How AutoStore Works - Everything You Need to Know

The warehouse sector is facing rising labor costs, high employee turnover, real estate pressures, and growing demands from e-commerce and production. Manual facilities struggle to keep pace as consumers expect faster delivery and full traceability, while the physical strain of warehouse work deters many employees and raises health and safety risks.

At the same time, economic uncertainty and trade tariffs are delaying major capital investments, such as new warehouse construction. Instead, companies are retrofitting existing sites and adopting high-density automation to maximize space and boost efficiency. According to Interact Analysis, brownfield projects will dominate warehouse automation in the near term, with construction recovery not expected until 2027.

These pressures are accelerating adoption of automation to reduce physical strain, increase throughput, cut errors, and improve the flexibility and scalability of their operations.

What is AutoStore?

AutoStore is a high-speed robotic, cube storage and retrieval system where robots travel on top of a compact grid structure to retrieve inventory bins and deliver them to workstations for picking. It is the fastest automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) per square foot in the market, and the most efficient and reliable storage system in the world.

All AutoStore storage systems comprise the same basic components, but each solution is customized:

• Grid
• Robots
• Bins
• Ports (Workstations)
• Software

How Does AutoStore Work?

So, now that we know all the components, how does AutoStore actually work? Let's break it down into a few key processes that happen from when the inbound shipment arrives to when the order gets picked:

• Induction: This is the initial process of inserting empty bins into the AutoStore grid. Once bins are inducted, they become part of the active storage system and ready for use.
• Inbound Putaway: When products arrive at the warehouse, operators place items into the appropriate AutoStore bins at a replenishment port. A WES like Kardex FulfillX selects which bin to present based on fill level, layout, or SKU profile and uses intelligent cubing logic to ensure space-efficient packing. Robots then return the filled bins to storage within the grid.
• Replenishment: When stock in the AutoStore runs low, additional inventory is pulled from a manual backstock location and replenished into bins through the same process — ensuring consistent product availability for picking.
• Bin Preparation & Retrieval: When an order is received, the AutoStore Controller assigns robots to retrieve the required bins. If a bin is buried, robots perform “bin digging,” temporarily relocating upper bins and staging them at the grid surface for fast replacement. Multiple robots can work in parallel to minimize retrieval time and maintain high throughput.
• Outbound Picking: Bins are delivered to ports such as the CarouselPort or FusionPort for picking. Operators remove items manually or with the help of Kardex’s Intuitive Picking Assistant (IPA), which projects visual cues to guide fast, error-free picks. With Kardex FulfillX and Paccurate integration, the system also recommends the optimal shipping carton size to reduce waste and packing costs.
• (Optional Workflow) Order Consolidation: After items are picked, bins are always returned to the grid. However, picked items may be placed into separate, empty bins that are staged within the AutoStore system for consolidation before shipment or further processing. Kardex FulfillX manages this sequencing to ensure orders are assembled and released at the right time.

Benefits

AutoStore delivers excellent gains in space, labor, and accuracy, but it’s the engineering details that set it apart from other robotic ASRS systems.

• Labor savings: Picking can be up to 10 times faster than manual methods, with ergonomic ports reducing operator strain and turnover.
• Accuracy: Delivers inventory bins directly to operators, driving 99.9% pick accuracy versus the 96–98% industry average.
• Inventory management: With inventory that is automatically stored and retrieved, you can eliminate the speed, accuracy, and time challenges associated with manual picking.
• Throughput & flexibility: Adapts to seasonal peaks, with multiple robots working in parallel and bins pre-staged for operators.

