Asr per l’ industria alimentare e delle bevande

The Thermodynamics of Density: Why Volume Matters More Than Area

For ambient food storage, land cost is the primary driver. However, in cold chain environments (frozen food, dairy, meat processing), the equation changes. The cost of maintaining a facility at -25°C is astronomical. In a traditional forklift-operated facility, up to 60% of the refrigerated volume is wasted on aisles required for the forklift’s turning radius.

The starack-Shuttle system fundamentally alters this economic model. By utilizing a “Satellite Shuttle” that detaches from the mother vehicle and travels deep into the racking capability (up to 10-20 pallets deep), we eliminate the need for aisles between every rack row.

This structure sacrifices the selectivity of individual pallets—which is rarely needed in high-volume beverage or frozen food production—to gain extreme volume density. The result is a dramatic reduction in the “cost per pallet position” regarding energy consumption. You are cooling product, not air.

Strict FIFO Enforcement and Traceability

In the F&B industry, expiration dates are non-negotiable. Manual forklift operations often rely on visual checks or paper lists, leading to the “LIFO trap”—where drivers pick the most convenient pallet (the one closest to the aisle) rather than the oldest one. This leads to spoilage and written-off inventory.

Our Deposito automatizzato di Pallet integrates directly with your ERP or WMS. The system’s logic is absolute: when an order for a specific SKU is received, the software identifies the oldest batch code (FIFO) or the nearest expiration date (FEFO) and commands the stacker crane to retrieve it. Human bias is removed from the equation. This ensures 100% stock rotation accuracy and provides full traceability for food safety audits (FSMA/HACCP compliance).

Hygiene and Contamination Control

Forklifts are dirty. Their tires bring dust and debris from the loading dock into the storage area; hydraulic lines can leak; and diesel or propane variants emit fumes. In a food processing plant, these are significant contamination vectors.

The starack system operates on clean electric rails (Top Guide Rail and Bottom Rail). The equipment is constructed from Q355 high-strength steel and, for cold storage applications, utilizes hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel components to prevent rust and withstand harsh wash-down procedures. By implementing a Rack Clad structure, the warehouse becomes a sealed “Black Box” environment. With no human presence inside the storage grid, the risk of hair, dust, or pathogen introduction is virtually eliminated.

Energy Regeneration in 24/7 Operations

Beverage bottling plants and food processors often run 24/7. In this high-throughput environment, the energy consumption of material handling equipment is a major OpEx factor. The starack stacker cranes differ from standard lifts by incorporating Regenerative Braking Units.

When a heavy pallet of beverages (approx. 1,000kg) is lowered from a 30-meter height, gravity does the work. Our motors act as generators during this descent, converting potential energy back into electricity. This power is fed back into the DC Bus to power the horizontal travel motors or returned to the grid. In an active facility, this can reduce overall machine energy consumption by 20-30%, contributing to corporate sustainability goals (Carbon Neutrality).

Comparison: Traditional Flat Warehouse vs. starack ASRS

Feature	Traditional Forklift Warehouse	starack ASRS Solution
Space Utilization	Low. Requires 3.5m – 4.5m wide aisles for forklifts. Max height typically 10-12m.	High. Vertical reach up to 40m. Aisles reduced to machine width or eliminated (Shuttle).
Energy Cost (Cold Storage)	High. Cooling massive volumes of “aisle air” and heat loss from frequent door openings.	Optimized. High-density storage minimizes air volume per pallet. Energy regeneration cuts power usage.
Stock Rotation	Dependent on driver discipline. High risk of “honeycombing” and LIFO errors.	Software-enforced FIFO/FEFO. Absolute inventory accuracy.
Product Damage	Frequent. Fork punctures, stack tipping, and corner crushing are common.	Near Zero. Precise laser positioning (±3mm) and smooth S-curve acceleration prevent damage.
Hygiene	Compromised by tires, footwear, and fumes.	Sterile. “Black Box” operation with no human ingress.

Domande frequenti

1. Can the system operate in deep freeze environments?

Yes. The starack system is engineered for temperatures as low as -30°C. We utilize special low-temperature steel alloys, heated control cabinets for electronics, and cold-resistant lubrication for all moving parts. The Galvanized steel structure resists corrosion caused by condensation cycles.

2. How does the system handle high-throughput beverage lines?

For high-speed bottling lines, we often deploy a multi-crane solution or a double-mast stacker capable of carrying two pallets simultaneously. With horizontal speeds up to 240m/min, the system acts as a high-speed buffer, absorbing production output instantly to prevent line stoppages.

3. What happens if a pallet breaks inside the rack?

While rare due to profile checking at induction, we have protocols for this. The system creates a physical “exclusion zone” in the WMS. Maintenance personnel can access the specific location using the stacker crane’s onboard maintenance cabin (with safety interlocks) to clear the obstruction without emptying the entire aisle.

4. Do we need to build a new building for this?

Not necessarily. While we can retrofit existing warehouses, the most cost-effective method for F&B is often the Rack Clad Building approach. Here, the racking itself supports the roof and walls, eliminating the need for a separate structural steel building column grid, saving both construction time and budget.

5. Is the system compatible with plastic hygiene pallets?

Absolutely. In fact, plastic pallets are preferred in F&B for their consistent dimensions and lack of nails/splinters. Our optical profile gauges verify the pallet integrity before storage to ensure safe handling at height.