems create inefficiencies and open the door to errors that can cost companies time and money. Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) are often the answer to those challenges, and their growing use of advanced robotics—especially for moving small items in and out of storage—is spurring demand for the systems worldwide, according to recent research.
Market research firm Grandview Research predicts the global AS/RS market will grow at a rate of about 8% between 2025 and 2030, reaching a market size of $10.3 billion. Systems that incorporate robotics are expected to drive that growth, with demand for robotic shuttle-based systems and cube-based storage (like the well-known AutoStore system) growing at the fastest clip during the five-year period. On top of that, many companies are incorporating autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) into their warehouse storage schemes—in a bid to further enhance productivity.
Recent industry projects underscore the rising demand for such systems around the world. A multifaceted manufacturing project in Hungary and an AutoStore installation in Las Vegas stand out.
CONDENSED AND ACCELERATED
Photo courtesy of KNAPP
Industrial sensor manufacturer SICK AG recently partnered with logistics automation specialist Knapp to automate an addition to its factory in Kunsziget, Hungary. The project involved adding capacity at the site and then automating the facility to better manage all the materials required for production. Company leaders began by adding three buildings to the existing infrastructure: one for goods-in, one for manufacturing (for a total of four manufacturing and production areas), and one that houses a small-parts warehouse. Knapp automated the entire project by adding an AS/RS, a fleet of AMRs, and an end-to-end enterprise warehouse management (EWM) solution to tie it all together—replacing processes previously done manually or via semiautomated equipment.
The system provides a seamless connection between goods-in, storage, picking, and production. Key to the process are 27 open-shuttle AMRs, which transport containers and connect the automated small-parts warehouse directly to the manufacturing areas. The small-parts warehouse is an AS/RS; it has 52,000 storage locations and is powered by stacker cranes that store and retrieve raw materials and semifinished goods. Those goods are stored in containers of three different sizes that can be stacked double- and quadruple-deep in the racks. Two ergonomic workstations enable efficient goods-to-person picking, and a conveyor suspended from the ceiling connects the goods-in area with the small-parts warehouse—ensuring a closed, all-encompassing material flow.
In a case study on the project, Knapp and SICK described the system as follows:
- Goods-in. Small parts needed for production arrive at the facility in cartons or containers on pallets. Most incoming parts are repacked into containers, registered in the EWM, and transferred to a conveyor system by employees at two pack stations. Parts that are not repacked are transported away after being registered. An integrated scale checks the weight of the containers. The containers then move up a spiral conveyor to the suspended conveyor, which transports them to the small-parts warehouse.
- Storage. Stacker cranes put raw materials and semifinished goods away in the automated small-parts warehouse. The system’s 52,000 storage locations are spread across four aisles and 28 levels. Four stacker cranes handle putaway and retrieval of containers. Both the picking stations and the AMRs connect directly to the small-parts warehouse, which supplies all four of the plant’s production areas from a central point.
- Picking. Goods needed for production are picked at two ergonomic workstations using a goods-to-person procedure. Processes at the workstations are digitally depicted on a screen, guiding the picking of goods and the return to storage via conveyor to the small-parts warehouse. About 50% of the items stored in the small-parts warehouse are processed at the picking workstations; the rest are conveyed directly to production by the AMRs.
- Production logistics. The AMRs run between the small-parts warehouse and production areas, picking up containers from specially designed spur conveyors and transporting them to the appropriate production area. There, they are transferred to flow racks from which the employees can take the containers as needed. The flow racks are also where semifinished goods are placed to be picked up by the AMRs and returned to the small-parts warehouse. On their way, the AMRs pass through rapid action doors. A control module communicates with the AMRs to open and close the doors automatically.
- Goods-out. Finished goods are sorted into containers and assembled by order on pallets in the production area. Tugger trains pick up the pallets from production and transport them to goods-out, where they are wrapped in film. The goods undergo final processing in the system and receive shipping documents, after which they are shipped out to other SICK subsidiaries.
The new automated solution provided immediate benefits, most notably the optimized storage space: Condensing storage into the AS/RS freed up space in the manufacturing and production buildings that was previously used for storage and picking, for example. And the solution also leaves room to grow: SICK can add storage locations and/or shuttles as needed for future growth.“One of the major advantages is that the system is geared toward the future, with capacity for today as well as tomorrow,” Laszlo Varga, head of supply chain management for SICK’s Hungarian operations, said in a video case study of the project. “We will soon be building a new manufacturing hall, and we’ll need more logistical support.”
EFFICIENT AND FUTURE-PROOFED
Global electrical products distributor Sonepar is reaping the rewards of a recent robotic storage project as well—one that unites three Las Vegas locations under one roof and that company leaders say serves as a model for future high-density storage sites across the country.
The distributor worked with logistics automation specialist Kardex to implement an AutoStore system at its new central distribution center (CDC) in Las Vegas. The CDC is run by Sonepar’s regional subsidiary, Codale Electric Supply, which was looking for a high-density storage solution to meet the challenges of a space-constrained urban market. Codale merged three branches into the CDC, which serves a high volume of walk-in traffic from electrical contractors and also fulfills bulk orders throughout the Southwest.
The project combines AutoStore with Kardex’s FulfillX warehouse execution system (WES) software. The high-density solution compresses nearly 10,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) into a footprint of 5,500 square feet, reducing floor space requirements by 80%. The system features 25 AutoStore R5 units delivering small-pick electrical items such as receptacles, fittings, safety gear, and tools to six picking ports, and carrying out replenishment from two inbound ports. The AutoStore system and Kardex’s software are fully integrated into Sonepar’s technology systems for full ERP (enterprise resource planning) connectivity, according to the partners.
The project produced immediate results—most notably, increasing throughput from day one. Standard order processing has risen by 12%, and will-call order processing has improved by 20%, with higher accuracy rates, minimized manual touches, and real-time visibility, according to both companies. What’s more, the compact design of the AutoStore grid reduces building costs, energy use, and internal travel time, while ensuring quick access to every SKU. The system’s modular architecture allows additional robots and ports to be added in the future, supporting projected growth for the next decade and managing both rising order volumes and increased SKU diversity.
“With Kardex, we’ve built a system that sets us up for long-term success, while meeting our current need to quickly turn around orders for electrical contractors and other customers,” Dana Mouritzen, chief operating officer and president, East region for Sonepar USA, said in a statement describing the project. “We’re able to serve walk-in customers in just minutes and have the flexibility to adjust to an influx of orders for a large-scale project with reliable, accurate service. Customers get exactly what they need when they need it; that’s the bottom line.”