But here’s where AutoStore pulls away from the pack:

• Extremely high uptime: A distributed robot fleet means no single point of failure. Even if a robot drops offline, the rest keep working. Kardex delivers an average 99.94% uptime in North America.
• Reliable technology: First deployed in 2005, AutoStore is proven at thousands of sites worldwide. Competitors often launch with flashy claims, but few have the track record of two decades of continuous operation.
• Scales without disruption: Adding capacity doesn’t mean tearing down infrastructure. You add robots, ports, or grid modules (often without downtime). Shuttle systems can’t match that simplicity.
• Installation speed: Mid-size AutoStore projects (25k bins, 25 robots, 5 ports, full WES) can go live in six months. Competing shuttle or mini-load systems typically take 12–18 months.
• Energy efficiency: Ten robots draw about the same power as one household vacuum, with regenerative braking and opportunistic charging that lower utility costs at scale.
• Self-optimizing storage: The grid follows the Pareto principle naturally: fast-movers rise to the top, slow-movers sink, so the system continually re-optimizes itself without manual slotting.
• Space efficiency: AutoStore is the densest robotic storage and retrieval system on the market. By eliminating aisles and stacking bins in a cube, it saves up to 75% of warehouse space and increases utilization by as much as 400% compared with manual shelving.

In short: AutoStore is denser, faster to deploy, more reliable, and more energy-efficient than other robotic ASRS systems, making it the warehouse automation solution that actually delivers in the real world.

The Grid

The Grid is the backbone of AutoStore, maximizing storage density by stacking bins vertically and allowing robots to travel on top to retrieve inventory. Inspired by the Rubik’s Cube, the Grid is an aluminum cubic frame where bins are stored directly on top of one another, eliminating aisles and wasted space while creating the densest storage structure on the market.

Its modular design means the Grid can be installed and expanded easily without interrupting operations. It can fit around columns, extend across multiple floors, or even be built over walkways — adapting to almost any building layout.

Grid Track Types

The grid has two tracks on top that run in the X and Y directions, forming a "highway" for the robots as their wheels glide along these tracks.

• Single/Double Grid: Features a single track in one direction and a double track in the other, allowing robots to pass each other only in the direction with the double track.
• Double/Double Grid: Equipped with double tracks in both directions, enabling robots to pass each other seamlessly no matter which way they’re traveling.

Featured Above: Single/Double Grid

Today, most customers choose the Double/Double Grid (DDG), which has two tracks in both X and Y directions for maximum robot flexibility and efficiency, though Single/Double Grid remains useful in extremely space-constrained environments where every centimeter counts. The Double/Double Grid adds about 1 cm of width per bin stack.

Bin Lift

To make use of vertical space, AutoStore can utilize Bin Lifts which transport bins between levels:

• Grid-to-Grid: Connects two AutoStore grids that are located are different floors, allowing customers with multi-floor or multi-level warehouses to optimize their space and workflows.
• Grid-to-Port: In combination with the SwingPort, the Grid-to-Port system connects a Grid and Port that are located on different floors. It allows order picking to happen on a different floor than the Grid.

Robots

High-speed robots move across the top of the Grid, digging down into columns of the grid, retrieving bins, and delivering them to connected ports. When the system controller requests an item, a robot locates the correct bin, lifts it from the stack, and carries it to the edge of the Grid, where it’s lowered to a port. Meanwhile, other robots keep the Grid organized, returning displaced bins to their proper spots.

AutoStore robots fall into two families:

Red Line vs Black Line Robots

• Red Line: Carry bins in front of their frame. These are the most common robots and the focus of this blog.
• Black Line: Carry bins inside their frame.

Types of Red Line Robots

• R5 is the original, high-speed AutoStore robot.
• R5+ has the same core design as the R5 but can handle the larger 425 mm bin, making it a fit for operations storing taller items or bulkier SKUs.
• R5 Pro takes the classic R5 and equips it with fast-charging technology, boosting productivity for high-volume retailers. It can charge up to 86% faster, letting each robot travel up to 50% farther per day and cutting the number of robots needed by as much as 15%, while requiring far fewer chargers and freeing space for more bins.

• R5+ Pro combines the best of both worlds — the fast charging and efficiency of the Pro with the capacity to carry the 425 mm bin — making it the top choice for large, always-on operations with a wide range of inventory sizes.

