Three-aisle unit load
automated buffer with 1,950 storage locations in a -10º
F freezer.
Two floor-running Sorting Transfer Vehicles (STV)
for transporting loads into and out of the freezer.
Six shift-top conveyors
between airtight freezer doors for input to and output from
the unit load buffer.
Computer Control System
Windows NT-based client/server architecture with an interface to Keystone's host computer.
Control software directs all aspects of system operation in real time.
Material Flow Process
Input
Finished products are boxed and palletized, and the pallet is shrink wrapped.
A forklift truck loads the pallet onto an input conveyor, where its bar code is scanned into the inventory control system.
The conveyor takes the pallet through a roll-up door into the sorting transfer vehicle room.
Two STVs on a loop transfer loads between the input conveyor, freezer storage room, and output conveyor.
The floor-running STV picks up the pallet and travels down the loop to one of three input/output stations.
Two sets of freezer doors provide an airlock to maintain a consistent -10º temperature even as pallets go into and out of the freezer.
As the outer freezer door opens, a shift-top conveyor moves into position to accept the pallet load. Once the pallet is inside the airlock, the outer door slides closed and the inner door slides open.
Inside the freezer, the conveyor delivers the pallet to
the unit load automated buffer. The unit load's storage/retrieval
(S/R) machine picks up the pallet and stores it in one of
the available unit load racks.
Output
As product orders are processed, the computer determines which pallets to retrieve from the system on a first-in, first-out basis to ensure product freshness.
The S/R machine retrieves the correct pallet from the unit load rack and transfers it to an output conveyor, which passes through the freezer door airlock.
Once outside the freezer, an STV picks up the pallet and delivers it to an output conveyor.
From the output conveyor, a lift truck picks up the pallet and delivers it to a shipping truck.
