Automated vertical warehouse is an important part of modern logistics system, whose core operational processes mainly include receiving, dispatching and picking. Here is a detailed introduction of the operational processes:
I. Receiving Process

Receiving preparation and goods acceptance

The warehouse management system (WMS) receives receiving instructions from upstream systems, including information such as the type, quantity, and expected arrival time of the goods.
Warehouse managers plan the storage locations in advance based on the receiving instructions to ensure sufficient space for new goods.
After the goods arrive at the warehouse, they are quickly identified and the number of goods is verified through automatic identification technologies such as barcodes, RFID tags, or two-dimensional codes.
Automated receiving operation
The goods are placed on a conveyor belt and pass through necessary steps such as weighing and scanning before being sent to a designated aisle.
The stacker crane or shuttle car moves precisely according to WMS instructions to the designated storage location above.
By performing lifting, sliding, and other actions, the stacker crane or shuttle car safely and accurately places the goods on the shelves.

WMS automatically updates inventory information, including the location, quantity, and status of the goods.

II. Picking Operations Process
Order Processing
When a customer places an order, WMS automatically plans the picking route based on the order information and generates picking tasks.
Automated Picking
The stacker crane retrieves the required goods from the racks according to the instructions from WMS and places them on the designated outbound platform.
Automated guided vehicles transport the goods from the outbound platform to the sorting table.
On the sorting table, the goods are sorted by workers or automatic sorting equipment according to the outbound slip.
Goods In or Out
After sorting is completed, the automated guided vehicle returns the goods to the lane entrance or directly out of the warehouse.
If goods need to be put into storage, the stacker crane will reposition the goods on the racks.
III. Outbound Operations Process
Outbound Order Receipt
WMS receives the goods demand information from production lines or customers pushed by ERP.
Outbound Order Planning
WMS automatically conducts inventory queries and generates picking tasks according to the first-in, first-out, even distribution, and proximity principles.
Based on the current outbound operations and stacker crane status, WMS arranges the stacker crane's operation sequence and sends the arranged operation instructions to the corresponding stacker crane.
Goods Outbound
The stacker crane retrieves the goods from the racks and places them on the outbound platform.
After the goods are scanned and confirmed again at the outbound entrance, they are loaded onto transport vehicles and sent to their destinations.
WMS updates the inventory database's goods information and rack occupancy situation based on the information feedback from the control system.
In summary, the operation process of the automated high-rise warehouse is highly automated and intelligent, which can greatly improve the storage efficiency and operation efficiency of the warehouse. At the same time, by real-time monitoring and data analysis, WMS can optimize inventory layout, predict inventory demand, and provide decision support for procurement and sales.
Smart Warehouse | Automated Vertical Warehouse | Vertical Warehouse | Vertical Storage | Suzhou Vertical Storage