( + models = larger bin capacity; Pro models = fast charging)

Energy & Charging

AutoStore robots are designed to manage energy autonomously, making them both efficient and low maintenance. Ten robots together use about the same power as a single 100-watt vacuum cleaner.

• Automatic charging: All robots return to charge stations on their own during downtime or between tasks, so they are always ready for the next order.
• Regenerative breaking: When the robots lower a bin or slow down, the regenerative breaking feature sends energy back to the battery

Model-specific charging differences:

• R5 / R5+: Returns to a charger when the battery runs low, topping up between tasks so they’re ready for the next order. The average R5 or R5+ robot averages ~4 hours of charging per day in 24/7 operations.
• R5 Pro / R5+ Pro: Has fast-charging technology (up to 86% faster) with infrared communication for safer, more efficient transfers. They travel up to 50% farther per day and reduce the number of chargers needed by 25% or more.

A good rule of thumb for determining how many charge stations are needed is if you have more than 10 R5 and R5+ robots, you should have chargers for at least 75% of the robot count. For example, if you have 20 total robots, you should have at least 15 charging stations. Pro fleets need fewer chargers thanks to fast-charging capability.

Bins

AutoStore bins are the foundation of its storage density and flexibility. Each standardized container stacks neatly inside the Grid, eliminating wasted space and supporting high SKU consolidation with dividers.

Bin Dimensions

Each AutoStore bin has a standard base footprint of 600 mm x 400 mm and is available in 3 different heights to support different inventory profiles:

• 220 mm
• 330 mm
• 425 mm

When referring to bin sizes, most people will simply refer to the height metric (220 mm, 330 mm, or 425 mm) since the length and width metrics are all the same.

FlexBins

AutoStore’s FlexBin innovation expands the system’s core capabilities by allowing multiple bin heights (220 mm, 330 mm, and 425 mm) to be stored within a single grid. This flexibility enables more efficient storage of a wider range of SKU sizes and can improve cube utilization by up to 15%.

For example, your largest SKUs may require 425 mm bins but represent only a small percentage of your total inventory. Without FlexBin capability, you would face two inefficient options:

A) Use 425 mm bins for all SKUs, leaving wasted space in bins holding smaller items, or
B) Exclude your largest SKUs from AutoStore entirely, resulting in a fragmented and less efficient system.

With FlexBins, you achieve the best of both worlds—optimized bin utilization and a unified storage solution that supports every SKU size within a single AutoStore grid.

P.S. Pair FlexBins with the Kardex Intuitive Picking Assistant (IPA) and Kardex FulfillX to achieve the densest and most intelligent AutoStore system available on the market.

Bin Weight Limit

The maximum bin weight that the AutoStore robot can handle is 66 lbs (30 kg). This does not include the weight of the Bin itself. There are sensors at each workstation that will prevent the system from accepting an overweight bin.

Bin Stack Height

Bins are stacked directly on top of each other inside the grid columns — up to 26 levels for the 220 mm bin, 18 levels for the 330 mm bin, and 14 levels for the 425 mm bin. This vertical stacking eliminates the wasted airspace found in traditional shelving, where gaps are left between stored items and the next shelf above.

Bin Dividers

Dividers let AutoStore bins hold multiple SKUs in one container, reducing the number of bins needed and boosting storage density. The 220 mm and 330 mm bins can be split into up to 32 compartments, while the 425 mm bin supports up to 8.

Ports

AutoStore Ports (Workstations) are the operator's interface with AutoStore. This is where bins are presented for order picking, replenishment, consolidation, and other inventory actions. Different types of ports support different workflows, from conveyor-fed access to ergonomic or high-throughput designs.

Core Ports

• ConveyorPort: Simple and functional, bins are placed on a conveyor and delivered to the operator.
• CarouselPort: A high-throughput port that keeps Bins ready for continuous picking. Pair with the Intuitive Picking Assistant for even greater accuracy and speed.
• VersaPort: Compact port with sliding safety hatch; multiple VersaPorts can be linked for custom workflows.

