According to the company, the system solution consisting of hardware and software makes it possible to reduce the space required by more than half. The RSX1 system solution consists of a flexible, customizable and expandable rack, a particularly narrow shuttle vehicle with an innovative load handling device, lifts that can be variably positioned in the rack and a software package. The system is managed over its entire life cycle as a digital twin in an IoT cloud environment hosted on Microsoft Azure. Remote monitoring, optimization and wear-dependent maintenance can be implemented based on sensor and telemetry data. The entire system is based on open standards and is interoperable with common warehouse and control technology. This makes it suitable for new builds as well as modernization, expansion and manufacturer-independent integration into existing systems.

Patented solutions for more space efficiency

The Rocket Solution Shuttle system offers significantly greater space efficiency with lower TCOs than conventional miniload, shuttle or height-limited cube systems. Thanks to its modular design and low requirements in terms of structural conditions and the nature of the floor, the system can be implemented and put into operation almost anywhere in a short space of time. As demand increases, the RSX1, which is up to 150 meters long and 25 meters high, can be equipped with additional shuttle vehicles.

Thanks to the standard four-deep storage, fewer aisles are required in the area than with the usual three- or two-deep storage. Compared to conventional systems of a similar design, these are also significantly narrower. The ultra-compact design of the shuttle vehicle also allows the usual aisle clearances to be halved. By consistently implementing measures to increase space efficiency, Rocket Solution is able to reduce non-productive traffic areas in the warehouse to a minimum. The storage area itself is used more efficiently thanks to greatly reduced distances between the load carriers. Due to their design, shuttle warehouses with low load carriers generally lose space, especially at height. The RSX1, on the other hand, works from a container height of 100 mm without any loss of space.

It also has an innovative load handling device that does not push the containers into the rack, but lifts them particularly safely. This means that the load can be picked up regardless of the container type and dimensions. Trays and standard containers in sizes from 400 x 600 mm to 450 x 650 mm can be moved, as can vegetable crates with ribbed bases or metal boxes weighing up to 50 kg. It is therefore also ideal for handling flat or heavy load units. The improved space economy is accompanied by greater process reliability, as the containers can no longer twist in the rack thanks to smart guidance - the majority of causes of malfunctions and downtime in shuttle systems.

New applications in urban areas

Thanks to flexible storage depths - quadruple and triple-deep storage can be combined to make optimum use of confined spaces - and variably installable lifts, the system warehouse can also be adapted very well to difficult structural and spatial conditions. This further reduces the area of dead, unused space. All in all, the RSX1 system solution enables at least 50 percent more container storage capacity to be achieved with identical space requirements. Depending on the conditions on site, this figure can rise to over 100 percent. Existing warehouses and building shells can therefore be used more efficiently. Particularly in the energy-intensive warehouses of fresh produce logistics, greater space efficiency reduces operating costs and sustainably improves the ecological footprint.

"The omnipresent pandemic has shown the vulnerability of a centralized supply chain, especially at the beginning," says Florian Vent, founder and Managing Director Technology at Rocket Solution. "However, the existing facilities and premises are not designed for decentralized temporary storage and are only partially suitable for conventional storage of the necessary stocks. A space-efficient system such as the Rocket Solution RSX1 shuttle system can be the ideal solution in these cases without having to compromise on performance."

For a conventionally tendered shuttle warehouse with three aisles and triple-deep storage, Rocket Solution is currently planning to more than double the number of storage locations in the same cube from 34,000 to 70,500 with around 33% higher capacity. Warehouse operators and system integrators can explore the potential of their existing or planned systems themselves in just a few steps using the configurator offered online at rocketsolution.de. The systems are available immediately.