Outdoor Automation
Automated outdoor storage is a full-fledged sector with industrial requirements (24/7)
Outdoor automation is not about 'putting a robot outside'.
It is a specific industrial field, with durability, availability, and maintenance constraints that are relatively new (compared to intralogistics, where it is a common field).
Hi Park was designed from the outset to meet these requirements, on exposed logistics sites operated continuously. It can also be covered (roof and/or facades).
1) The outdoors: a demanding environment
An automated outdoor system must be designed to:
Weather
Rain, heat, frost, dust, sea spray depending on the site.
Day / Night Operation
Continuous operation without any driving intervention.
Wind
Operating conditions and adapted procedures.
Corrosion & Aging
Prolonged exposure, thermal cycles, chemical/atmospheric attacks, marine environments.
Security
Open sites, multiple actors, access and protection constraints.
Equipment Availability
Need to maintain performance despite contingencies.
The challenge is not just to 'function': it is to function sustainably, in real conditions.
2) A 24/7 industrial culture: availability, degraded modes, supervision
The FVL activity requires operational continuity: arrivals, shipments, peaks, cut-offs, emergencies. Outdoor solutions must therefore integrate an industrial operation logic:
Supervision
Continuous monitoring of activity and alerts.
MCO
Preventive maintenance, rapid corrective maintenance, traceability, recommissioning, documentation.
Degraded Modes
Continue to operate even in the event of contingencies, with clear procedures.
These fundamentals transform an automated system into an operational tool.
3) Outdoor structures already exist: the 'rack' is common
Outdoor storage on metal structures is already widespread in the industry: galvanized racks, cantilevers, removable solutions... This equipment demonstrates that a steel structure can be designed to last in exposed environments, provided it is properly sized and protected.
In the automotive world, there are also non-automated outdoor storage solutions (e.g., certain VHU site organizations), which show the relevance of structured outdoor storage when designed for operation.
Hi Park fits into this continuity, with an additional ambition: to industrialize operations through automation and orchestration, while remaining compatible with outdoor constraints.
4) The newest topic: outdoor maintenance (preventive, regulatory, measured)
Outdoors, maintenance becomes a central issue, as it conditions safety, compliance, and availability:
Preventive Maintenance
Planned inspections, periodic checks, tightening, adjustments, wear checks.
Regulatory Maintenance
Compliance with verification obligations, keeping records, and traceability of interventions.
Responsiveness
Ability to intervene quickly, without immobilizing operations.
Hi Park adopts a 'maintenance-driven' approach: the goal is to make operations sustainable through organized, documented, and anticipated maintenance.
5) Measure to prevent: operational metrics to detect drifts
Without going into technical details, Hi Park aims to rely on measured operational indicators to support maintenance and prevent drifts:
- Usage intensity (cycles, load, stresses)
- Maneuvering time, waiting time, recurring anomalies,
- Downtimes and causes
- Performance evolution and weak signals.
Objective: move from 'reactive' maintenance to more predictable maintenance, focused on availability and operational continuity.
Conclusions:
Outdoor automation is a full-fledged sector.
The value is not just in the machine, but in the whole: durability, 24/7 operation, industrial maintenance, supervision, and contingency management.
Hi Park was designed to meet this level of requirement, on FVL sites, outdoors.