AS/RS in Australia: How Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Work (and What Your Racking Has to Do With It)
Updated: 3 days ago
The short answer
An automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) is a computer-controlled set of machines and racking that stores and retrieves stock without a person or forklift going into the aisle. The software tells a crane, shuttle or robot where to go, the machine moves the load, and the stock arrives at a pick or pack station.
That's the whole idea. The details are where businesses get stuck, so this guide covers what the main system types do, what they're good for, and the part people forget until late in the project: the racking itself.
What does an AS/RS actually include?
Strip away the brochures and every AS/RS has the same five parts:
The storage structure. Steel racking that holds the stock and guides the machines.
The storage and retrieval machine. A crane, shuttle or robot that moves in the aisle.
The load. Pallets, cartons, totes or trays.
Pick and deposit stations. Where stock enters and leaves the system, usually at the end of an aisle.
The control software. Usually linked to a warehouse management system (WMS), which decides what moves and when. Conveyors, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and robotic picking cells often sit around it, but they're add-ons. The structure, the machine and the software are the core.
What are the main types of AS/RS?
Most systems fall into two groups based on what they carry, plus a few specialist formats.
Type | Handles | Typical use |
Unit-load AS/RS | Full pallets and large loads | High-bay distribution, cold storage, manufacturing |
Mini-load AS/RS | Totes, trays, cartons | High-SKU order picking, e-commerce, parts |
Shuttle AS/RS | Pallets or totes, moved on rails inside the rack | Dense storage, fast throughput |
Vertical lift modules and carousels | Small parts and items | Tool rooms, spare parts, secure stock |
Unit-load systems use a tall crane in a narrow aisle to put pallets into very high racking. They're built for density. If you've got a big footprint problem and pallet-sized stock, this is usually where the conversation starts.
Mini-load systems do the same job with lighter loads. They suit operations with lots of different SKUs and lots of small orders, where a person walking aisles can't keep up.
Shuttle systems run battery-powered vehicles along rails within each rack level or lane. They stay inside the rack structure instead of travelling the building, which keeps them fast and compact.
Why does the racking matter so much?
Because the machines can only be as accurate as the structure they run on.
In a manual warehouse, a rack that's a few millimetres out of true is a nuisance. In an AS/RS, it can stop a crane or misalign a shuttle. Automated systems need tighter tolerances on uprights, beams and rails, and the steel has to cope with the loads the machines add on top of the stock: braking, acceleration, repeated cycles.
This is why ASRS racking is usually made to the integrator's specification rather than picked from a standard catalogue. The integrator designs the machine and software. The rack supplier builds a structure that matches it.
For very tall systems there's another option: a rack-supported warehouse, where the racking itself holds up the roof and walls. It removes the separate building frame, and it suits high-bay, high-density sites where land is expensive.
Where does CH Racking fit?
We're on the racking side of automation. CH Racking & Displays is part of SHANGHONG Enterprises, which has manufactured shelving, storage and racking systems since 1994, and we supply from our warehouse in Dandenong South, Victoria. We don't write WMS software or build cranes. We make the steel structures that automation runs on, and we work alongside integrators who design the full system.
The two production lines in our factory show what that looks like in practice:
Automated crossbeam line. Two welding robots handle the fabrication of rack crossbeams, which keeps welds consistent from the first beam to the thousandth. Automated shelf production line. Robots and a conveyor process shelving components with repeatable results. Consistency matters more in automated racking than almost anywhere else. If you're an integrator or end user planning a project, you can see the range on our AS/RS racking page. Image alt text suggestions:
"Automated production line at CH Racking & Displays with robotic arms and conveyor processing shelving components"
"Two welding robots fabricating rack crossbeams on an automated production line"
What benefits can you expect from warehouse automation?
Done well, automation in Australian warehouses tends to deliver gains in these areas:
Storage density. Building up instead of out, with narrow aisles and high racking.
Accuracy. Fewer picking and put-away mistakes, because the system moves stock to a location the software already knows.
Throughput. Machines don't walk, wait or take a wrong turn, which helps most in high-volume picking.
Safety. Fewer people and forklifts in busy aisles.
Labour flexibility. Staff move from walking and lifting to supervising, exceptions and packing.
It isn't free of trade-offs. These systems are fixed infrastructure, they're less forgiving of frequent SKU or packaging changes unless the design is modular, and they need a maintenance plan and a fallback for downtime. That's a conversation worth having before the design is signed off.
How do you know if your warehouse is ready for an AS/RS?
Run through these before you talk to an integrator:
Are your SKUs and container sizes fairly standard, or do they change constantly?
Do you have the ceiling height, or the option to go to a rack-supported structure?
Is picking speed or labour availability your real bottleneck?
Are your WMS and stock data clean enough to feed an automated system?
Do you expect the product range to change in the next few years? If you answered "standard, yes, yes, yes, not much", automation is worth costing. If the answers are mixed, a high-density manual option such as shuttle racking or good longspan layout might get you most of the benefit with less risk. Frequently asked questions
What does AS/RS stand for? Automated storage and retrieval system. You'll also see it written ASRS.
What's the difference between unit-load and mini-load AS/RS? Unit-load systems move pallets and heavy loads. Mini-load systems move totes, trays and cartons. The choice usually follows the stock you handle and how fast it needs to be picked.
Is AS/RS only for large warehouses? No. Large high-bay systems get the headlines, but smaller systems exist, such as vertical lift modules and tote-based shuttles. They suit smaller sites with high-value or high-SKU stock.
What is ASRS racking? The steel racking built to support an automated system. It's made to tighter tolerances than standard pallet racking and designed around the specific machines and loads the integrator specifies.
Does CH Racking install complete AS/RS systems? We manufacture and supply the racking structures and support integrators who design and deliver the full system. Talk to us early so the structure matches the machine.
Planning an automation project?
Bring us your drawings, load data and integrator specs, or just your rough idea. We'll talk through what the racking needs to do and whether automation or a simpler high-density system fits better. The layout consultation is free and there's no obligation to proceed.
Call 03 8766 9072, email info@chracking.com.au, or use the contact page.
CH Racking & Displays, 10-16 Evolution Drive, Dandenong South VIC 3175. Supplying warehouses across Australia and New Zealand. Optional: FAQ schema for the SEO tab (paste into the page's structured data in Wix)
