What is ASRS?

Automated storage/retrieval systems (AS/RS) are systems that store and retrieve
products from an inventory location. These computerized robotic systems are designed to
automate operations such as unloading, sorting, put-away, storage, order-picking, staging, and
loading. Typically, automated storage/retrieval systems (AS/RS) have four major
components: the storage rack, the input/output system, the storage and retrieval (S/R)
equipment, and the computer management system.
Some automated storage/retrieval systems (AS/RS) are used in applications where a
high volume of loads are moved into and out of storage. Others are used in industries where
storage density is critical because of limited space. Typically, however, most automated
storage/retrieval systems (AS/RS) are used in manufacturing or distribution environments to
direct the flow of material through an industrial process and to the end-user. Systems may
operate in a fully-automatic mode or semi-automatic mode, depending on AS/RS capabilities
and application requirements. In semi-automatic systems, the only operator involvement
required is the material handing at the input and output stations. Inventory accuracy,
therefore, is extremely high compared to manual storage and retrieval systems.
Automated storage/retrieval systems (AS/RS) can improve employee productivity by
bringing products and materials to their work locations. Automated storage and retrieval
systems can also reduce work-in-process (WIP) inventory while enabling organizations to
lower inventory safety factors and safety stock. By providing detailed inventory reporting, the
AS/RS enables warehouse managers and schedulers to identify bottlenecks and build proper
load-storage buffers for order picking and fulfillment. Ergonomic considerations and
enhanced material traceability are additional benefits of automated storage/retrieval systems
(AS/RS), especially in heavily-regulated industries or applications that require heavy lifting
or repetitive motion.

Type of ASRS

Pallet Shuttle
This is a semi-automatic compact pallet storage system that uses shuttles to move
independently within the rack itself.

Movirack
Available now in Europe. Coming soon to North America. With the Movirack mobile
shelving system, units become more compact and storage capacity considerably increases.

MT cranes
Designed for flexibility within an automated storage and retrieval system, the MT0 stacker
crane uses a trilateral extraction system and can reach almost 50 feet.

AS/RS for Boxes

Automated warehouse system for boxes which includes the racking, machinery and
management software in a single product.

AS/RS for Pallets

Automated warehouse system designed to increase capacity, reliability and performance
while allowing direct access to each pallet.

Rack Supported Buildings

A large warehouse in which the rack system is integrated into the building during
construction.

Application of ASRS in real industry (please select an industry which uses ASRS)

Food and Beverage

Chemicals
Pharmaceutical
Manufacturing
Distribution Centers
Fulfillment Centers
Warehouses

Describe about nature of business of the selected company/industry.

Klein Steel Service specializes in providing a wide variety of steels to the northeast United
States. Klein is based in Rochester, NY and has three more locations in New York. The other
locations are in Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany. Klein provides metal solutions specific to
customer needs for a wide variety of industries including automotive, aerospace, and
consumer goods. Klein is committed to continual process improvement and growth
throughout the northeast United States. The companys mission statement reads, "Klein Steel
strives to be the premier supplier of metals by providing solutions to meet our partners
needs. We attract and engage the best teammates, suppliers, and customers while embracing
innovation and continuous process improvement."
Klein Steel Service is a family business. Klein Steel was founded by Arnold Klein in 1971
after recognizing the need for a small order steel wholesaler. Klein Steel started in a 3-garage
warehouse, and has grown to four facilities covering a combined 360,000 square feet. Klein
has state of the art metal processing and distribution equipment. This includes magnet cranes,
plasma cutters, water jet cutters, and a Kasto Automated Storage and Retrieval System. Klein
serves over 2,400 customers in the northeastern United States region. Currently, Joe Klein is
the chairman of the company and has led Klein Steel to be one of Upstate New Yorks top
employers and has been elected as the best place to work four years in a row.
Services and Culture
Klein Steel provides many services ensure that customers get the correct product on time,
every time. The Company has numerous machines that provide cutting and material
processing capabilities. Klein Steel also has a quality lab that ensures that only the best
metals are sent to customers. Klein prides the company in being a safe. It is the belief of the
company and employees that the reward for safety today is tomorrow. Klein embraces

teamwork and innovation. The company is constantly improving to stay on the cutting edge
to maintain stature in the steel service industry. Klein gives back to the community by
involving employees 30 professional and educational affiliations.

Type of ASRS used in the company. What is it for? To store what?

