This rack type is used especially in high-bay warehouses for supply and storage systems containing a multitude of identical article pallets. The advantage: Many products can be stored in a small space. Disadvantage: The access speed is not very high. The multi-deep storage in channels requires a shuttle vehicle (also called satellite vehicle or "Muli") which drives into the channel to move pallets. The AS/RS with one or several of these load handling attachments thus transports not only the loading/storage aid, but also a vehicle. Such applications are used at the companies frei, BIG, Schumacher and others. Here, channels are created that contain only one article or one batch to avoid any intermixtures and thus relocations. When removing products from stock, the oldest channel is searched, i.e. the channel that contains the pallet to be picked first according to the FIFO principle. Subsequently, this channel is emptied according to the order request.
Versatile: Channel storage system or satellite vehicle storage system ("Muli")
Handling and practicing mixed channels is possible as well - as already mentioned this entails an increased number of relocation movements and thus a smaller throughput. A high warehouse filling level, however, may require this. The storage strategy takes this into account. It is also possible to store pallets of different sizes. In doing so, it is preferred to create channels of a single type. This creates a pattern which is uniform per each channel and which is determined by the first storage. However, it is also possible to mix types, considering not only types, but also the pallet dimension. DC21 with its MFC (material flow computer) is able to manage the precise dimension of storage units and storage channels. This means that the control system is able to ensure a positioning precise down to the centimeter or millimeter. In most cases, however, such warehouse philosophies are abandoned due to the physical conditions and aspects aggravating the situation: accuracy of the dimensions, projections, center of load, sensors. A pattern in which pallets move is more transparent.
