Monitoring of High-Bay Warehouses with Sensors
Why Monitoring High-Bay Warehouses with Sensors is Important
In automated high-bay warehouses within industry and logistics, continuous monitoring of tilt and settlement (tilt and settlement monitoring) is a critical factor for safety and efficiency. Even small changes, such as foundation settlement, can lead to the tilting of racks. The consequences: the precise alignment of the high-bay racks is affected, which changes the distances to the rack handling devices and causes disruptions in the automated storage and retrieval process. In the worst case, this can lead to pallet jamming or even the falling of stored goods. Operators of automated high-bay warehouses, general contractors, and maintenance managers therefore face the challenge of constantly monitoring rack stability and identifying potential risks early.
To meet these requirements, Infrasolute offers a proven solution for rack monitoring. Wireless tilt sensors (inclinometers) as well as tilt sensors with integrated distance sensors are used, enabling comprehensive tilt and settlement monitoring. These sensors detect even the smallest angular deviations in the rack structure and simultaneously measure any vertical displacements (e.g., due to foundation subsidence) in the millimeter range. The battery-powered sensors can be easily installed at critical points of the rack (e.g., at the top of the rack frames) and wirelessly transmit their measurement data to a central gateway, from where it is sent to a web platform.
In practice, this means: The tilt sensors continuously monitor the tilt angle of the rack frames. If uneven settlement causes minimal misalignments, the system immediately detects this. Additionally, the integrated distance sensors recognize uniform subsidence of the entire rack row, which may not immediately show as a change in tilt angle. All sensor data is sent in real-time or at user-defined intervals to a central dashboard. There, the measurement values are clearly visualized, and alarm notifications are triggered automatically if predefined threshold values are exceeded.
For example, in a logistics center, the Infrasolute sensors were able to detect the smallest signs of settlement long before they reached critical levels. A 15-meter-high rack row showed a gradual tilt increase of a few hundredths of a degree over several weeks. The system triggered an alarm in time, even before the misalignment was visible to the naked eye. This made it possible to stabilize the foundation proactively, before any risk to the rack handling devices or stored pallets arose.
Through continuous monitoring, operators and maintenance personnel gain valuable time and planning security. Deviations in rack stability are detected early enough that corrective measures, such as stabilizing a subsiding foundation, can be planned before acute risks or unplanned downtimes occur in warehouse operations. Infrasolute’s wireless tilt monitoring enables predictive maintenance and minimizes the risk of costly operational interruptions. At the same time, the system significantly enhances safety in the high-bay warehouse: employees, rack handling devices, and stored goods are better protected as potential structural issues in the rack system are identified and resolved in time. Overall, this solution contributes to increasing plant availability and sustainably optimizing warehouse logistics.
Suitable Sensors for Rack Monitoring
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Benedikt Seuss is your personal contact and advisor in the field of intelligent concrete structures.
