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3D Automated Pallet Shuttle
High-density pallet storage system employing autonomous, multidirectional shuttle cars to maximize warehouse capacity, productivity, and flexibility.
The product
The ultimate automation solution for maximizing high-density storage, productivity, and flexibility in an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) for pallets
The 3D Automated Pallet Shuttle is a high-density storage solution featuring an innovative multidirectional electric shuttle. This autonomous shuttle car stores and retrieves pallets from the racks with unparalleled efficiency and precision. Notably, these shuttles navigate the aisles and channels within the racking structure independently, eliminating the need for additional material handling vehicles (e.g., stacker cranes or transfer cars). To move between storage levels, the shuttles employ a series of lifts.
Interlake Mecalux’s 3D Automated Pallet Shuttle is a cutting-edge AS/RS at the forefront of warehouse automation. In addition to increasing warehouse productivity and optimizing space utilization to boost storage capacity, it provides extraordinary versatility. This flexibility allows businesses to meet the requirements of dynamic scenarios, such as demand peaks and high-priority tasks. Moreover, its completely modular design enables rapid scalability to tailor the AS/RS’s capacity and throughput to business growth.
Advantages of the 3D Automated Pallet Shuttle
- High productivity: the rapid navigation speed and operational versatility of the multidirectional 3D shuttles significantly enhance warehouse performance.
- Maximum flexibility: the shuttle cars move between levels and aisles. Additionally, several shuttles can operate in a single aisle simultaneously. This allows managers to adjust the system’s throughput to changing scenarios, including priority tasks and demand peaks.
- Greater capacity and diversification: compact storage optimizes the use of space to increase warehouse capacity. Moreover, each channel can house more than one SKU and pallet size.
- Autonomous, smart operation: the shuttles move through the aisles and channels without assistance from other material handling vehicles. Interlake Mecalux’s fleet management software controls shuttle traffic in the rack structure. This ensures continuous and fluid vehicle circulation, prevents jams, and avoids collisions between shuttle cars.
- Operational efficiency and agility: a series of sensors ensure safety and effectiveness in detecting, handling, and positioning pallets. Moreover, the design of the wheels and rails enables the shuttle vehicles to run smoothly and change direction with ease and stability.
- Scalability: the AS/RS’s modular design facilitates future expansion tailored to business growth. To increase productivity, new shuttles can be added. Likewise, more aisles and levels can be created to expand capacity.
- Wide temperature range: the shuttles’ ability to operate at low temperatures makes them suitable for cold-storage and freezer warehouses. Implementing high-density solutions in such facilities provides considerable energy cost savings.
- Comprehensive solution: We design, manufacture, install, and commission all AS/RS components. These include the shuttles, lifts, racking, conveyors, fleet management software, and warehouse management system (WMS).
Applications of the 3D Automated Pallet Shuttle
High-density automated storage and maximum productivity
The 3D Automated Pallet Shuttle is the AS/RS solution best suited to scenarios with intensive loading and unloading cycles or high variability in demand. Its compact design leverages available space, while its versatility makes it adaptable to the requirements of companies in multiple sectors.
Warehouses with high product turnover
This AS/RS is perfect for streamlining the management of facilities with large daily volumes of inbound and outbound palletized loads.
Facilities with large-scale storage
It is the ideal solution for companies with large quantities of pallets per SKU. Its high-density storage expands warehouse capacity, while the operational speed of the shuttle ensures maximum performance.
Cold-storage and freezer warehouses
The 3D shuttle’s wide range of thermal resistance allows for its implementation in cold stores. In these spaces, high-density storage reduces the space to be cooled, lowering costs and freeing operators from working in low temperatures.
How does the 3D Automated Pallet Shuttle work?
The 3D shuttle cars’ multidirectional movement through the racking block greatly enhances the system’s flexibility. This streamlined operation significantly facilitates pallet loading and unloading, making this AS/RS adaptable to various demands.
A pallet arrives at the racking block
The conveyor, located at the entrance to the AS/RS, moves the pallet to be stored to the racking entry point. Along its path, the pallet passes through a checkpoint to inspect its dimensions (for clearance) and deckboards.
A 3D shuttle picks the pallet up for putaway
The WMS software assigns the pallet the optimal position. Meanwhile, the fleet management software determines the most appropriate route to reach this location. It sends the information via a Wi-Fi signal to one of the shuttles, which picks up the pallet and begins its journey through the racks.
