Digital Infrastructure for Modern Agriculture

⚙Digital Infrastructure for Modern Agriculture

Agricultural supply chains increasingly require stable storage, traceability, and efficient material handling.
For seed storage in particular, maintaining controlled inventory conditions and ensuring reliable logistics flows are essential for food security and agricultural productivity.

Located in Zhangye, China, the National Corn Seed Industry Park was developed to support large-scale seed processing, storage, research, and distribution.
The park covers approximately 4,656 mu (≈310 ha) and includes nine functional zones such as seed processing, research institutes, national seed reserves, climate laboratories, recycling facilities, agricultural service centers, and logistics areas.

To support long-term development goals—including standardization, mechanization, and digital management—the park planned an automated warehouse system as part of its infrastructure.

📦Warehouse Requirements

The automated warehouse was designed to support the storage and circulation of corn seeds across seasonal cycles.

Key operational requirements included:

• Annual storage capacity of over 20,000 t of corn seeds
• The ability to store the full harvest volume within a 30-day harvest period
• The ability to dispatch the entire inventory within a 60-day sales period
• Reliable and traceable storage operations

These requirements demanded a storage system capable of supporting high-density pallet storage and efficient inbound/outbound handling.

🤖Automated Warehouse Solution

DELIECN provided an integrated Automated Storage And Retrieval System (AS/RS) combining hardware equipment and warehouse control software.

The system includes:

• Smart Warehouse Management platform
• High-precision AS/RS racking
• Stacker Crane systems
• Rail Guided Vehicles (RGV)
• Conveyor systems
• Supporting equipment and control systems

The automated warehouse consists of two identical storage zones.

Key specifications of each warehouse:

• Length: ≈116.37 m
• Width: ≈60 m
• Building height: ≈20 m
• Storage capacity: 14,400 pallet locations
• Maximum load per pallet location: 1,500 kg

The system uses double-deep stacker cranes combined with RGV transport to connect inbound and outbound stations with storage aisles.

🚚Automated Warehouse Operations

⬆Inbound Process

After inspection, pallets enter the conveyor system and are transferred by the RGV to the stacker crane pick-up station.

The Warehouse Control System (WCS) schedules the stacker crane to store pallets at assigned locations.
Inventory data is automatically updated within the system.

⬇Outbound Process

When shipment tasks are generated in the Warehouse Management System (WMS), the WCS schedules stacker cranes to retrieve pallets.

The pallets are then transported by RGV and conveyors to the outbound dock.

📈Operational Benefits

The implementation of an automated warehouse supports several operational improvements:

• Higher storage density
  Vertical pallet storage increases storage capacity within the same building footprint.
• Efficient seasonal handling
  Automated inbound and outbound processes help support peak harvest and distribution periods.
• Inventory traceability
  Digital systems enable tracking throughout the seed lifecycle.
• Data-driven operations
  Real-time equipment data and inventory information support operational decision-making.

🌾Automation in Agricultural Logistics

As agriculture becomes increasingly data-driven, logistics infrastructure plays an important role in ensuring stable supply chains.

Automated storage systems provide agricultural operators with tools to manage seasonal volumes, maintain product traceability, and optimize warehouse space.

Projects like the Zhangye National Corn Seed Industry Park illustrate how warehouse automation can support modern agricultural logistics.