GUANGDONG XIEDA INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
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Four-way shuttle racking vs. beam racking: A comprehensive comparison analysis
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Publish Time:
2025-07-14
The following is a comprehensive comparison analysis of four-way shuttle racking AS/RS and conventional AS/RS:
Structural Design
- Four-way shuttle AS/RS: Adopts multi-layer shuttle racking, combined with vertical and horizontal guide rails, forming a mesh storage structure. The core equipment is a four-way shuttle (can move forward, backward, left, and right), supporting cross-aisle and cross-layer operations, eliminating the need for fixed aisles, and achieving higher space utilization.
- Conventional AS/RS: Uses conventional racking as the core, relying on stacker cranes for vertical operation within fixed aisles. The racking is high, and the aisles are wide, but space utilization is limited by the number of aisles and the operating range of the stacker crane.
Space Utilization
- Four-way shuttle AS/RS: Through the flexible movement of the four-way shuttle, aisle occupancy is reduced, and storage density can reach 5-10 times that of traditional warehouses, especially suitable for irregularly shaped warehouses.
- Conventional AS/RS: Due to the limitations of fixed aisles and the operating range of the stacker crane, space utilization is relatively low, but the storage capacity per aisle is large.
Operational Efficiency
- Four-way shuttle AS/RS: Multiple vehicles work together, the intelligent scheduling system optimizes the path, the efficiency of warehousing and de-warehousing is high, and it supports 24-hour continuous operation.
- Conventional AS/RS: The stacker crane operates quickly in a single aisle, but the coordination between multiple aisles is poor, and bottlenecks are prone to occur during peak hours.
Flexibility and Scalability
- Four-way shuttle AS/RS: Modular design, the number of shuttles or the number of racking layers can be increased or decreased to adapt to business fluctuations; supports irregularly shaped warehouses and complex environments.
- Conventional AS/RS: Expansion requires adding aisles and stacker cranes, which is costly; strict requirements for warehouse shape and height.
Cost and Maintenance
- Four-way shuttle AS/RS: Lower initial investment (shuttle cost is lower than stacker crane), lower maintenance cost (lithium battery drive, faults can be replaced).
- Conventional AS/RS: High construction cost (stacker cranes are expensive), complex maintenance (many mechanical parts), and high noise levels.
Applicable Scenarios
- Four-way shuttle AS/RS: Suitable for industries with diverse SKUs and scattered orders, such as e-commerce, retail, and pharmaceuticals, especially suitable for scenarios that require flexible expansion or coping with fluctuations.
- Conventional AS/RS: Suitable for the storage of bulk goods (such as raw materials and finished products in manufacturing), where high storage stability and fewer SKUs are required.
With its high efficiency, flexibility, and low cost, the four-way shuttle AS/RS has become the preferred choice for modern intelligent warehousing; conventional AS/RS maintains its advantages in the traditional bulk storage field. Enterprises can choose a suitable solution based on their business needs, budget, and site conditions.
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