Analytical Results for Miniload Throughput and the Distribution of Dual Command Travel Time

We determine the throughput, the maximum rate at which a miniload automated storage and retrieval system can process requests, as a'function of the dimension of the storage racks, the speed of the s/r machine and the speed of die picker. As a byproduct, we determine the distribution function of me travel time for a storage/retrieval machine that stores one container and retrieves another container (“dual command cycle”) before returning to the I/O point. Our emphasis is on obtaining closed-form, computable expressions.