Intralogistics glossary: 60+ terms

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Vehicles and internal transport

AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle)

Automated guided vehicle: internal transport equipment that moves without a driver, along defined routes, coordinated by software. The umbrella term for the entire family of autonomous warehouse vehicles. Guidance can be laser, natural contour, magnetic, or optical.

LGV (Laser Guided Vehicle)

Laser guided vehicle: a type of AGV that determines its position through laser triangulation, using reflectors mounted in the warehouse. The standard for high-capacity industrial applications — consistent precision, with no floor infrastructure.

AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot)

Autonomous mobile robot: a vehicle that navigates freely, using maps built by its own sensors, with no fixed routes. It dynamically avoids obstacles. Typically used for lighter loads and flexible flows; AGVs/LGVs remain preferred for heavy pallets and high throughput.

Tugger (logistics train)

A vehicle that tows several carts linked together in a train, for supplying production lines with many parts in small quantities. The efficient alternative to individual forklift runs.

Counterbalance vehicle

A vehicle configuration (manual or automated) in which the weight of the load on the forks is balanced by a counterweight at the rear — it doesn't need support arms under the load, so it works with any pallet type and on ramps.

Pallet truck

Floor-level handling equipment with low forks, for moving pallets over short distances, without lifting to height. Also available in an automated version.

Reach truck

A forklift with a retractable mast, designed for working in narrower aisles and at greater heights. The term comes up often in discussions about conventional selective storage.

Laser triangulation guidance

The method by which an LGV calculates its position: a rotating scanner on the vehicle measures angles to fixed reflectors in the warehouse and determines position with millimeter-to-centimeter precision.

Natural navigation (contour navigation)

Guidance without reflectors: the vehicle builds its map from the building's existing features (walls, columns) via sensors. Reduces the infrastructure needed; increasingly used in combination with other methods.

Protective field

The virtual zone monitored by an automated vehicle's safety scanners, which expands and contracts dynamically based on speed and direction. When a person or obstacle is detected in the warning field, the vehicle slows down; in the protective field, it stops completely.

UWB (Ultra-Wideband)

A high-precision radio positioning technology used in warehouses to track the location of people, vehicles, and equipment — including beyond the line of sight of laser scanners (around corners, through racking). Increases safety in mixed traffic and reduces unnecessary precautionary stops.

ISO 3691-4

The international safety standard for driverless industrial vehicles and their systems: it defines requirements for person detection, braking, operating modes, and their verification. It applies equally to the manufacturer, integrator, and operator. Details in the article on LGV safety.

Mixed traffic

The situation, common in practice, where automated vehicles, manually operated equipment, and pedestrians share the same workspace. Managed through speed zones, marked pedestrian paths, signaling, and detection systems.

Inductive charging

Charging vehicle batteries without physical contact, via electromagnetic transfer, at stations placed along the route. The vehicle charges during natural gaps in the flow (opportunistically), with no human intervention and no electrical arcing.

Regenerative braking

Energy recovery during braking or when lowering a load: the motor temporarily acts as a generator and sends the energy back into the system. Present in vehicles, stacker cranes, and satellites; reduces the system's overall energy consumption.

Storage and racking

Selective racking (single-deep)

The classic pallet racking: every position is directly accessible from the aisle, one row deep. Maximum selectivity (any pallet, anytime), minimum density — you pay for access with aisle space.

Double-deep

Selective racking with two positions in depth on each side of the aisle. Increases density by eliminating some aisles; requires telescopic forks and smart management of position pairs (ideally, the same SKU and lot in front and back).

Drive-in

Lane racking in which the equipment physically enters to place or retrieve pallets, several deep. High density, LIFO access (last in, first out), tight operating tolerances — which is why automated servicing is structurally gentler on them.

Gravity racking (flow rack)

Slightly inclined roller lanes: the pallet enters at the loading face and slides by gravity toward the unloading face. FIFO enforced physically, by construction — impossible to violate. The loading and unloading faces are opposite, so the flows never cross.

Multi-deep storage with satellite

Deep lanes served by a satellite cart that goes under the pallet, lifts it, and carries it inside the lane, while the vehicle or stacker crane stays in the aisle. Combines drive-in density with higher speed and without large equipment entering the structure.

Satellite (pallet shuttle)

The autonomous cart that operates inside multi-deep storage lanes: it picks up the pallet at the lane entrance, carries it into position, and back. Battery-powered, coordinated by software together with the vehicle or stacker crane that transports it between lanes.

Block stacking (block storage)

Storage directly on the floor, with no racking: pallets sit side by side and, if the product allows, stacked on top of each other. Minimal structure cost, LIFO access, low selectivity. Suited to high volumes of few SKUs.

VNA (Very Narrow Aisle)

Selective storage in very narrow aisles, with tall racking: maneuvering space nearly disappears, and density increases horizontally and vertically at the same time. Requires high operating precision — the environment where automated guidance shows its advantage most clearly.

