One System – Two Flows: Smart pallet storage with delivery to GTP picking stations & Tote ASRS
Movu Robotics and Element Logic collaborate to design intelligent, high-performance systems that handle pallets and mixed SKUs with ease. Their multifunctional storage media and automation solutions are engineered to support every order type efficiently, enabling the seamless preparation of full pallets, partial pallets, mixed-SKU pallets, layers, cases, and eaches.
Addressing warehouse challenges: Warehouse operations must efficiently manage a variety of
- Full pallet orders
- Layer or multi-case orders
- Single-case orders
- Each or inner-pack picking
Pallet is inducted, pallet comes out and is retrieved. Easy enough, right? It’s the basic flow of legacy warehouse automation equipment for the past decades. But for the present-day consumer, a once simple purchase of an item is becoming ever more complicated. More choice in brands, styles and optionality exists than ever before. If the customer has these difficulties, think of the warehouse managers tasked with incorporating more SKU’s, slotting and staging them in the correct orientations while adjusting to constantly evolving preferences and taste. How do they keep up? Enter the Movu atlas 2D pallet shuttle.
Inbound: The journey of an order begins with pallet induction, where a forklift operator can drop-off a pallet to one of two induction stations. There, the pallet will undergo a strict inspection to ensure stability and orientation of the load and the quality of the pallet entering the system. Depending on the slotting location of the SKU, a shuttle will pick-up the pallet on the 1st floor or be conveyed directly to the lift where it will be transported to its designated level before the same process takes place.
Storage: Once retrieved by the shuttle, the pallet will be placed in its reserve storage position. This is a critical piece of the warehouse slotting strategy, as bay depths of 10-20+ pallet locations can be commonplace. Bay depths can be determined by a combination of factors, including order batch size, ratio of SKU’s to pallet positions, and inventory velocity. Because shuttles have the ability to ‘dig’ from each end of a bay, it creates a shorter path to any buried pallets that must be retrieved or reshuffled. On off-hours where workers are not present, shuttles will take advantage of this period to reshuffle higher velocity inventory closer to main aisles and/or move the pallets closer to the system lift.
Outbound & Picking: At the time an order is ready to be filled is when the full versatility of the Movu atlas system is on display. With three different flows (full pallet, layer picking, case picking) incorporated into the design block, it necessitates a robust and flexible software in Movu OPS.
Full pallets: For the fastest moving inventory, full pallets are cross-docked by expelling these loads to a dedicated pickup point where a forklift operator will retrieve and direct the order to a designated dock space
Layer Picking: For the medium velocity inventory being replenished at one pallet layer quantity (or above), pallets are directed to a gantry cell. Necessary pallets will leave the atlas block and first arrive at a de-wrapping station. There, operators will defoil the pallets down to the layer necessary to fulfill the upcoming pick. Once complete, the pallet conveys to the gantry station automatically where the machine removes the necessary layer quantity and places onto an adjacent conveyor line.
Case Picking: For the slowest moving inventory being picked at less-than-layer quantities, case stations are staffed with human operators. Pallets from the atlas system are conveyed to one of these stations, where the operator defoils down to the necessary case to be picked. Upon retrieval, the case(s) are placed to an adjacent conveyor line in a similar flow to the gantry area. Together, these flows replenish the forward picking area for mixed case palletizing to take place.
Each Picking: For each picking or inner pack picking, items can be stored in a case or tote ASRS. The Movu system acts as a full or partial pallet reserve storage. Once inventory is drained from the tote shuttle, cases can be picked from the GTP stations and then re-directed to the inbound tote ARS for storage.
The right path is not always the easy one for customers and their infrastructure. They must be willing to change and adapt, and with this initiative in mind, Movu and Element Logic are there is be a trusted partner.
Movu atlas is a multi-pallet Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) engineered for maximum pallet density and operational efficiency. By eliminating lift-truck aisles and manual handling, Movu atlas transforms the use of warehouse space, enabling seamless automation for both ambient and cold-store environments. Designed to adapt, scale, and perform, it’s the ultimate solution for high-throughput, high-reliability pallet handling.
Maximize<br>storage space
-13F to 113F<br>operating<br>temperature range
100% performance with automatic charging
5x more energy-efficient than traditional solutions
4.6 ft/s<br>295 ft/min<br>max. speed
3,300 lbs<br>max. load
About Movu Robotics
Movu Robotics, a member of stow Group, is a leading international warehouse automation company specializing in scalable and efficient logistics solutions. Employing more than 400 people across Europe and the USA, Movu Robotics offers a full range of automated technologies, including: Movu atlas – pallet shuttle for multi-deep storage, Movu ifollow – AMR solution for collaborative picking & pallet transport, Movu escala – 3D storage & fulfillment system for bins, Movu eligo – integrated picking robot arm. All Movu solutions are seamlessly managed via Movu’s warehouse execution software (WES). For more information: www.movu-robotics.com
About Element Logic®
Element Logic is a technology company that optimizes warehouses for customers to gain a competitive edge. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Norway. It operates worldwide and is the world’s first and largest AutoStore partner. Element Logic offers its customers automated robotic solutions, software, and consulting services.
For more information go to elementlogic.net/us/ and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
