// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
Automated Storage
Systems that automatically store and retrieve items in a warehouse or factory, often using robots or automated cranes, to maximize space and efficiency. These systems are crucial for modern logistics.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) are robotic material handling systems that automatically place and retrieve loads from storage locations with precision and speed, optimizing warehouse space utilization and inventory management in manufacturing logistics.
BACKGROUND
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as 4IR, Industry 4.0 or the Intelligence Age, is a neologism describing rapid technological advancement in the 21st century. It follows the Third Industrial Revolution. The term was popularized in 2016 by Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum founder and former executive chairman, who asserts that these developments represent a significant shift in industrial capitalism.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- AS/RS
- automated warehousing
- robotic storage
- smart storage
- automated inventory
USAGE NOTE
Improves inventory accuracy, reduces labor, and optimizes space in high-volume distribution centers and production facilities.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Automated Storage.
A global leader in material handling systems, providing a wide range of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS), including unit load and mini load stacker cranes, sorting transfer vehicles (STVs), and related warehouse management software for manufacturing and distribution.
A supplier of integrated automated technology, software, and services to optimize the supply chain. Dematic develops a variety of AS/RS technologies, including cranes and shuttle systems, tailored for production logistics and finished goods warehousing.
A German-based global provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions. The company develops and manufactures a wide portfolio of automated storage technologies, including pallet and bin AS/RS, mobile racking systems, and the SSI Flexi shuttle system for dynamic storage.
A division of Honeywell that designs, manufactures, and installs automated material handling solutions. Their offerings include various AS/RS solutions, robotics, warehouse execution systems (WES), and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that integrate with storage systems.
A Japanese company that provides logistics and factory automation systems. Muratec develops high-speed stacker cranes for both pallet and case handling, rail-guided vehicle loop networks, and other automated storage solutions for manufacturing environments.
A robotics and software company that invented and pioneers Cube Storage Automation. Its system uses robots on top of an aluminum grid to store and retrieve goods in bins, providing unparalleled storage density for parts and small items in manufacturing and fulfillment.
A global industry partner for intralogistics solutions and a leading supplier of automated storage solutions and material handling systems. Kardex specializes in dynamic storage and retrieval systems like Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) and Vertical & Horizontal Carousels for industrial applications.
An Austrian company that implements highly automated, turnkey logistics solutions. TGW develops shuttle systems, mini-load AS/RS, and conveyor systems that are integrated by their own warehouse management and control software for production and distribution.