Mobile racking (mobile bases)

Selective racking mounted on motorized bases that run on floor rails: the block stays compact, and the aisle opens on command only where needed. High density with full selectivity; their natural niche is cold storage, where every cooled cubic meter has a cost.

High-bay warehouse

A high-rise warehouse (often over 30-40 m) served by stacker cranes, typically in self-supporting construction. Maximum density on minimal land; the subject of an article dedicated on this site.

Self-supporting construction (self-supporting / clad-rack)

A construction method in which the racking's metal structure carries all loads (product, wind, snow, seismic), and the walls and roof are mounted directly onto it. The racking doesn't sit inside a building; the racking is the building.

AS/RS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System)

An umbrella term for automated storage and retrieval systems: stacker cranes, shuttles, satellites, and the software that coordinates them. An automated high-bay warehouse is an AS/RS.

Stacker crane

The equipment that serves the aisles of an automated warehouse: it moves on rails, horizontally along the aisle and vertically on its mast, placing and retrieving pallets at any level. One aisle, one stacker crane, as a general rule.

Selective crane (crane store)

The automated warehouse configuration in which the stacker crane serves single- or double-deep positions directly: high selectivity, free access to any pallet — rotation becomes a software decision.

Shuttle crane

The configuration in which the stacker crane carries a satellite that enters multi-deep lanes: maximum density, with lane-level logic (typically LIFO per lane, FEFO at the lot level through lane dedication).

Pallet position

The unit of measure for a warehouse's capacity: the space occupied by one pallet in the storage system. Capacity is expressed in positions, not square meters.

Selectivity

The degree to which you can directly access any pallet without moving others. Maximum selectivity = single-deep racking; minimum = block stacking and deep lanes. Together with density, it forms the fundamental trade-off of any storage system.

Storage density

The number of pallet positions per unit of floor area or volume. It increases through depth (lanes), height (high-bay), and eliminating aisles (mobile bases) — always at a price paid in selectivity, structure cost, or access time.

Slotting

The smart allocation of storage positions: fast-moving SKUs sit close to the entry/exit points, slow movers farther away or higher up. In automated systems, slotting is recalculated continuously, based on actual turnover data.

Inventory logic and flows

FIFO (First In, First Out)

The first pallet in is the first one out. The standard logic for products that age. It can be enforced physically (gravity racking) or logically (software, on any selective storage). Details in the article on rotation logic.

LIFO (Last In, First Out)

The last one in is the first one out — the natural logic of stacks, drive-in racking, and single-face access lanes. Perfectly acceptable for products with no aging constraint; the natural price of high density.

FEFO (First Expired, First Out)

The first to expire is the first one out. The true commercial requirement for products with a shelf life: it looks at the date on the label, not the date of entry into the warehouse. Requires capturing the expiration date on receipt and rotation managed by software.

FMFO / FPFO (First Manufactured / Produced, First Out)

Rotation based on manufacturing date. Differs from FIFO when the order of arrival at the warehouse doesn't match the order of manufacture (two plants, transfers, intermediate buffers).

MRSL (Minimum Remaining Shelf Life)

The minimum remaining shelf life a customer requires at delivery. It underlies lot allocation across customers: the shorter-dated lot goes wherever it still qualifies, the fresher lot is reserved for strict requirements (large retail, export). The consequence: sometimes the oldest lot doesn't ship first — deliberately.

Lot (batch)

The quantity of product manufactured under the same conditions, with the same production and expiration date. The real unit of traceability and rotation in FMCG: many rules that seem impossible on deep lanes become simple when rotation is managed at the lot level.

Traceability

The ability to know, for every unit of product, where it came from, what it passed through, and where it ended up. In automated systems it exists implicitly: every movement is commanded and confirmed by software, so the history writes itself.

Quarantine (blocked stock)

The status of product that cannot be shipped until released by quality control. In an automated warehouse, the block is absolute: no quarantined pallet can be requested by any retrieval mission.

Cross-docking

The flow in which product moves directly from receiving to shipping, with no intermediate storage: it's unloaded, sorted, and reloaded. Reduces handling and time, requires precise synchronization of arrivals and departures.

Buffer (buffer stock)

A temporary storage area that absorbs the difference in pace between two processes — typically between the end of the production line and storage, or between the warehouse and shipping.

End-of-line

The area where the finished product leaves production: palletizing, securing, labeling, and handover to internal transport. The natural entry point for automation in manufacturing plants.

Palletizing

Building pallets from product units (cases, boxes), manually or with dedicated robots/equipment. The palletizing pattern (stacking layout) affects stability, transport density, and suitability for automated storage.

Pallet securing

An umbrella term for the operations that secure product on a pallet at the end of the line — stretch wrapping, stretch hood, shrink film, or PET strapping. The choice depends on the product, transport conditions, and the end customer's requirements.

Stretch wrapping

Wrapping the pallet with elastic stretch film. Robotic systems with a large roll (1000 mm) and dual carriage reduce the number of rotations, increase pallet stability, and provide hours of unattended operation.

