How many units of warehouse equipment do warehouses and logistics centers need?

The number of warehouse equipment is calculated based on the volume of operations, the average cycle time, and the actual productive time of the machine. The warehouse area alone does not determine the required fleet: two facilities of the same size may have different cargo flows. It is worth checking the peak load separately, since the average shift calculation may not cover a two-hour peak of receipt or shipment. Next, we will consider formulas, typical scenarios, and calculation checkpoints.

Basic calculation formula

Determine the required number of machine hours. Divide it by the productive time of one machine:

Machine hours = number of operations × average cycle time, min / 60

After that, calculate the park:

Number of machines = machine hours / productive hours of one machine per shift

Round the result up. Productive hours are the time when the machine is actually performing operations. If an eight-hour shift results in 6 hours of actual work, substitute exactly 6 into the formula.

For peak periods, apply a separate check:

Machines in peak = operations during peak period × cycle time / productive minutes of one machine in that period

Choose the final park based on the larger of the two results.

These formulas are used to calculate the main equipment for the warehouse . Groups for horizontal movement, work with racks and cargo areas are taken separately.

Examples: popular warehouse and logistics complex scenarios

• Horizontal pallet movement. 300 movements are required per shift. The average cycle time is 3 minutes, and the productive time of one machine is 6 hours. We get 300 × 3 / 60 = 15 machine hours. 15 / 6 = 2.5, so 3 machines are required.

• Placing and removing pallets from racks. Plan — 240 cycles per shift, average cycle time 5 minutes, productive time — 6.5 hours. 240 × 5 / 60 = 20 machine hours required. 20 / 6.5 = 3.08, working fleet is 4 machines.

• Peak shipment. 180 pallets need to be moved in two hours, one cycle takes 2.5 minutes. Total load is 450 minutes. If each machine is actually available for operations for 100 minutes of these two hours, 450 / 100 = 4.5. 5 machines are needed for the peak, even if the average shift calculation shows less.

Checkpoints before park approval

According to the actual cycle at a specific warehouse:

• measure the cycle from receiving a task to being ready to perform the next one;

• count receipts, shipments, replenishments, and internal movements separately;

• check the most intense 1–2 hours of the shift;

• record downtime for loading, operator change and cargo waiting;

• Determine the amount of equipment required to maintain planned product flow during service work.

The last indicator forms a reserve. If a minimum of four machines is required, and the warehouse must maintain planned productivity during one service downtime, the fleet consists of four working units and one reserve unit.

What can change the outcome?

The biggest impact on the number of machines is the actual cycle time. It is changed by the length of routes, the height of the lift, the width of the aisles and traffic intersections. An increase in the average cycle time from 4 to 5 minutes means 25% more machine hours for the same volume of operations.

Separately consider batteries and charging, shift schedules, dock peaks, and uneven flow throughout the day. After starting, compare the actual cycle time with the calculated one. System deviation is an important signal for the manager, indicating the need to recalculate the fleet based on real data.