Explore how AutoStore combines high-density cube storage, autonomous robots, and intelligent warehouse software to automate inventory storage, retrieval, and order fulfillment.
AutoStore cube-based automated storage and retrieval system for high-density warehouse inventory management.
AutoStore is a Norwegian warehouse automation company specializing in cube-based automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS). Its technology is designed to maximize warehouse storage capacity by organizing inventory inside a compact aluminum grid rather than conventional shelving and aisles. The system combines autonomous robots, standardized storage bins, automated workstations, and intelligent control software to manage inventory movement. AutoStore is used in retail distribution, e-commerce fulfillment, manufacturing, grocery operations, and third-party logistics facilities where efficient storage and rapid access to inventory are essential.
Unlike traditional AS/RS installations that rely on stacker cranes or shuttle vehicles traveling through dedicated storage aisles, AutoStore uses robots operating across the top of a three-dimensional storage grid. Inventory is stored in containers called Bins, which are stacked vertically within the structure. Robots retrieve individual bins and transport them to workstations where employees or robotic picking equipment access the contents. This goods-to-person approach eliminates the need for workers to travel through storage aisles to collect individual products, allowing warehouses to concentrate storage capacity within a smaller footprint.
Conventional warehouse shelving requires open aisles between storage racks, limiting the amount of available floor space dedicated to inventory. AutoStore addresses this limitation through its cube storage architecture, which arranges bins directly beside and above one another. The system uses a lightweight aluminum grid that supports vertically stacked bins while providing tracks for autonomous robots traveling overhead. Because the robots operate above the storage structure, the system does not require internal travel aisles or individual access corridors between stored containers.
AutoStore reports that its cube storage system can provide up to four times the storage capacity of conventional manual storage arrangements within the same footprint. The modular grid can be configured around building columns, corners, and other architectural obstacles, making it suitable for both new warehouses and existing facilities. Storage capacity can also be expanded by extending the grid, adding bins, and increasing the number of robots or workstations. This flexibility allows operators to adapt the system to changing inventory volumes and order fulfillment requirements without necessarily replacing the original installation.
AutoStore's robotic fleet includes the R5, R5+, R5 Pro, and R5+ Pro models, which travel along tracks integrated into the top of the storage grid. Each robot uses a lifting mechanism to access bins stored within vertical grid columns. When a requested bin is located beneath other containers, the robot temporarily removes the bins above it to reach the required inventory. The requested bin is then transported across the grid and delivered to a workstation. Other bins are returned to available storage positions, allowing the system to continuously reorganize inventory as retrieval operations take place.
AutoStore bins are available in heights of 220, 330, and 425 millimeters, with each container supporting loads of up to 30 kilograms. The system can accommodate different bin sizes through compatible robot configurations and its FlexBins technology. Bins can also be subdivided into smaller compartments to store multiple product categories within a single container. Each bin has a unique identifier recorded in the system database, allowing the software to track its location and contents. This combination of standardized containers, autonomous handling, and digital inventory tracking enables the system to retrieve individual products without requiring permanent storage locations for every item.
AutoStore's Controller coordinates robot movements, bin locations, and storage operations throughout the system. Its CubeControl software manages equipment activity and traffic across the grid, while routing technology determines efficient paths for robots retrieving and delivering bins. The system can coordinate multiple robots operating simultaneously, allowing different inventory requests to be processed in parallel. AutoStore also provides CubeAnalytics and its broader CubeVerse software platform for operational monitoring, performance analysis, system optimization, and maintenance planning.
Retrieved bins are delivered to workstations called Ports, where inventory is picked, replenished, sorted, or transferred to downstream equipment. AutoStore offers several workstation configurations, including ConveyorPort, CarouselPort, RelayPort, and FusionPort, designed for different operating speeds and ergonomic requirements. The company also provides automated robotic picking options, including CarouselAI, which combines bin presentation with robotic item handling. These interfaces allow AutoStore to connect with warehouse management systems, conveyors, packing stations, and other automation equipment, creating an integrated workflow between storage and order fulfillment.
AutoStore is widely used in e-commerce fulfillment centers, retail distribution facilities, manufacturing operations, and third-party logistics warehouses that manage large numbers of individual products. These environments often require frequent inventory replenishment and rapid retrieval of items across thousands of stock-keeping units. During receiving, products are identified and placed into AutoStore bins at replenishment workstations. The system then transports the bins into the storage grid, where inventory remains accessible through automated retrieval. When customer orders are received, robots deliver the required bins to picking stations, allowing employees or automated equipment to select products for packing and shipment.
The system is particularly useful for operations handling small and medium-sized products, including apparel, footwear, electronics, spare parts, pharmaceuticals, and consumer merchandise. Its flexible storage configuration allows different product categories to share the same grid while remaining individually tracked. AutoStore also uses a process known as natural slotting, where frequently accessed bins tend to remain closer to the top of the storage structure through repeated retrieval and replacement. This behavior can reduce retrieval effort for popular products while maintaining access to slower-moving inventory stored deeper within the grid.
AutoStore's primary advantage is its ability to concentrate substantial inventory capacity within a compact storage structure. By eliminating conventional picking aisles and stacking bins directly together, the system reduces the floor space required for storage while maintaining automated access to individual containers. The company reports operational uptime of approximately 99.7% across its installed systems, with robots operating independently so that individual units can be serviced without necessarily shutting down the entire installation. Its modular architecture also allows warehouse operators to increase throughput by adding robots and workstations as operational requirements change.
Beyond storage density, AutoStore reduces the amount of walking and repetitive material handling required during order fulfillment. Instead of traveling between shelves, employees work at dedicated stations where requested inventory is delivered automatically. This approach can improve picking productivity, reduce unnecessary movement, and support more consistent inventory handling. Integration with warehouse management software also provides visibility into inventory locations, replenishment activity, and order processing. By combining compact cube storage, autonomous robotic retrieval, and intelligent software coordination, AutoStore provides a scalable automated storage solution for warehouses seeking greater capacity and more efficient fulfillment operations.
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