Fixed powered storage lanes
Short storage bays use fixed powered rollers to move passive tote trays between storage positions and transfer junctions.
Warehouse automation · in development
Powered-grid storage for coordinated tote handling.
Sapien Tech is developing an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) architecture in which fixed powered lanes move totes on passive trays. The design integrates storage bays, transfer junctions, vertical transport and picking interfaces within a coordinated material flow.
Development currently comprises architecture research and 3D visualisation. Mechanical prototyping, control-system development and performance validation remain to be completed.
Powered tote gridLayout · top view
Storage configuration
Passive tote trays occupy short powered storage bays connected to shared transport routes through selected junctions.
Illustrative system architecture. Mechanical arrangements, routing controls and operational performance remain subject to engineering validation.
Material flow architecture
Coordinated storage, retrieval and workstation delivery.
The proposed material flow accounts for outbound and return traffic, access to shared routes and waiting space at transfer interfaces.
Reserved transport routes
Selected junctions connect storage lanes to shared transport routes. The proposed controls reserve access before releasing a tote.
Buffered vertical transfers
Buffers provide waiting space at transfer interfaces, while lifts would connect storage levels with the picking area.
Workstation delivery and return
The proposed system presents the requested tote at a picking interface and coordinates its return to an available storage location.
Control architecture
Route scheduling and transfer coordination.
The proposed control architecture coordinates access to shared lanes, junctions, lifts and workstations. Development explores railway-style route reservations and scheduling across storage, retrieval and return movements.
- Route reservation before tote release
- Scheduling of storage and retrieval requests
- Buffer management at transfer interfaces
- Return routing and recovery following a system stop
Development status
Development programme and validation.
The current visualisation communicates the proposed architecture. Capacity, throughput, reliability, safety and lifecycle cost remain subject to detailed engineering and physical validation.
Architecture and visualisation
Architecture research and 3D visualisation address storage configuration, material flow and transfer interfaces.
Mechanical prototyping and controls
Representative mechanisms and traffic controls require development and testing for loading, transfer alignment, stopping and fault recovery.
Validate the complete system
System qualification will require representative workload testing, a completed safety assessment and agreed site acceptance criteria.
Planning a warehouse project
Define the operational requirements.
Tote dimensions, payload, order profiles, picking demand and site constraints form the basis of the system requirements.
What is the current development stage?
The warehouse grid is in early development. We welcome discussions about requirements and potential development partnerships. It is not yet a validated commercial system.
What tote dimensions and payloads are supported?
Tote dimensions, carried load, tray design and transfer geometry need to be agreed and validated. We are not publishing a rated load or standard tote specification at this stage.
How will capacity and throughput be established?
These depend on layout, demand patterns, routing and transfer equipment. Throughput and storage capacity have not yet been validated for this design.
How does the grid development relate to Predict?
Predict is our separate machine condition-monitoring development. The warehouse grid focuses on tote movement and storage. Both sit within Sapien Tech’s industrial engineering work.
Contact us
Discuss your warehouse requirements.
Share an outline of your tote dimensions, payloads, order profiles, available space and picking requirements. Our engineering team can discuss the operational brief and potential scope for a development partnership.