The shuttle transports the pallet to an upper level
If the assigned location is on a higher level, the shuttle uses an entry lift to move to that height. Access to the upper levels can vary depending on the configuration chosen. For example, the shuttle can also deposit the pallet on a lift for another shuttle to pick it up at the destination level.
The shuttle moves within the racks
Once at the assigned level, the shuttle car navigates the aisles until it arrives at the entrance to the indicated channel. The fleet management software coordinates shuttle traffic, while sensors regulate the speed of shuttles approaching each other. Thus, shuttle vehicles moving simultaneously in the same aisle do so smoothly and safely. Shuttles can change aisles by means of transit channels (if loaded) or storage channels (if unloaded).
The shuttle places the pallet in the assigned location
When the 3D shuttle reaches the storage channel, it raises the pallet slightly and enters the channel, depositing the load in the deepest available location. The shuttle car stores the goods as compactly as possible, irrespective of the size of the pallets in the channel. When using the LIFO (last in, first out) method, the software can establish an internal division within the channel to house different SKUs on either side (when both ends face an aisle).
The shuttle exits the channel and reintegrates into circulation
After depositing the pallet, the shuttle car can leave the channel from the side it entered. Alternatively, it can pass underneath the stored pallets and exit at the opposite end (if the channel opens into another aisle). The software will indicate the precise moment for the shuttle to rejoin circulation and complete its next task.
Shuttle battery recharging process
The shuttles continuously report the status of their batteries. When a shuttle’s charge is detected to be below a certain level, the fleet management software directs it to one of the charging stations strategically located within the racking block. Once recharged, the shuttle automatically returns to work, without the need for human intervention in the process.
3D Automated Pallet Shuttle components
In the 3D Automated Pallet Shuttle system, the shuttles and lifts control all pallet movements within the racking structure. This significantly simplifies its design and implementation compared to other high-density AS/RS solutions, as there is no need for additional handling equipment like stacker cranes or transfer cars.
With its compact design, ample autonomy, and high load capacity, the 3D shuttle is the system’s operational powerhouse. Its 12 translation wheels enable its multidirectional navigation as well as agile, stable movements.
The 3D system’s racking consists of compact, robust high-density structures. They stand out for their extensive rail circuit designed to facilitate the multidirectional movement of the shuttles.
Lifting platform
Located on the top of the shuttle, it slightly raises the pallet, enabling it to move through the channels. There are several models depending on the type of pallet used.
Sensors
The shuttle car incorporates several sensors to enhance its operational effectiveness. They fulfill different functions, such as verifying the correct positioning of the pallet on the shuttle, detecting the last pallet deposited in the channel, and calculating the distance to another shuttle in front of it.
Channel running wheels
Set of 8 translation wheels (4 drive and 4 non-drive) that sit on the base of the storage channel rails to enable the shuttle to move inside the channel.
Channel guide wheels
Group of 6 wheels that reinforce the guidance of the shuttle lengthwise as it moves within the channels.
Aisle running wheels
Set of 4 translation wheels (2 drive and 2 non-drive) that rest on the aisle rails, allowing the shuttle to move along the aisle.
Aisle guide wheels
Group of 4 wheels that guide the shuttle as it navigates the aisles, ensuring stable movement.
Battery
Shuttle cars use batteries with very fast charging cycles, making these vehicles highly autonomous. Battery charge levels are constantly monitored; thus, shuttles are automatically moved to a charging station when necessary.
Antenna
Device through which the shuttle car receives instructions (via Wi-Fi) from the WMS and fleet management software.
Frames and beams
Vertical and horizontal profiles. Together with the rails, they form the racking framework where 3D shuttles navigate through aisles and storage channels to store and retrieve pallets.
Rails
Horizontal profiles along which the 3D shuttle vehicles travel. Rails are located on the different levels of the main aisle and inside each storage channel. The channel rails also serve as the support surface on which the pallets are deposited.
Lifts
High-performance load-raising devices used to connect the different levels. A minimum of two lifts are installed (one inbound and one outbound). However, the number can be extended to increase the operational capacity of the AS/RS.
Safety mesh
Safety element consisting of metal mesh that prevents loads from falling. It is installed along the full height of racking blocks adjacent to passageways.
Safety partitioning
Perimeter metal fencing that delineates the block of racking, the operating area of the 3D shuttles and lifts, and the conveyor located at the front of the AS/RS.
Catalogs
3D Automated Pallet Shuttle
Maximum high-density pallet storage and operational productivity
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