rotary stacker

The application of rotary stacker system in automated logistics system

Stacker is the most critical equipment in automated warehouse, which has the advantages of saving land and manpower, rapid and accurate operation. Its performance directly affects the ability of the whole automated warehouse system. At the same time, its cost also determines the construction of automated warehouse investment.

Since the development of the stacker, its function and structure have been very mature, and the control space of single production cost has been very limited. However, in some special areas, if a stacking machine automatically operates in two or more roadways and meets the system requirements, the cost of automated warehouse will be greatly reduced.

Based on this background, the rotary stacker system was applied. In fact, it is more of a new application concept of the stacker, and not only the development and innovation of the single stacker.

1. The working mode of the rotating stacker system

Working mode of the straight rail segment

The bottom frame of the piler is equipped with two walking wheels to support the weight of the whole machine, and two sets of guide rails are arranged near the front and rear walking wheels to prevent the piler from swinging left and right together with the guide rails installed on the upper part of the column, and the walking wheels driven by the running motor make the piler move along the direction of the earth rail. The lifting platform is suspended by the lifting wire rope. Driven by the lifting motor, the loading platform is guided by the rail on the surface of the column as the lifting guide rail, and the lifting movement of the loading platform is completed under the traction of the steel wire rope. The fork motor drives a set of motion doubling mechanism, which makes the upper fork body complete the movement of storing and taking pallets from left to right.

Under the coordinated control of the electronic control system, the unloading and warehousing of the pallet load in the roadway are completed.

Transition mode of operation

Transition mode of operation

For example, section A1, A2, A3 and A4 are the straight rail sections of the roadway, and when the stacker runs on the corresponding track, it is the same as the ordinary straight rail stacker. Section B is a straight section of the transfer rail, connected with A1 and A4 by a bend, and connected with A2 and A3 by a transfer rail device. The transfer device contains ab section curved track and cd section straight track.

When the stacker needs to switch from the A1 track to the A2 track, the corresponding transfer device will connect the ab curved track to the A2 track and the B straight section of the transfer track according to the system instructions, and the stacker can run to the A2 roadway for loading and unloading operations.

When the stacker needs to switch from track A1 to track A3, the corresponding transition device of Lane A2 will disconnect the bent track of section ab from the transition rail of section B according to the system instruction, and the corresponding transition device of Lane A3 will connect the bent track of section ab to track A3 and straight section B according to the system instruction. The stacker can run smoothly through the transition device of Lane A2 to lane A3. Carry out warehouse operation.

After the system switches the transfer device, the stacker can switch between any roadway, and run to the corresponding roadway to carry out the operation according to the actual need.

2. Track layout mode and characteristics

Track arrangement mode of ordinary piler

(1) General straight rail stacker

Generally, the straight rail stacker only operates in a fixed roadway, that is, each roadway must be configured with a stacker. Through this configuration, the storage operation is carried out at both ends of the reservoir area, and the system has the largest capacity, but the investment is high. It is suitable for the three-dimensional warehouse system with frequent storage.

(2) U-rail stacker

The U-shape arrangement allows a single piler to operate freely in two tunnels without the need for track switching, as the piler runs directly from one tunnel (A1) to the other (A2).

Compared with the general straight rail stacker, under the premise of meeting the needs of the system’s input and output capacity, only one stacker is required for two roadways, which saves a certain amount of capital investment. However, if the stacker fails, the two roadways are used for input and output operation. Through this arrangement, the stacker can only perform input and output operation at one end of the warehouse.

The track arrangement mode of the transfer rail stacker

When tunnel A1 and Tunnel A2, A3 and A4 are switched to track A3, the corresponding transfer device of Tunnel A2 will disconnect the bend track of section ab from the transfer track of Section B according to the system instruction, and the corresponding transfer device of tunnel A3 will connect the bend track of section ab to track A3 and straight section B according to the system instruction. The stacker can smoothly run to the A3 tunnel through the transition device of the A2 tunnel, and carry out the warehousing operation.

From the above arrangement mode, it can be seen that the biggest advantage of the application of the rotary stacker system is that a small number of stackers are configured in multiple tunnels, and other stackers can replace the operation when one stacker fails, so as to not affect the input and output of materials in the tunnel, which not only meets the automatic handling function of the automatic three-dimensional warehouse, but also greatly reduces the cost.

But at the same time, some defects can also be seen from the layout mode, for example, only at one end of the vault for storage operations, due to the installation of rail change device, the vault will take up more space. Therefore, the rotary stacker system can only be used in some special automated warehouse.

3. The prospect of rotary stacker system

Up to now, it is difficult to realize the technology of cargo transfer, and the penetration rate of material access in the straight section of the transfer rail is low. It is expected that the technology of transferring and storing materials at both ends of the stack system can be widely applied, and the technology of stacking machine will take a big step forward.

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