Automated three-dimensional warehouse is referred to as overhead warehouse for short. According to the definition of the International Conference on Automated Warehouse, the so-called automated three-dimensional warehouse is a warehouse that uses high-rise shelves, mainly roadway stacking cranes, combined with peripheral equipment for warehousing and warehousing. It integrates computer, information management and equipment control, automatically completes the access of goods according to control instructions, and manages the inventory goods. Obviously, it is one of the cores of logistics system and occupies a very important position in automatic production system.

Shelf automatic stereoscopic warehouse is referred to as stereoscopic warehouse for short. Generally speaking, it refers to a warehouse that uses several, dozens or even dozens of shelves to store unit goods, and uses corresponding material handling equipment to carry out goods warehousing and warehousing operations. Because this kind of warehouse can make full use of space to store goods, it is often called "three-dimensional warehouse".

According to the shelf height, it can be divided into high-rise warehouses (above 15m), middle-level warehouses (5 ~ 15m) and low-level warehouses (below 5m).

Due to the high cost of high-rise three-dimensional warehouse, special requirements for mechanical equipment and difficult installation, the construction is relatively small; The low-rise three-dimensional warehouse is mainly used for the transformation of the old warehouse, which is a feasible way to improve the technical level and storage capacity of the old warehouse. At present, there are many intermediate three-dimensional warehouses.

According to the shelf structure classification 1) unit commodity format warehouse.

The unit cargo warehouse is a standard warehouse with strong universality, which is characterized in that each shelf consists of cargo compartments with the same size, and the openings of the cargo compartments face the passages between the shelves, and the loading and unloading machinery runs in the passages, which can load and unload the left and right shelves. Each cargo hold stores a cargo unit or a combined cargo unit.

The shelf is divided into two rows, with passages between each row. Therefore, this kind of warehouse needs many channels, the area utilization rate should not be too high (about 60%), and the space utilization rate is high.

The three-dimensional warehouse in unit cargo format can be operated by various lifting and loading machinery. Generally speaking, the middle and high-rise buildings mainly use tunnel cranes traveling along the track to ensure that they can work in narrow tunnels. The lower warehouse and middle warehouse also use general forklift or overhead forklift. In order to reduce the width of the passage required for forklift turning, the forklift does not work from the front, but uses a side fork forklift.

2) Through the three-dimensional warehouse

Straight-through stereoscopic warehouse is also called mobile shelf warehouse. Straight-through warehouse is a kind of intensive warehouse. In this warehouse, there is no space between shelves, no passage, and the shelves are close together, which actually becomes a whole shelf combination. The uniqueness of this kind of shelf is that each column of each shelf runs vertically, just like a tunnel, and the cargo units can be placed in turn, so that the cargo units can be arranged in a row. One end of the shelf structure is high and the other end is low, which makes the through passage have a certain slope. If a chute or roller table is installed at the bottom of each shelf, or wheels are installed at the bottom of cargo unit equipment (such as containers and pallets), the cargo unit can automatically move along the high end of the ramp to the low end under its own gravity. If the unit cargo container has a self-propelled mechanism, or a corresponding mechanism is installed on the shelf, the shelf can also be installed horizontally without slope.

This kind of shelf operation mode is to give unit goods (purchase goods) from the high end of the shelf, and the unit goods automatically move to the low end and leave the warehouse from the low end. Or one end is fed and move to that other end under the push of the walk mechanism.

The main advantages of this three-dimensional warehouse are:

This kind of shelves are closely arranged, so it can greatly improve the plane utilization rate and volume utilization rate of the warehouse, reaching 90%. It only operates at the high and low end, which also greatly saves the operation consumption of sub-equipment and machinery. This kind of warehouse strictly implements the first-in and first-out of goods, effectively preventing the existence of sluggish goods. The two ends of the warehouse shelves are independent warehouse access areas, which is conducive to planning the warehouse access areas, preventing the problems of mutual interference and chaotic management of warehouse access operations, being conducive to civilized management and improving work efficiency. This kind of shelf stores unit commodities, and each unit commodity is protected by its own tray or container, which can reduce the loss of commodities without stacking. Each shelf channel stores different materials. Generally, there will be no confusion, confusion and other errors when different shelves are mixed in a warehouse. It is conducive to the storage and planning of multi-variety, multi-specification, small batch and multi-batch goods, and is conducive to orderly procurement and shipment. Orderly planning is beneficial to unmanned automatic operation and computer management.

The main disadvantages of this kind of shelf are:

Each channel can only store the same materials, so the inventory types are limited and it is difficult to store them flexibly. Because the size and length of the channel are the same, the storage capacity of each commodity is roughly the same, or several times different. Therefore, there are often some unbalanced phenomena of insufficient storage space and redundant storage space in some channels, which will also reduce the utilization rate. This kind of warehouse has high technical requirements, high precision in equipment manufacturing and warehouse construction, and high requirements for unit carriers such as pallets and containers. Once stuck in gravity, it is difficult to troubleshoot. This warehouse structure is a steel structure, and its high cost is also its disadvantage.