Workflow-Specific Ports

• SwingPort: Moves bins between different floor levels for flexible layouts.
• RelayPort: Buffers multiple bins at once, letting robots deliver bins continuously without waiting.
• FusionPort: Angled bin openings reduce reaching and twisting; safety hatches open only when bins are secure.
• FusionPort Staging: Two source and two target openings allow operators to pick and place efficiently, with pre-picked orders returned to the grid.
• PickUpPort: Public-facing drawer for customer order pickup, allowing secure self-service.
• CarouselAI: Robotic arm integrated with AutoStore for automated piece-picking, powered by a WES like Kardex FulfillX. 

Software

The software is the brains of the operation, and there are a few critical components to understand the software and how it all works together.

Software from AutoStore

• Controller: The command center that tracks where every bin, robot, and port is located, and assigns tasks as orders come in.
• Router: A module within the Controller that acts like traffic control, continuously optimizing paths to prevent congestion.
• XHandler: Monitors for errors or exceptions and resolves issues automatically where possible
• Unify: Provides real-time and historical analytics with detailed dashboards

Third-Party Warehouse Execution Software

AutoStore can run without a WES, but for complex operations, it’s like flying out of an airport without a gate assignment — possible, but highly inefficient. The best integrators layer on a WES to orchestrate workflows between the AutoStore software and the broader WMS.

• Kardex FulfillX: This software is Kardex's proprietary WES that is designed specifically for AutoStore solutions. The software adds capabilities most WES platforms miss, like seamless FusionPort and FusionPort Staging integration, to support for 180+ languages at the workstation, flexible connections with external systems, and smarter bin coding that tracks layout and compartment state instead of rigid content codes.

Performance Add-Ons

Kardex can install AutoStore either as standalone AutoStore storage systems or integrated into an overall logistics concept, enhanced by a growing range of dedicated products and expanded functionalities. These include:

Kardex FulFillX

The Kardex FulfillX Warehouse Execution System (WES) is purpose-built to enable AutoStore to ramp up faster and meet or exceed business cases in as little as six months. Kardex FulfillX enhances the performance of AutoStore by maximizing robot utilization, improving operator workflows, increasing inventory accuracy, and providing flexibility to adapt to changing warehouse demands.

Intuitive Picking Assistant

The Intuitive Picking Assistant (IPA) features optical state capture and AI capabilities. It uses digital tools and augmented reality to allow accurate, ergonomic picking by responding to workers’ movements and projecting relevant picking information directly onto the surface of the access opening.

Kardex SnapVac

Kardex SnapVac (KSV) is the first and only semi-automated cleaning robot designed for AutoStore. Built as an attachment for the Red Line series, Kardex SnapVac features a compact vacuum unit mounted on top with a tube running along the robot's body to clean the AutoStore grid surface as it moves.

Sensor Cleaning Station

The Sensor Cleaning Station is a fully automated solution designed to maintain optimal performance of AutoStore Robots. It is built into the top level of the grid and it lets out a puff of air while a robot is sitting on top of it, ensuring that the Robots' wheels remain clean.

Intelligent Cartonization & Cubing

Kardex FulfillX optimizes storage inside each AutoStore bin with Paccurate’s cubing logic and guides operators to the right shipping carton size, reducing wasted space, packaging, and shipping costs.

AutoCase 

AutoStore’s AutoCase solution enables both case induction and extraction within the same grid, supporting full or open case picking alongside traditional each picking. This flexibility reduces the need to manually decant individual items into bins and allows companies to consolidate technologies previously used to handle eaches and cases separately.

Kardex FulfillX extends this capability by enabling direct picking into shippable containers that can be stored within the grid until final release for shipping—eliminating extra handling steps.

Together, AutoCase and Kardex FulfillX transform AutoStore into a combined storage, retrieval, and shipping sortation system, optimizing throughput and simplifying warehouse operations.