The original storage system Klein used consisted of a crane with a set of chains operated by
two people. These cranes moved material to a series of racks separated by cross members. To
access lower-level material, cross members on higher levels had to move (by way of the
aforementioned crane). From there, the material moved using manual effort - 8 people to
move material to the loading dock, with another 6 to move the material onto trucks. Klein
still uses a modification of this system - using only the crane for extremely large stock such
as the 50 foot stock pictured below

Original Storage System

They are using Kasto Linear Bar Storage and Retrieval System
The Kasto linear bar system is similar to a vertical lift storage and retrieval module. The
Kasto system is a fully automated storage and retrieval that offers space savings and increases
storage utilization for a facility. The advantages to the Kasto fully automated storage and
retrieval system includes decreased materials handling time, inventory control, and increased
storage space. Disadvantages to the system are the larger up front capital costs. This option
appealed to Klein because of the advantages it could offer to the factory floor in loading and
unloading from inventory.
Klein chose to implement the Kasto Linear Bar System because of the many advantages the
system offered to help increase delivery yield to customers. Even with the high initial capital
costs, the long-term reliability and repeatability the system presented aligned with the
corporate goals of growth for the future of Klein Steel.

Architectural of the ASRS system used

After the design and build phases, the Kasto system contained 850 cassettes for storage and
retrievals. As the years progressed and as demand increased, Klein increased the number of
cassettes in the system. Due to company growth and increase in the number of products to be
stored, Klein added cassettes to the system; going from 850 to 1850 cassettes, and today
having 2350 cassettes in the system. The overall system in the factory has a total footprint of
10,000 square feet. The system is built vertically and is 60 feet in height. If each cassette in
the system were laid out horizontally, it would have a total footprint of 180,000 square feet,
showing the space savings in the vertical design. The system consists of 42 compartments
long and 27 compartments high for storage of all types of stock steel. The cassettes are
designed to hold sizes ranging from 20 to 24 foot steel stock and other bins have been
designated for shorter and smaller parts. The system can retrieve and store up to 42 cassettes
per and hour which allows Klein to fulfill customer orders on time, every time throughout the
northeast United States.
Integration of the ASRS and/to which machines? Cells?
With the introduction of a new product or system, comes a learning curve for operators and
engineers. For operators and engineers the learning curve was minimized for learning the
operation of the system due to the integration of Klein and Kasto during the design and build
process. Engineers from Klein state that this system involved three major learning curves,
which helped to solve utilization issues within the system. The first learning curve coming six
months after implementation; the engineers were watching what products went in and out of
the system, only allowing a certain variety of products to be utilized in the system. The
second was two and a half years after implementation when the engineers decided the
machine could handle all full-length steel products to increase utilization of the system. The
third learning curve happened six years after when the engineers decided to put all shape and
size steel stock into the system to maximize the utilization of the system. These helped the
engineers at Klein to develop and robust storage and retrieval process for the high variety of
material that passes through the facility.
How the ASRS works? In which application/area?
One of the larger changes in the implementation of the AS/RS at Klein Steel was the culture
in the introduction of a new technology. Engineers at Klein made it a goal to eliminate jobs
that were harmful or dangerous to the operators, and the introduction of the AS/RS allowed
for the manual materials handling jobs to be eliminated. Due to the fact that the engineers
planned ahead, and allowed the current operators to train with the design team from Kasto, no
layoffs were made at Klein because of the introduction of automation. With the new system
in place, operators were brought up to speed quickly on how to use the system, and engineers
and supervisors claim the user interface of the system is easy for anyone to learn with proper
training. Engineers stated that currently that have operators who have been working from 3
months to 30 years at Klein who are capable of working the Kasto system.

Type of part catalog/indexing used on the ASRS

Each cassette that Klein has in the system is rated to hold up to 11,000 pounds of material.
However, the engineers at Klein found that putting the maximum weight into each cassette
would not work well when it came to unloading and loading away from the system in
packaging. The engineers had to find a balance point, not only for the system, but also for the
operators who take the product from the system to packaging station. The engineers aim for
filling each cassette with an average of 4,000 pounds per a cassette. The system currently
stands at an average of 3,100 pounds per a cassette.
Another important aspect of cassette utilization is the storage of all the varieties of steel
processed through Klein. The cassettes were originally designed to carry bar and round stock
of 20 to 24 foot steel lengths. As the variety of customer demands increased, Klein retrofitted
the cassettes to hold shorter lengths and various shaped parts. Along with a color-coded
system for visual grouping, the new cassettes allowed for a wider range of product variety to
be stored in multiple cassettes and in turn a shorter time to the production floor.
Another feature added to the system was storage buffers. Slots in the system are left open so
that if the crane has idle time, it will gather the next items in the queue and place them in a
central location for easy access when that specific cassette is called upon. The built in storage
buffer allows for faster delivery of the product waiting in the queue.
Efficiency rate of the manufacturing process after ASRS is implemented.
The automated and storage retrieval system was a great improvement for the materials
handling needs of Klein Steel. The Kasto Linear Bar system allowed Klein to increase
customer delivery yields and to grow overall as a company. Klein saw an opportunity for
growth and chose the right system, which aligned with the corporate goals of the company.
Today, the automated storage and retrieval system that was put in place at Klein Steel holds
approximately 60% of the companys revenue, which continues to grow as more satisfied
customers return for business with Klein Steel. Just as Arnold Klein saw the need for a steel
service in the early 1970s, the current team at Klein saw a need for newer technologies to
continue the companys growth and to progress the vision of Arnold Klein.