The applicable fields of this warehouse are:

The storage of factories or circulation warehouses in crowded areas is mainly used to reduce the floor space and increase the storage capacity. A picking warehouse used as a distribution center, especially suitable for automatic picking of single components. Used in the platform delivery warehouse, the delivery end is above the platform, which is beneficial to improve the loading speed and reduce the loading distance.

3) Automatic cabinet warehouse

Automatic cabinet warehouse is a small and movable closed warehouse, which consists of cabinet shell, control device, operation panel, storage box and transmission mechanism. Its main characteristics are miniaturization, light weight and intelligence, especially strong sealing and confidentiality. Suitable for storing precious electronic components, precious metals, jewelry, data files, archives, audio-visual products, securities bills, etc.

4) Three-dimensional warehouse with strip shelves

Support arms are extended from each floor of the shelf, which is specially used for loading and unloading of side forklifts and a three-dimensional warehouse for storing strip and barrel goods.

Classification 1) comprehensive three-dimensional warehouse

High-rise shelves and buildings are integrated, and high-rise shelves cannot be dismantled separately. This kind of warehouse, high-rise shelves are also the supporting structure of the warehouse, and the warehouse is no longer equipped with columns and beams separately. The roof is laid on top of a shelf, which also acts as a roof truss. It is a permanent facility, and the cost of this warehouse can be saved to some extent.

2) Independent three-dimensional warehouse

Buildings and high-rise shelves are not connected as a whole, but are built separately. Generally, after the building is completed, high-rise shelves and related mechanical equipment are installed in the building according to the design plan.

The separated three-dimensional warehouse can not form a permanent facility, and can be reloaded and technically reformed as needed, so it is more mobile. Generally speaking, because it is built separately, the cost is higher. The separated three-dimensional warehouse is also suitable for the reconstruction of the old warehouse.

Generally, the integrated warehouse has a higher floor and adopts steel structure or reinforced concrete structure, while the separated warehouse has a lower floor and is mainly made of steel structure, which is detachable and has certain mobility.

In the modern logistics system, warehouse-type logistics centers, warehouses with large throughput and storage capacity, and storage warehouses in distribution centers mostly use integrated three-dimensional warehouses, while workshop warehouses, distribution departments of distribution centers, and transshipment centers mostly use separated three-dimensional warehouses.

Image source: Newamstar Stereo Warehouse of Tiandi Essence

According to the type of machinery for loading goods in the warehouse, 1) shelf forklift warehouse.

There are three kinds of forklifts used in three-dimensional warehouses, one is a forklift with high lifting height (high lift), the other is a forward forklift and the other is a lateral forklift. The latter two forklifts also need to have a certain lifting height. Forklift is supported by the ground, not a fixed facility, so it is more mobile. However, forklift trucks occupy a wide channel, and the maximum lifting height is generally less than 6 meters. Therefore, it is only suitable for low-level three-dimensional warehouses.

2) Three-dimensional warehouse of roadway stacker

Roadway stackers are used in the inter-rack passage of the three-dimensional warehouse, and there are two main ways to use the roadway stackers: the upper load-bearing hanging type and the lower load-bearing type limited by the upper guide rail. Mainly used for middle and high-rise three-dimensional warehouses.

Classification by operation mode 1) manual addressing and manual loading. Manually operated machines operate on high-rise shelves and identify addresses, and then the goods are taken out or loaded into the shelves by manpower.

2. Automatic addressing and manual loading. According to the input instructions, the machine will automatically run addressing and address recognition, stop automatically after running to the predetermined storage space, and then manually load or pick up the goods from the shelf.

3) Automatic addressing and loading are unattended. According to the instructions of the controller or according to the instructions of the computer.

The above three methods, manual addressing and manual loading, are mainly suitable for middle and low-rise warehouses, and the other two methods are suitable for middle and high-rise warehouses.

According to the function classification 1), the warehouse is a three-dimensional warehouse with a large number of goods as its main function, with a small number of goods, but a large number and a long shelf life. Three-dimensional warehouse with dense shelves is suitable for storage warehouse.

2) The picking warehouse is a three-dimensional warehouse with the main functions of bulk purchase, multi-user, multi-category and small batch delivery. This kind of warehouse should create conditions for convenient and quick picking, so it often adopts automatic addressing and address recognition. Because of the great difference of users' needs, it is difficult to get in and out, so it is not suitable to adopt automatic unmanned operation mode, but to adopt manual picking. Pick-and-place warehouses are mainly used in distribution centers.

Judging from the advantages of the intelligent storage system of Xinmeixing, it is nothing more than completing the automatic storage and retrieval of unit goods under the control of the computer system, and rationalizing the high-rise layout of the warehouse by using the cooperation of automatic storage equipment and computer management system, thus reducing errors, speeding up the storage and retrieval of goods and improving work efficiency; Improve space utilization, reduce inventory and save land investment costs; Reduce labor intensity, improve workers' working environment and reduce labor costs; Realize the overall optimization of the system and improve the production efficiency and modern management level of enterprises. At the same time, it can realize fast and reliable food safety traceability.