Warehouse-related method and facility

摘要

An arrangement of coils of varying widths and diameters in a warehouse having an automated crane wherein: the coil axes are parallel; the coils are arranged in lines, the coil widths in each line falling within a first predetermined range associated with the line, the coil diameters in each line falling within a second predetermined range associated with the line and the coil axes in each line being orientated perpendicularly to said each line; the lines define (i) rows of coils; (ii) a bottom layer of coils; and (iii) one or more upper layers of coils; each upper layer coil is supported by a pair of lower layer coils in a line; the first and second predetermined ranges associated with the line in which said each coil is arranged are the same as those associated with the line in which the supporting coils are arranged.

主权项

1. A facility comprising:
a berth to accommodate a conveyance, the conveyance being selected from one of a truck, train and boat, wherein the conveyance carries a plurality of coils and each coil carries an identifier; a transition zone comprising a plurality of transition areas; a first overhead crane extending over the berth and the transition zone, the first overhead crane moves the coils between the conveyance and the transition zone; a warehouse; a second overhead crane extending over the warehouse and the transition zone, the second overhead crane moves the coils between the transition zone and the warehouse; a database configured to receive information about the coils contained in the conveyance, the information containing the dimensions of the coils or information from which the coil dimensions can be calculated; and a computing facility configured to, after a coil has been placed into a transition area: receive a coil identifier and cross-reference the coil identifier against the database, wherein, if the coil identifier matches one of the coils in the database, the computing facility instructs the second overhead crane to automatically pickup the coil placed in to the transition area and convey the coil to an appropriate location if the appropriate location is determined to exist in the warehouse for the storage of the coil.