Cube-System
Also: Cube-Lager, Cube Storage, Grid-System, Roboter-Cube-Lager, Cube-Lagersystem, Würfelraster-Lager
AI-generated
A cube system is a high-density, grid-based storage system in which bins are stacked in a three-dimensional grid and moved by robots. It is particularly suited for small to medium-sized items with high throughput in limited storage space.
Key facts
- Cube systems use a three-dimensional bin stack without fixed aisles, achieving significantly higher space density than conventional small-parts warehouses.
- Robots on a roof grid lift and reposition bins according to the goods-to-person principle, largely eliminating manual travel in the picking process.
- Achievable throughput is directly dependent on the number of robots deployed and can be scaled by adding additional units.
- Cube systems are particularly well suited for small to medium-sized items with high variety, and less so for heavy or bulky goods.
- The openness of the control software toward WMS and ERP systems varies by vendor and should be evaluated early in the selection process.
What is a cube system?
A cube system is an automated storage system that stacks load carriers – typically standardized plastic bins – in a cube-shaped, three-dimensional grid. Unlike conventional rack warehouses with fixed aisles, a cube system utilizes virtually the entire available volume for storage. Robots or other handling devices travel on a rail system on the roof of the grid and lift bins upward to gain access to units stored below. The system operates without fixed picking aisles, which significantly increases space utilization compared to traditional small-parts warehouses.
How does a cube system work in practice?
In operation, the warehouse management system communicates continuously with the robots on the grid. When a bin is requested, the control system calculates the optimal path and coordinates multiple robots simultaneously so that the target bin is delivered to the workstations without collisions. There, operators or picking robots retrieve the required items according to the goods-to-person principle. The bin is then returned to the grid, with the system preferentially placing high-turnover bins at the top to reduce future access times.
Typical application areas include e-commerce fulfillment, pharmaceutical distribution, and spare parts retail – wherever a large variety of items in small quantities must be picked quickly. Cube systems are less suitable for heavy goods, bulky items, or products with highly irregular geometry, as these do not fit into standard bins.
What are the key selection criteria?
Several factors are critical when planning a cube system:
- Item profile: Items must fit within the specified bin sizes. Mixed bins containing multiple SKUs are possible but increase picking complexity.
- Throughput and redundancy: The number of robots is the primary determinant of achievable throughput. If one robot fails, the system can generally continue operating, as other units take over the task.
- Scalability: Cube systems can in principle be expanded modularly; however, enlarging the grid typically requires adequately dimensioned building structures and forward-looking planning of IT capacity.
- Integration capability: Connectivity to WMS and ERP systems via standardized interfaces is critical. Vendors differ considerably in how open their control software is.
- Temperature requirements: Some vendors offer refrigerated or deep-freeze variants, which extends the range of applications but significantly increases investment costs.
The decision to implement a cube system should always be based on a thorough simulation of the item range and order patterns, as planning errors in this type of system are difficult to correct after the fact.
Related terms
- 3D-Matrix Solution
A 3D matrix solution is a multi-dimensional storage and buffer system that dynamically manages load units in the X, Y, and Z directions, enabling significantly higher space utilization than conventional systems.
- AKL
An Automated Small Parts Warehouse (AKL) is a fully mechanized storage system for bins, trays, or cartons that automates the goods-to-person process using aisle-captive storage and retrieval machines or shuttles.
- AMR
AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) is a driverless, self-navigating transport robot that moves goods within a warehouse without any fixed installed infrastructure. It orientates itself independently using sensors and digital maps, and dynamically avoids obstacles.
- AutoStore
AutoStore is a cube-based automated storage system in which driverless robots traverse an aluminum grid to stack plastic bins and retrieve them on demand for delivery to picking ports. The system is considered one of the most space-efficient automated small-parts warehouses available for standardized bin-compatible goods.
- AutoStore-Lagersystem
The AutoStore storage system is a fully automated cube storage system in which robots stack, retrieve, and transport plastic bins across a three-dimensional grid structure to stationary picking stations.
- Automatiklager
An automated warehouse is a fully or partially automated storage system in which the receipt, retrieval, transport and management of storage units are carried out without manual intervention, using conveyor technology, storage and retrieval machines, and a higher-level control software.
- Automatisches Kleinteilelager (AKL)
The Automated Small Parts Warehouse (AKL) is a fully automated storage system for totes, trays and small parts, in which storage and retrieval operations are performed without manual intervention by stacker cranes or shuttle systems.
- Batch-Kommissionierung
Batch picking is a method in which multiple customer orders are consolidated into a single pick run. This allows the picker to travel one route while simultaneously covering positions from different orders.
- Beleglose Kommissionierung
Paperless picking refers to the assembly of orders in the warehouse without paper pick lists, where all instructions are transmitted digitally via terminals, displays, voice, or optical signals.
- Chaotische Lagerhaltung
Chaotic storage is a warehousing principle in which items are not stored in fixed, pre-assigned locations, but are instead dynamically placed in any available, suitable slot in the warehouse. A warehouse management system handles the control and tracking of all storage locations.