Tote-to-PersonWarehouse Automation
High-density vertical storage meets agile picking efficiency. JASCI orchestrates shuttle systems, transporters, and pick stations for maximum throughput with minimal footprint.
What is Tote-to-Person Automation?
Tote-to-Person (TTP) is a goods-to-person automation strategy where shuttle robots retrieve totes from high-density vertical storage (ASRS) and deliver them directly to ergonomic pick stations. Unlike traditional person-to-goods picking where workers walk through aisles, TTP brings inventory to stationary operators—eliminating travel time and dramatically increasing pick rates.
Modern TTP systems like Geek+ RoboShuttle use a decoupled architecture: vertical retrieval shuttles (RS) extract totes from racking up to 12 meters high, while horizontal transporters (P40) ferry totes to workstations. This separation allows each robot type to specialize, maximizing overall system efficiency.
JASCI's WES/WMS platform provides the orchestration layer that coordinates these robot fleets, sequences tote deliveries for optimal picking, and integrates with your existing ERP and order management systems.
Key Distinction: Decoupled vs. Coupled Systems
Traditional shuttle ASRS uses single robots for both retrieval and delivery—creating bottlenecks when the same robot must wait at the workstation. Decoupled TTP systems separate these functions: retrieval shuttles stay in the racks, transporters handle delivery. Result: 40-60% higher throughput with fewer total robots.
What Problems Does TTP Solve?
Traditional piece-picking warehouses struggle with four systemic issues
Labor Cost & Availability
Manual picking requires large teams, often during peak seasons when labor is hardest to find. Turnover is high, training is slow, and productivity varies by individual.
Travel Time & Speed Limitations
In many facilities, pickers spend more than half their time walking. Even with fast robots, manual sorting and long travel paths cap overall throughput.
Accuracy Challenges
Human error increases with fatigue, volume spikes, and complex orders—leading to mispicks, rework, and customer dissatisfaction.
Space Constraints
Conventional racking underutilizes vertical space, forcing companies to expand facilities instead of maximizing existing ones.
Tote-to-person robotics directly attacks all four problems by reducing labor dependency, eliminating picker travel, improving accuracy through system-guided picking, and dramatically increasing storage density.
Key Benefits with JASCI
When combined with JASCI Cloud WMS, tote-to-person systems deliver measurable, compounding benefits
2-5x Storage Density
Leverage vertical space up to 12 meters. Store the same inventory in a fraction of the floor space, avoiding costly facility expansions.
30%+ Labor Reduction
Shift from walking to stationary picking. Higher throughput per station with consistent, predictable performance.
Significant Accuracy Gains
Scan-driven pick and put workflows eliminate human error. Put-to-light guidance ensures every pick is verified.
Scalability Without Disruption
Add robots and stations incrementally as you grow. No major system overhauls required.
Operator Ergonomics
Reduce fatigue and improve retention with ergonomic pick stations. Happy operators are productive operators.
Software-Orchestrated Gains
JASCI continuously optimizes which tote moves where, when, and why. Benefits compound over time through continuous optimization.
How JASCI Orchestrates TTP Systems
Software-first architecture using JASCI REX for complete robot orchestration
High-Density Vertical Storage
Store totes up to 12 meters high in compact racking systems, maximizing cubic utilization while maintaining rapid access to all inventory.
Decoupled Robot Design
Vertical retrieval and horizontal transport run independently. No waiting, no bottlenecks—shuttles and transporters work in parallel.
Smart SKU Handling
High-velocity SKUs use RS Air for rapid retrieval; long-tail inventory uses mobile RS robots. The right robot for the right task.
Parallel Operations
RS Air, RS mobile robots, and P40 transporters work together for seamless tote delivery to pick stations without interference.
Zone-Based Scalability
Expand capacity by adding zones, robots, or workstations without duplicating the entire system. Scale incrementally as you grow.
Lean ROI Structure
Higher throughput with fewer robots. Task specialization means each robot is optimized for its specific function, reducing total fleet size.
Complete Solution Components
A complete tote-to-person solution consists of tightly integrated components. Without an execution-first WMS, these components operate in silos. JASCI unifies them into a single, adaptive fulfillment engine.
High-Density Storage Structure
Multi-depth, vertical tote storage up to 12m
Shuttle Robots
Extract and place totes within storage aisles
Autonomous Mobile Robots
Transport totes between storage and workstations
Picking Workstations
Optimized for speed, ergonomics, and accuracy
Put-Walls
Multi-order consolidation and batch processing
JASCI Cloud WMS
Control and execution software layer
Software Required to Make It Work
Robotics alone do not solve fulfillment complexity. The software stack is what converts motion into productivity. JASCI provides the full execution layer:
JASCI's workflow engine treats robots as labor resources, enabling unified optimization across people, automation, and inventory.
Automated Sortation: The Missing Link
Many warehouses overlook one critical constraint: manual sorting.
Even if robots deliver totes quickly, manual sort-to-order steps often take 20 to 30 seconds per pick—silently capping throughput. The bottleneck just shifts downstream instead of being eliminated.
By integrating automated sortation systems (such as compact 3D sorters) with tote-to-person picking, JASCI ensures downstream processes keep pace with robotic retrieval—unlocking the full speed of the system.
20-30 seconds per pick for manual sorting. Throughput capped regardless of robot speed.
Instant routing to correct order or chute. Full robot speed unlocked end-to-end.
Compatible TTP Systems
JASCI integrates with leading shuttle and ASRS providers
Tote-to-Person Workflow
From order receipt to pick completion in optimized sequence
Order Received
JASCI WES receives order demand and identifies required SKUs across high-bay storage locations.
Shuttle Retrieval
RS shuttles navigate vertical aisles to retrieve totes from their storage positions up to 12m high.
Buffer Staging
Retrieved totes are placed in buffer zones where P40 transporters queue for pickup.
Station Delivery
P40 robots deliver totes to ergonomic pick stations in optimal sequence for batch or wave picking.
Pick & Confirm
Operators pick items with put-to-light guidance. System confirms picks and updates inventory in real-time.
Return & Replenish
Empty or partial totes return to storage. System automatically triggers replenishment for low-stock totes.
ROI & Financial Impact
12-24 month typical payback with $400K-$800K annual savings
Annual Operating Savings
| Savings Category | Assumptions | Low Estimate | High Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Reduction (25-40%) | 15 → 9-11 pickers at $20/hr | $166,000 | $250,000 |
| Space Savings (avoid expansion) | 2-5x density, defer $2M build | $100,000 | $200,000 |
| Accuracy Improvements | Fewer mispicks, returns, rework | $50,000 | $150,000 |
| Throughput Gains | 500+ picks/hr vs 150 manual | $80,000 | $180,000 |
| Total Annual Savings | — | $396,000 | $780,000 |
Initial Investment
ROI & Payback Window
Why the ROI Is So Strong
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Learn moreReady for Tote-to-Person Automation?
See how JASCI can orchestrate your TTP system for maximum throughput and minimal footprint.