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Academy is a space where we define the most commonly used concepts in the world of automated intralogistics. It is a place where we will clarify your ideas and delimit those concepts that may, a priori, be less familiar to the non-specialist public. 

Intralogistic Dictionary

Here you will find the concepts we talk about on our website defined so that everything is much clearer for you.

As we receive feedback from our users, we will expand the concepts of automated intralogistics explained here.

Table of contents:

Intralogistics:

Intralogistics refers to the part of the supply chain that encompasses all internal processes and movements of goods within a warehouse. From the receipt and entry of goods into the warehouse to their dispatch.

 

AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle)

An automated guided vehicle (AGV) system that works with guidance, but not fixed lines. They are flexible systems that can be changed more quickly and at a lower cost. They have a navigation system that allows them to move along predetermined circuits.

 

AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot)

Automatically guided vehicle system. Unlike AGVs, the robots do not work with predefined circuits, but rather, once they know the route, they calculate the most efficient route to carry out the operation. During the journey, they are constantly on the lookout for changes in the environment and in that case, they automatically recalculate to a new trajectory avoiding the obstacle.

 

AS / RS

Automatic Storage (AS) and Retrieval Systems (RS). As the name suggests, AS/RS are used to store and retrieve goods (pallets or boxes) from a rack. This type of system is made up of different types of machines.

 

Automated warehouse

An automated warehouse optimises most of its tasks by installing automated equipment and machinery. There can be different degrees of automation depending on the part of the activity that is automated. A warehouse can have low automation, such as a vertical storage or a single aisle mini-load. Or it can be fully automated, with several systems working together.

 

Automatic sorting

Automatic sorting elements are used in order picking environments. It is a system that is widely used in the market, as whether order picking is manual or automatic, a logistics process always ends up sorting all the boxes prepared according to their destination.

 

Buffer

An area for temporary storage of goods within a production process or other intralogistics flow.

 

Consolidation

Managing orders from different logistics centres and organising them, grouping them into larger consignments to facilitate their transport.

 

Conveying

Conveying refers to the transport of loads within an intralogistics operation in an automated warehouse.

 

Crossdocking

This refers to when goods enter a warehouse and are taken directly to the dispatch area for delivery to a customer, without being stored.

 

Dispatch

The last step in intralogistics operations where orders are loaded onto the truck for delivery to the customer.

 

Load unit

Basic storage and transport unit, usually on a support such as pallets or boxes. It facilitates intralogistics operations.

 

Mini load

A MiniLoad system allows an automatic storage solution at height by means of a stacker crane robot for handling light carcasses.

 

Order picking

Picking is practically the final part of an intralogistics process. Where the stored products are divided and prepared in different orders according to customers to be dispatched.

 

Pick to Light / Pick by Light systems

Pick to Light is a convenient and intuitive light-operated systems for order picking.

 

Picking

Or order preparation. It consists of extracting units from the stored products in order to pack them according to customer orders for dispatch.

 

PLC

Programmable Logic Controller. Computer used in automatic engineering to automate processes.

 

Shuttle

A mobile system that transports or "shuttles" packages onto an automated pallet rack. A type of system belonging to the AS/RS Automatic Storage and Retrieval Systems.

 

SKU

Stock Keeping Unit. Reference that allows products to be stored in an orderly and easily identifiable manner.

 

Sorter

These are automatic package sorting systems that are generally used in order picking.

 

Spiralveyor

Conveyor system for level changes in the warehouse. A spiral conveyor for the reduction of the used area.

 

Stacker cranes

This is a mechanical equipment used to transport loads and lift them to the height required by the warehouse. They usually work in narrow aisles and have the capacity to climb up to more than 50 metres. They are robots created for the vertical storage of both pallets and smaller units.

 

Unit Load

Or pallet stacker cranes, which are mainly used to meet order picking and automated storage needs.

 

Vertical storage

Vertical storage is the use of height to save storage space. There can be different types of vertical storage. Starting from smaller solutions such as vertical cabinets to larger solutions such as pallet and box racking.

 

WCS

Warehouse Control System. It is a software that maximises the efficiency of the facilities, improving the balance of work so that all the equipment can perform at its best. The WCS allows intralogistics warehouses to control the operations sent by the WMS related to activity flow and inventory management. It is responsible for all the warehouse machinery such as stacker cranes, conveyors and others to work automatically.

 

WMS

Warehouse Management System (WMS). It is a software solution that manages all the operations that take place within an intralogistics warehouse. This term is used to describe the management, control and optimisation of the storage and distribution system. This system aims to manage and optimise the company's internal storage system.