Installation & Timeline

Installing an AutoStore system is faster and less disruptive than most competing warehouse automation technologies. The process begins with preparing the warehouse floor to ensure proper leveling and load-bearing capacity. Once the floor is ready, the modular aluminum grid is assembled with typically only 4 tools required:

• Hex keys
• Wrenches
• Mallet
• Drill

Kardex has refined this process to deliver exceptionally fast project timelines. For systems with up to 25,000 bins, 25 robots, and 5 ports with a fully functional WES, Kardex can implement and commission a complete AutoStore solution in as little as six months. By comparison, many competing technologies such as shuttle-based ASRS often take 12 months or longer to reach go-live.

Automated Bin Verification

Using Kardex's Bin Induct AI, you can automate the bin verification process during system setup to reduce installation time and manual labor.

Traditionally, each bin must be manually checked to ensure proper construction and alignment—placed in a gauge, loaded into the port, and scanned. With Bin Induct AI, bins are automatically verified (or rejected) as they are placed in the port, with no manual scans required.

Using artificial intelligence, the system validates:

• Bin dimensions and wall integrity
• Hole placement for robotic gripping
• Bin barcode accuracy

This process ensures that every bin entering the grid meets Kardex’s precision standards, improving installation speed and long-term system reliability.

Fewer Floor Remediation Requirements

AutoStore’s updated floor flatness standard streamlines site preparation by loosening tolerance from ±0.5 mm to ±1 mm. This change allows the use of cost-effective 3D laser scanning and eliminates the need for grinding in most installations.

For Kardex customers, this improvement enables the installation of larger systems (up to 10% more bins) within the same six-month delivery commitment. By reducing remediation time and improving installation efficiency, Kardex accelerates project timelines while maintaining precision and quality.

Less Fire Infrastructure Required

AutoStore’s optimized fire protection standard lowers sprinkler height and water-pressure requirements, reducing overall fire-infrastructure costs by up to 35%.

AutoStore System Uptime

AutoStore systems integrated by Kardex and equipped with Unify deliver exceptional reliability, achieving an average uptime of 99.94% across our North American customers. This impressive availability helps operations maintain consistent productivity and meet demanding service goals with confidence.

This outstanding system uptime can be attributed to Kardex's methodical system design as well as the hands-on, proactive approach from our Life Cycle Services team after deployment.

AutoStore Maintenance

On-Grid Maintenance

On-grid maintenance or inspections can be performed by using the Service Vehicle Unit (SVU) where maintenance personnel sit on a platform that rolls across the top of the grid.

Semi-Automated Cleaning

• For the grid: Dust and debris can accumulate on the top of the grid over time, especially in high-volume facilities. Kardex offers the SnapVac cleaning solution, a semi-automated robot that removes up to 80% of dust and particles while the system remains operational. This reduces downtime, extends robot lifespan, and keeps the grid surface in peak condition with minimal manual effort.
• For the robot: The Sensor Cleaning Stations is built into the grid and it lets out a puff of air while a robot is sitting on top of it. This helps ensure that the robot's wheels are free of dust or debris.
  
  

Off-Grid Maintenance

If a robot is required to be serviced off of the grid, maintenance personnel can push the robot along the track and outside the walled grid area via a service window built into the grid.

Industries & Applications

So, what types of companies use or could benefit from AutoStore? It's suited for many unique operations and workflows, covering industries diverse as e-commerce, cold chain storage and just-in-time manufacturing.

Third-Party Logistics

In a competitive logistics landscape, 3PLs seek to add value with faster setups, lower upfront costs, and simplified contracting. Kardex enables 3PLs to integrate AutoStore directly into customer lease agreements, turning automation into an operating expense rather than a capital project.

• Multi-client fulfillment
• Returns processing
• High-SKU inventory consolidation

Retail & E-Commerce

AutoStore is built for high-volume, high-mix order fulfillment. Its compact design enables e-commerce companies to locate closer to end customers, even in small or irregular buildings.

