In brief
Mini-load AS/RS suits clearly structured bin and goods-to-person processes, shuttles provide high dynamic performance, AMRs offer flexible transport and AutoStore enables compact bin storage. What matters is not the technology alone, but its fit with the item spectrum, order profile, building, growth and operating organisation.
Four technologies at a glance
| Technology | Strength | Points to examine |
|---|---|---|
| Mini-load AS/RS | Established bin storage and goods-to-person processes | Aisle output, redundancy, conveyors and expansion direction |
| Shuttle | High dynamics and flexible level performance | Load profile, buffer logic, maintenance access and energy |
| AMR | Flexible transport that can scale in stages | Traffic, fleet control, charging points and manual interaction |
| AutoStore | Compact bin storage with modular ports and robots | Item access, port performance, building grid and operating strategy |
Six questions determine the selection
- Which item sizes, weights and load carriers must be handled?
- How are orders, lines and peaks distributed across day, week and year?
- Which response time and availability does the operation require?
- Which building height, columns, fire protection and expansion areas are available?
- How do growth and assortment changes affect the load?
- Which IT, maintenance and operating organisation can the company support reliably?
Performance must be dimensioned as a system
A robot type or nominal throughput is not enough for evaluation. The complete chain of storage access, transport, buffer, workstation, operator and IT is decisive. Three scenarios — normal operation, peak and disruption — show whether buffers and redundancy work together. Supplier figures are inputs, not a guarantee for the overall process.
Common selection mistakes
- Selecting technology before item and order profiles have been cleaned
- Comparing investment only instead of life cycle and operating organisation
- Evaluating peak output without upstream and downstream processes
- Promising expansion without checking space, IT and ongoing operations
- Defining acceptance cases only after the order has been placed
The technology decision belongs within comprehensive warehouse planning. Also see the six planning steps and the glossary entry on automation technology.