Stretch hood

An elastic hood pulled over the pallet — fully covers 5 faces (top + 4 sides). Offers superior protection against dust, moisture, and tampering, with predictable film consumption and a clean visual appearance. Used for products that go out exposed in distribution (food, beverage, chemical).

Shrink film

Film that shrinks when passed through a heat tunnel, wrapping tightly around the pallet. Rigid fixation, suited to transport in harsh conditions (product exposed to vibration, long journeys). Higher energy consumption than stretch wrap.

PET strapping

Strapping with polyester (PET) band to stabilize the pallet. Used for heavy loads, irregularly shaped product, or as secondary securing over stretch wrap. High tensile strength, low cost per pallet.

Order picking

The process of collecting items for an order: from full pallet (full-pallet) to single piece (piece picking). The area with the highest share of labor in distribution warehouses.

Goods-to-Person (GtP)

The principle in which the product comes to the operator, not the operator to the product: the system automatically brings the container or shelf with the needed item to an ergonomic workstation. It eliminates travel — the biggest time loss in traditional picking.

OTIF (On Time, In Full)

The indicator for complete, on-time deliveries: the percentage of orders delivered in full, within the agreed window. The synthetic measure of logistics performance toward the customer — and one of the first casualties of an undersized warehouse.

Delivery window

The time interval agreed with the customer (typically the retailer) within which the product must arrive at the dock. Missing the window brings penalties or refusal of the goods — the reason reliable shipping is worth direct money.

Software and coordination

WMS (Warehouse Management System)

The system that manages the warehouse's inventory and processes: what product exists, where it is, which orders need to be prepared, and with what priorities. The "what needs to be done" layer.

WCS (Warehouse Control System)

The layer that translates WMS decisions into commands for equipment: which vehicle executes which mission, which stacker crane picks up which pallet, how the flows are synchronized. The "who and how" layer.

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

The management system for the entire company (orders, invoicing, accounting inventory, production). The automated warehouse integrates with the ERP through the WMS; the long-term quality of this interface is a serious criterion for choosing a supplier.

Orchestration

The unified coordination of all equipment and flows in a system: vehicles, stacker cranes, satellites, conveyors, stations — driven by a single mission logic, not by separate systems that "talk to each other." The difference between a collection of equipment and a system.

Mission

The unit of work in an automated system: a concrete command given to a piece of equipment (pick up pallet X from position Y, take it to position Z). The software distributes missions across the fleet based on priorities, positions, and traffic.

Digital twin / simulation

The virtual model of the warehouse used to test sizing before construction: how many vehicles, what throughput, where bottlenecks appear. A serious supplier sizes its proposal through simulation with the customer's real data — it can only guarantee what it has simulated.

SLA (Service Level Agreement)

The contractual service commitment: guaranteed technician response time, system availability, spare parts coverage. The difference between "we have service" and service you can rely on at 3 a.m.

Escrow (escrow clause)

Depositing the source code and technical documentation with a neutral third party, released to the customer if the supplier becomes insolvent. The insurance policy for an investment with a 15+ year lifespan. Discussed in the article on how to choose a supplier.

Retrofit

Upgrading an existing system (equipment or software) without replacing it entirely. In warehouses: partial automation of an existing operation — the "brownfield" version of automation.

Investment and project

Greenfield

A project built from scratch, on new ground: complete freedom to design the building, flows, and automation, with no inherited constraints. The ideal window to size logistics alongside production.

Brownfield

An automation project in an existing building and operation: constraints on height, flooring, flows, and working schedule (the system is installed without stopping the operation). More common, more complex, entirely feasible with proper design.

ROI (Return on Investment)

The ratio between the gain generated by an investment and its cost. For automation, it can only be calculated honestly using the actual operation's data: the current cost of the manual operation versus the system's operating cost, over its lifespan. Dedicated tool: the ROI calculator.

Payback (payback period)

The time in which the savings generated cover the initial investment. The entrepreneur's favorite metric: "how many years until it pays for itself."

TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)

The total cost over the lifespan: acquisition + operation + maintenance + energy + downtime. The correct criterion for comparing proposals — the purchase price is just the first line.

CAPEX / OPEX

Capital expenditure (the investment: equipment, construction) versus operating expenditure (running the operation: staff, energy, rent, maintenance). Automation structurally shifts costs from recurring OPEX to one-time CAPEX.

Debit (throughput)

The number of units (typically pallets) the system processes per unit of time. The metric a fleet or warehouse should correctly be sized on — not the number of people replaced.

Occupancy rate

The percentage of storage positions occupied out of the total. The rule of thumb often cited in the industry: above 85-90%, the warehouse becomes inefficient before it runs out of space — every new pallet requires moving others.

Overflow (external overflow warehouse)

Space rented outside the main location when it can no longer keep up. The stopgap solution that adds double handling, internal transport between locations, and inventory split across two records — the subject of an article dedicated on this site.

Commissioning

The stage between installation and productive operation: configuring, testing, and validating the system under the warehouse's real conditions. Its quality is the difference between the same technology configured superficially or rigorously.

Intralogistics glossary.