Geautomatiseerde opslag van grondstoffen

Stop treating your raw material inventory like a black box. In bulk ingredient handling and polymer processing, the “LIFO” (Last-In, First-Out) trap of floor stacking leads to expired batches and wasted floor space. The starack system transforms chaotic flat storage into a precise, vertical logic engine, ensuring that the resin or flour you bought first is the first to hit the production line.

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The Economics of Vertical Density in Bulk Material Handling

For industries managing high-volume raw materials—such as plastic injection molding (resins), food processing (flour, sugar), or chemical blending—land footprint is often the second highest cost after the inventory itself. Traditional floor stacking or drive-in racking creates “honeycombing,” where empty pallet positions cannot be refilled until the entire lane is cleared.

The Geautomatiseerd palletmagazijn solves this spatial inefficiency through structural rigidity. Utilizing starack-Standard or starack-Shuttle configurations, we utilize Q355 high-strength steel to build upwards of 40 meters.

Figure 1: Single Mast Stacker Crane converting vertical space into usable inventory slots for raw material pallets.

From “Floor Stacking” to “Rack Clad” Assets

Why build a building to house a rack, when the rack can be the building? By adopting a Rack Clad design, the racking structure itself supports the roof and wall cladding. This allows for raw material warehouses to be built faster and cheaper, with tax advantages in many jurisdictions where the structure is classified as equipment rather than real estate. This approach is critical for raw material buffers where the goal is maximum cubic storage per square meter of land.

Enforcing FIFO: The End of Expired Ingredients

In food and chemical manufacturing, shelf-life is non-negotiable. Manual forklift operations often default to LIFO because it is easier for the driver to pick the pallet closest to the aisle. This leads to hidden spoilage at the back of the deep lanes.

The starack system integrates directly with your ERP or WMS integration to enforce strict First-In, First-Out (FIFO) protocols.

Input Logic: When a pallet of raw material enters via the conveyor, the system records its batch code and production date.
Storage Logic: The system assigns a slot based on turnover frequency (ABC analysis).
Retrieval Logic: When production requests “500kg of Material X,” the system automatically locks and retrieves the oldest valid batch, preventing human error.

Figure 2: Multi-deep shuttle storage ideal for large batches of identical raw material SKUs (e.g., plastic granules or additives).

Safety and Stability for Heavy Bags

Raw materials often come in FIBCs (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers) or “Super Sacks” on pallets. These loads are notoriously unstable. Over time, the contents settle, causing the bag to bulge or lean. In a manual high-bay warehouse, a leaning bag at 10 meters is a lethal hazard.

Our Geautomatiseerd palletmagazijn solution mitigates this risk through a mandatory “Profile Gauge” at the induction point. Before a pallet is ever lifted by the stacker crane, it passes through a sizing gate. If the load overhang exceeds 50mm due to bag settling, the system rejects the entry immediately. Inside the rack, the Double Mast Stacker Crane uses a fully bolted structure to minimize vibration, ensuring that even shifting granular loads remain stable during high-speed acceleration (up to 160m/min).

Figure 3: Heavy-duty double mast structure ensures stability for dense raw materials weighing over 1,000kg per pallet.

Hygiene Compliance in Food Raw Materials

For GMP-regulated environments, wooden pallets and hydraulic leaks are contamination risks. The starack system supports the use of captive plastic pallets or system pallets to ensure hygiene.

Furthermore, by removing forklifts from the aisles, you eliminate the rubber dust and exhaust particulates associated with manual material handling. This creates a cleaner environment suitable for “Clean Room” adjacent storage of sensitive ingredients.

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Veelgestelde vragen

Can the system handle “Super Sacks” (Big Bags) that bulge over the pallet?

Yes, but with strict controls. We implement an induction profile check (Profile Gauge) to reject loads with excessive overhang (>50mm). We often recommend using slightly larger “system pallets” or slave pallets to support the sagging bag fully and prevent sensor interference inside the AS/RS.

How do you handle raw materials that require different temperature zones?

Our stacker cranes are designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -30°C to +45°C. For sensitive chemical or food raw materials, we can design zoned storage where the WMS directs specific SKUs to temperature-controlled sectors automatically.

What if my raw material batch is recalled?

This is where WMS integration shines. You can enter the specific batch code into the system, and the AS/RS will immediately “quarantine” those pallets digitally, preventing them from being retrieved for production until the hold is released or they are rejected.

Is the system suitable for heavy drums of liquid?

Absolutely. For liquid drums, we utilize the starack-Heavy logic with S-Curve acceleration profiles. This ensures smooth starting and stopping to prevent liquid sloshing, which could otherwise destabilize the load at high elevations.

How much weight can you store per pallet position?

Our standard configuration handles up to 1,500kg per pallet. For heavy metal raw materials (coils, plates) or dense powders, we deploy heavy-duty stackers capable of handling up to 8,000kg per unit load.