Multi depth stacker crane fork

1 Types and technical solutions of multi depth forks

There are two main technical paths to achieve multi deep access:

1. Multi level telescopic fork

This is the most mainstream and common technology, which can be seen as a regular double deep position forkExtended version.

·working principleForks have a multi-level (usually three or four level) expandable structure. By increasing the extension length of the fork, it can cross over the outer pallet and directly reach the innermost pallet.

·Example (Three Depth Position)The shelf layout is .

1. To retrieve the trayC， The fork must be long enough to fully pass through positions A and B and reach position C.

·challenge：

1. Rigid saggingThe longer the fork extends, the poorer its rigidity and stability, making it prone to sagging or shaking, which affects positioning accuracy. This has high requirements for material and structural design.

2. control accuracyThe precision requirements for the driving and positioning systems are very high, and small errors will be amplified after long-distance extension.

2. Mechanical arm/offset fork

This is a more advanced and flexible technology, typically associated withCombined use of "double row" design.

·working principleForks not only have the ability to extend and retract, but their fork body (or one of the fork bodies in a row) can also be moved horizontallylateral movementThis design beautifully achieves the previously introducedThe 'frog leaping' operation can be extended to more depths.

·Workflow (Taking Three Deep Positions as an Example)：

1. clear obstaclesThe offset fork takes out the outer pallets A and B one by one and temporarily places them on the fork rack or another movable platform.

2. Access targetAfter the channel is cleared, the fork extends into the innermost layer to operate tray C.

3. restore to its original positionAfter the operation is completed, place trays B and A back in their original positions in sequence.

·advantage：

oflexibilityji高It can access pallets of any depth, truly achieving "any storage location access", and the warehouse management is very flexible.

oResolve efficiency bottlenecksAlthough the process is still time-consuming, it is much more efficient than having the stacker crane run back and forth to move the warehouse.

·disadvantage：

oextremely complexThe mechanical structure and control algorithms are very complex and costly.

oHigh maintenance requirementsMore moving parts mean higher failure rates and maintenance needs.

II Analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of multi depth systems

advantage

1. ji高Space utilization rateThis is the most core advantage. Multi depth systems can improve the space utilization efficiency of warehouses, especially suitable for situations with high land costs or extremely limited storage space (such as urban centers and cold storage facilities).

2. Reduce unit storage costsIn the case of a huge storage capacity, although the initial investment in equipment is high, the storage cost diluted to each pallet may be lower.

shortcoming

1. Significant decrease in access efficiencyThis is the biggest cost. Accessing the innermost layer of goods requires multiple "leapfrog" or warehouse transfer operations, which take a long time. The system throughput is much lower than that of single deep bit and dual deep bit systems.

2. High equipment costsThe technical difficulty and high manufacturing accuracy of multi-stage long stroke forks or offset robotic arms make the equipment itself very expensive.

3. High system complexityThe requirements for control systems and scheduling software (WCS/WMS) are high, requiring intelligent location management algorithms to optimize access order and minimize deep operations.

4. High requirements for pallets and goodsRequire uniform pallet specifications, good quality, and stable size of goods, otherwise collisions or jamming may occur during long-distance expansion or relocation.

III Applicable scenarios

Multi depth stacker crane forkThe system is not a mainstream choice, but is applied to very specific scenarios:

·Ultra-low temperature freezerLand and construction costs are high, energy consumption is huge, maximizing space utilization is the primary goal, and efficiency is secondary.

·Urban warehouses with expensive land pricesPursuing maximum storage capacity on limited land.

·Low frequency operation warehouse for bulk commodities, archives, etcThe storage cycle of goods is long, and the frequency of inbound and outbound storage is very low, but the storage capacity requirements are high (such as national reserve warehouses and document centers).

·Specific manufacturing industryStore spare parts or raw materials that have not been moved for a long time.

summary

Multi depth stacker crane forkRepresenting the field of automated warehousing technology Exchange space for timeThe pursuit of ji. It is a highly specialized solution tailored to specific needs.

·Single depth positionPursuing the ultimate goalefficiencySpace utilization standards.

·Double depth position: InEfficiency and SpaceAchieving the best balance between them is currently the most mainstream dense storage solution.

·Multiple depths (three depths or more): PursuingExtreme SpaceWillingly accepting a significant decrease in efficiency.

The choice of depth system is based on the initial stage of warehouse planningBusiness requirements (throughput) Vs. Storage CapacityandEconomic benefits (equipment investment) Vs. Land/Building CostsThe result of comprehensive weighing.No matter what kind of fork you choose, Anhui Jiwei can provide you with a complete solution. Looking forward to your choice!