Stacker is the abbreviation of stacking crane, is the characteristic sign of automatic three-dimensional warehouse, bearing the functions of picking up, transporting, lifting and transporting. Therefore, the function of the stacker directly determines the throughput efficiency of the warehouse.

The early stacker is to hang the door frame (column) on the lifting trolley of the bridge crane, and use the up and down movement of the fork on the column and the rotating movement of the column to carry the goods, often called the bridge stacker. Around 1960, a road stacker appeared in the United States, compared with other stacking equipment, the stacker has the following characteristics:

1. High working efficiency

The stacking crane is a special equipment for the three-dimensional warehouse, which has a high handling speed and cargo access speed, and can complete the operation in and out of the warehouse in a short time, and the higher running speed of the stacking crane can reach 500m/min.

2. Improve warehouse utilization

The stacker crane itself is small in size, can operate in the narrow width of the roadway, and is suitable for high-rise shelf operation, which can improve the utilization rate of the warehouse.

3. High degree of automation

The stacking crane can achieve remote control, the operation process without manual intervention, high degree of automation, easy to manage.

4. Good stability

The stacker crane has high reliability and good stability when working.

The main structure of the stacker is: walking mechanism, lifting mechanism, fork mechanism, positioning system and mechanical structure system, each mechanism of the stacker determines the key technical parameters of the stacker, and ultimately determines the performance of the stacker.

Classification of stacking:

(1) Classification according to whether there is a guide rail

It can be divided into rail stacker and trackless stacker, among which, rail stacker crane refers to the stacker crane running along the track in the roadway, trackless stacker crane is also known as elevated forklift. The main operating equipment used in the three-dimensional warehouse are: rail-roadway stacking crane, railless roadway stacking crane and ordinary forklift.

(2) Classification according to height

Can be divided into low-rise type, middle-level type and high-rise type, among which, low-rise type stacking crane refers to the lifting height of less than 5m, mainly used in split type high-rise shelf warehouse and simple three-dimensional warehouse; Middle-level stacking crane refers to the lifting height of 5 ~ 15m, high-rise stacking crane refers to the lifting height of more than 15m, mainly used in the type of high-rise shelf warehouse.

(3) Classification according to different driving methods

It can be divided into upper drive type, lower drive type and upper and lower drive mode.

(4) According to the degree of automation

It can be divided into manual, semi-automatic and automatic stacking cranes. Manual and semi-automatic stacking cranes are equipped with a driver's cab, and automatic stacking cranes are not equipped with a driver's cab, and are controlled by automatic control devices, which can automatically address and automatically load and unload goods.

(5) Stacking cranes can be divided into bridge stackers and roadway stackers according to different uses

The bridge type stacker refers to a stacker with a hanging column guiding the piler. Roadway stacker refers to the metal structure is supported by upper and lower supports, the stacker runs along the warehouse roadway, and loads into pieces of the stacker.

(6) The roadway stacker can be divided into single column stacker and double column stacker according to the column structure.