• Urban micro-fulfillment
• Cartonization optimization
• Split-order consolidation
• Returns processing & restocking
• Subscription box assembly

Healthcare

AutoStore's traceability, accuracy, and ability to operate in controlled temperature zones make it ideal for pharmaceutical and hospital fulfillment.

• Cold-chain item storage
• High-accuracy item & lot tracking
• Hospital or pharmacy automation

Industrial / Manufacturing

AutoStore supports lean production environments with just-in-time and just-in-sequence delivery of parts, as well as secure, traceable storage for tools and spares.

• Kitting for assembly
• VIN-specific picking
• Spare parts management
• Just-in-sequence delivery

Cold Chain / Grocery

AutoStore is adaptable to temperature-controlled environments and ideal for operations that require SKU density and fast order processing.

• Fresh and frozen item fulfillment
• Temperature-sensitive product sequencing
• Compact back-of-store storage

Workflow Applications

AutoStore, combined with Kardex FulfillX, supports a variety of workflows tailored to industry needs:

• Returns Processing and Restocking: Efficient reverse logistics and restock of returned items.
• Sampling and Kitting: Create sample sets or assemble kits for manufacturing or promotions.
• Multibox / Split-Order Consolidation: FusionPort and StagingPort integration allow Kardex FulfillX to pre-pick, count, and consolidate orders into empty bins stored in the grid. Once the host system signals release, Kardex FulfillX delivers completed orders without extra validation.
• Case Storage: AutoCase allows you to induct and store full cases directly inside the grid alongside each-pick bins. This maximizes space utilization, simplifies replenishment, and allows bulk and piece-pick inventory to coexist in one system.
• Order Buffering & Sequencing: Use the grid as a dynamic buffer to stage, hold, and release both case and each-pick orders in sequence for packing, shipping, or production.
• Shipping Sortation: With the AutoCase solution, you can load an AutoStore bin with a shippable container, pick directly into it, and store it in the grid until release. Kardex FulfillX sequences and dispatches the container without additional touches, effectively turning AutoStore into an automated sortation hub for outbound orders.
• Wave vs. Waveless Picking: Flexible picking strategies to match demand surges or continuous flow operations. Each Picking: Single-item order fulfillment at high accuracy and efficiency.
• Order Staging: Stage completed orders inside the grid until ready for packing or shipping.
• Just-in-Sequence Manufacturing: Deliver components in the exact sequence required for assembly lines.
• Will-Call Fulfillment: Operators can request specific orders; FulfillX prioritizes and delivers bins to ports for immediate pick-up.

AutoStore Cost

The cost of an AutoStore system depends on factors such as grid size, number of robots and ports, software, and performance-enhancing add-ons. While every project is unique, most AutoStore systems achieve ROI within 2–3 years thanks to labor savings, higher throughput, and ultra-high storage density — often increasing usable space by up to 400% compared to manual racks.

Total Cost of Ownership

The total cost of ownership (TCO) of an AutoStore system empowered by Kardex is dependent on a range of variables, including the solutions required, installation and commissioning costs, the size of the AutoStore Grid, the number of robots, ports, and any additional technologies required. We have three levels of support, which provide varying levels of ongoing support for different annual fees, and there is also an annual licensing for AutoStore software. In our full guide, we reveal the average price of an AutoStore system (something most providers won't tell you upfront) as well as internal rate of return, payback period, and ROI.

Leasing Models

There are various leasing options available by Kardex, including a ‘zero-down lease’, providing an almost immediate ROI once the system is installed. The hybrid leasing options are also popular, with customers paying for project management services and leasing the AutoStore hardware to spread the cost between capex and lease.

We have worked closely with our financing partners to secure excellent leasing rates for AutoStore storage systems and customers can take out a ‘lease to own’ option, purchasing the AutoStore system at a reduced rate at the end of the five-year term. Grids can be expanded and additional robots or ports added during the leasing term.

Compared to Competitors

When comparing AutoStore with shuttle systems, traditional racks, or other robotic ASRS, AutoStore stands out for its density, scalability, and fast installation. While some legacy systems deliver higher throughput, they are often more complex, less flexible, and take much longer to implement.

