even Report #6: What You Need to Know About Cube Storage
Cube Storage seems simple: bins in a grid, robots, done. This report shows when the system pays off for your warehouse, what it actually costs, and what matters after go-live.
At first glance, Cube Storage looks simple: bins are stacked densely in a grid, robots retrieve them, done. That very simplicity is deceptive. As soon as it comes to your own decision, how many robots and workstations are actually needed, what maintenance and energy consumption look like in day-to-day operations, or how integrators and tenders can really be compared, a simple idea quickly becomes a project with many open questions.
That is exactly what this report is for. It guides you from the first question of whether Cube Storage is even the right fit for your warehouse, through planning and tendering, all the way to ongoing operations. It was developed with vendors from robotics, software and building technology, with integrators, and with practitioners who have long been working with a Cube system. The insights come from live operations, not from a system builder's glossy brochure.
At first glance, Cube Storage seems about as simple as it gets: bins stacked densely in a grid, robots moving them. Dig deeper, and you quickly realize how many questions lie behind this seemingly straightforward principle.
- You understand when Cube Storage truly pays off for your warehouse and when a shuttle system or classic AS/RS is the better choice
- You get a screening framework that shows which items actually belong in the grid and which do not
- You learn about the hidden cost blocks that appear in very few proposals, from software to flooring to fire protection
- You get a checklist for comparing integrators objectively, rather than relying on brochures
- You read twelve unfiltered first-hand accounts from an even survey, sharing what logistics decision-makers have truly learned from live operations
What to expect in the report
1. Initial assessment: does Cube Storage fit, and what does it cost?
Why classic AS/RS, shuttle systems and Cube Storage solve three different problems, which items genuinely belong in the grid, what a project actually costs and when it pays off, including a self-check with five questions for a first reality check.
2. The principle, applications and limits of Cube Storage
How to plan your system from the outset for growing volumes, what matters when it comes to flooring and fire protection, and what distinguishes a good integrator from a great one, including even's fair-play rules for tenders and an integrator checklist, with contributions from AutoStore, Addonplus, WAGNER and Kardex.
3. Adjacent technologies and software
How robotic picking, workplace ergonomics and the coordination between WMS, WCS and the control layer determine whether a Cube system truly performs in everyday use, with contributions from Berkshire Grey, Smart Robotics, CMC, Element Logic, Rocholz, Kardex, Infios, PSI and EPG.
4. In live operations: teams, practice and everyday reality
What happens to teams when the grid moves in, how a rollout from the first system to full scale succeeds, and what an AutoStore veteran has learned about maintenance and failsafe reliability, with interviews from Florian Ostendarp (Ludwig Meister) and Michael Kawalier.
5. Market landscape, perspectives and outlook
How a pioneer architecture grew into an entire market, where patent activity stands today, what the commercial reality of the major vendors looks like, and why a Cube is not the right fit for every case, with a commentary from innovation expert Timo Landener, an interview with Marco Gebhardt (GEBHARDT Intralogistics Group) and twelve unfiltered responses from an even survey.
Many thanks for the valuable input from
AutoStore, Addonplus, Berkshire Grey, CMC, Element Logic, EPG, GEBHARDT Intralogistics Group, Infios, Kardex, PSI Software SE, Rocholz, Smart Robotics and WAGNER, as well as Florian Ostendarp, Michael Kawalier, Timo Landener and Mario Hüneke for their interviews and insights.
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