Mini Load Order Selection System     

Side Port Mini Load Order Selection System for a distributor of fine papers

  A Side-port Mini–load ASRS order selection system for fine papers. 

The initial Mini-load ASRS system design was based upon a 30” x 48” Mini-load tote and a Side-port entry with 5 input and output ports (Figure 1). 

Upon testing the system utilizing a computer simulation, it was determined that the system would not perform at the necessary rate to accommodate the design capacity requirements as stated by the client.  The simulation also proved that the 5 side-ports would reduce the throughput of the system even more, showing 3 ports being the maximum.   

 A system redesign was prompted and the following design changers were made to improve the system’s performance metrics. 

1. Increased the size of the totes to 48” x 60”.  This increased the capacity of each tote and shortened the overall length of the system.  This reduced the cycle time of the machine and improved cycle times. 

2. 1,200 totes were eliminated.  The new design also reduced the amount of rack required, resulting in substantially lowering the system cost.   

3. Locating a single side port in the center of the ASRS and utilizing a conveyor system to perform the transfer to and from the packing stations, permitted the entire product line to be stored in a total of 16 bays centered around the side-port, 8 in each direction.  This substantially improved the throughput capacity of the system.  

Overall, the new system (Figure 2) performed at a higher throughput capacity and a substantially reduced cost.