Project ARS: Data

People often want to know specific numbers and data. How many bins does it have? How fast can it go? Can it do my taxes? This page is prepared for those bean-counter-accountant-types who live for numbers and values. If a number or value related to the project is not printed here, let me know and I may research it, and place the answer on this page.
(More below...)

Bin Counts:

Bin Height (Inches)	Quantity in Each Aisle	Total Quantity (All 3 Aisles)
6	64	192
10	512	1536
12	960	2880
15	384	1152
18	64	192
===================	======================	==============
Totals:	1984	5952

Assorted Information:

• ARS Chamber has 3 aisles and one crane per aisle for a total of 3 cranes.
• Each crane can lift 750 Lbs.
• All bins have a footprint of 24" x 48" (2 feet by 4 feet)
• There are 5 different heights for bins (6", 10", 12", 15", and 18".)
• Each bin has a maximum live load capacity of 750 Lbs. (Crane limitation)
• Aisles are numbered from right to left - 1, 2, and 3.
• Aisles are numbered this way in case later expansion of the ARS is desired; we can build additional aisles to the west and not destroy the numbering logic.
• Each aisle has 2 rows numbered from right to left to remain consistent with the aisle numbering logic as 1 and 2.
• Each aisle has a run of 32 bays, and a height of 31 tiers.
• Bay 1, Tier 1 are at the bottom part of the south end of each aisle.
• Bay 32, Tier 31 are at the top part of the north end of each aisle.
• Each aisle has two workstations for scanning of items removed from bins.
• Each workstation may request bin deliveries for right, left and center locations - though the center location will seldom ever be used since use of it creates a bottleneck in processing other bin requests for that aisle.
• Bins may be divided into sectors. Support exists for single sector bins without dividers, 6 sector bins, and 9 sector bins.
• Bins will be mostly configured to be 1 or 6 sector bins since 9 sectors create limits on materials.
• Communications exist in the ARS Software to notify the Snoopy system of item status. Improvements to the Snoopy system will be made after August to improve the user interface for patrons accessing items in the ARS.
• The Snoopy system will continue to evolve to take advantage of more features offered by the ARS Servers after the move into the new building.
• Shortest time for a bin pickup and delivery: 24 seconds
• Longest time for an existing bin return, different bin to be picked-up and delivery to the head station: 70 seconds
• Average(mean) time for a new bin pickup and delivery 40 seconds
• Tolerance for effective bin relocation throughput:
  • 40 Dual transactions per aisle (retrieve and store) per hour
  • 120 Dual transactions total (retrieve and store) per hour: all 3 aisles in motion
  • Effective throughput for the above allows for 90 seconds for each dual transaction (for each aisle.)
  • Longest dual transaction timed by me was 70 seconds.
• Each workstation has a bar code scanning system.
  • There are 3 bar code wand based systems
  • There are 3 bar code gun based systems
  • There are a total of 6 - one for each End of Aisle WorkStation (EAWS)
  • Different types of scanners were chosen to help avoid repetitive stress injuries.
• A system for auditing bin contents exists in the ARS software. Methods for choosing audits include:
  • Audit specific bins with expected problems based on report information
  • Audit bins based on frequency of use (most frequently used bins are audited first based on a counter for bin access that is reset to zero after successful completed audit.)
  • Audit bins based on range or sequence
  • The database used by the ARS can keep track of over 2,000,000 records, BUT the number of items that may be stored in the ARS depends upon the size of the items. (Larger books mean fewer items, and smaller books mean more items.)
• Windows exist on the second and third floors for overlooking the length-wise operation of the ARS.
• Access to the End of Aisle WorkStation (EAWS) area, ARS chamber, and back of the ARS area is restricted for reasons of safety and avoidance of human injury.
• Each Aisle has a minimum of 2 Emergency Stop buttons to stop the cranes from drawing power and bring them to a stop. An operator at either end of the aisle may use an Emergency Stop button if they observe an emergency condition.