AutoStore Partners

AutoStore, the technology provider, does not perform integration or installation of its systems. Instead, the business utilizes strategic partners across the globe.

Selecting the right AutoStore integration partner will determine the success of your warehouse automation project and ensure you fully understand how AutoStore works. An experienced AutoStore integrator will provide the expertise needed for fast implementation and will work with your company to ensure you have the customized solution to meet your specific operational needs, both now and into the future.

Working with an integrator that asks the right questions and collaborates with you to understand your site, throughput, workflows and growth plans will provide the best system. And the right integrator will be there with you after your AutoStore goes live to provide the ongoing and maintenance support you need.

Partner Scorecard

Every year, AutoStore provides each partner with a scorecard that evaluates its performance across several categories, including Innovation, Post-Sales, and Customer Satisfaction, among others that reflect overall partnership strength.

• Innovation: This category measures a partner’s ability to drive product advancement, introduce complementary technologies, and collaborate with AutoStore on future developments. Kardex stands out through its purpose-built Kardex FulfillX software, recognized as the gold standard for AutoStore integration, and its active involvement in shared innovation roadmaps.

• Post-Sales: This category evaluates how partners support customers after system launch — including uptime performance, responsiveness, and long-term value delivery. Kardex achieves 99.94% uptime across all active systems and is among the fastest partners to commission new projects, with a proactive Customer Success team ensuring smooth operations and issue resolution.

• Customer Satisfaction: This category reflects overall customer sentiment and success with deployed solutions. Kardex maintains a 100% satisfaction rate among its customer base and continues to expand its impact, identifying several additional customers for future rollouts.

Here's how Kardex stacks up in North America this year:

If you're speaking to multiple AutoStore integration partners, make sure you ask the partner for their scores.

Conclusion

Companies around the world are becoming more interested in how AutoStore works and the wide range of benefits it could bring to their warehouse operations both now and into the future. At Kardex, we provide a range of purchase and leasing options, dedicated support to develop the customized solution your business needs, and a growing portfolio of dedicated products designed to enhance the performance of AutoStore.

FAQs

What is the ROI for AutoStore?

Most AutoStore systems achieve ROI in 2 - 3 years.

How long does it take to install AutoStore?

A complete AutoStore system can be installed within months. Example, Balluff, Inc. went live 6 months with 177% throughput increase.

How many robots do I need?

A general rule of thumb is that one AutoStore robot can deliver around 30 bins per hour. To estimate the number of robots you will need, you can divide the total number of lines that need to be picked in an hour by 30. If you need 300 lines per hour, you would need roughly 10 robots.

Is AutoStore suitable for small warehouses?

Yes, it can start small with only a few robots and bins, then scale as you grow.

How does a fire suppression system work with AutoStore?

AutoStore allows you to store more products in less space, which can affect insurance policies and fire suppression requirements. Kardex helps navigate these regulations and can adapt system design to reduce suppression costs. The system has undergone extensive fire suppression testing and integrates with facility fire alarms so that robots simplify access to the grid, allowing for emergency response.

Can the system be expanded later?

Yes, simply add more robots, ports, and bins without stopping operations.

What products can AutoStore handle?

AutoStore is ideal for storing and handling small parts and components, apparel, shoes, beauty supplies, electronics, automotive parts, electrical wiring bundles, boxed items, and more.

How reliable is AutoStore?

Average uptime rates are 99.94% for systems implemented by Kardex.

Who implements AutoStore?

Kardex is a top global AutoStore integration partner, providing, design, full system integration, and comprehensive lifecycle support.

Who is the #1 rated AutoStore partner?

In North America, Kardex is rated the #1 partner, outperforming others in the AutoStore-assigned scorecard. 

Who performs life cycle services?

Kardex, your global AutoStore partner, offers preventative maintenance, comprehensive training for you and your operators, post go-live monthly support, emergency support, and a Peak Season Readiness Assessment.