Glossary · Packaging and intralogistics
High-bay warehouse
Also known as: High-rise warehouse, High-bay storage
German: Hochregallager
In intralogistics, a high-bay warehouse is a warehouse with tall pallet racks, often more than 12 meters high, typically operated automatically by stacker cranes and sometimes built as a rack-supported building.
- Intralogistics
In one sentence
A high-bay warehouse stores pallets in tall racks, often over 12 meters high, usually served automatically by stacker cranes.
Example
The 40-meter high-bay warehouse holds 30,000 pallet locations, served by ten stacker cranes in narrow aisles.
How it applies
- Engineering: In rack-supported (silo) construction, the racks carry the roof and walls. Rack design, floor flatness and crane rails must meet tight tolerances.
- Operation: Automated high-bay warehouses often run in the dark and with low oxygen or special fire suppression concepts. Access is restricted to trained personnel.
- Safety: Rescue from a stacker crane at height, inspection of racks and fire protection need planned procedures; see Emergency procedure and Fire hazard.
- Documentation: Documentation must cover the building, racks, cranes, conveyors and fire protection. Plan an overview document that ties together the manuals of the individual suppliers, especially for access, rescue and emergency procedures.
High-bay warehouse vs. AS/RS
A high-bay warehouse describes the storage structure; an Automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) describes the automated handling. A high-bay warehouse can also be operated with manned narrow-aisle trucks.