The obvious benefit of automated parking systems is the ability to fit more cars in less space which can solve many parking problems, but there are many other benefits to the developer, operator, consumer and society in general. For example, consider the countless acres of open space consumed by parking lots. Self park ramp garages are more efficient, but still take twice the space as an automated commercial parking facility. By contrast, automated residential or commercial garages are a green solution since they preserve open space, have low energy consumption and have no carbon emissions, because vehicles are shut off before being parked in the system.
The mechanical system works according to the same principle as a high-bay storage system and is very easy for customers to use. The entire operation seen in typical automated car parking systems can be shown in the following simple steps:
1. The customer parks his vehicle in a large hand-over room, just as he would in a garage at home. But the advantage with this parking system is that a parking aid will provide precise information on whether the car is in the correct position. Afterward the vehicle is measured and weighed.
2. The customer leaves the vehicle, answers three short questions at a terminal in a side room and receives a ticket. What happens next occurs automatically.
3. After sensors have checked to make sure no people or animals remain in the vehicle, the car and the palette it is parked on are moved into the transport unit and realigned.
4. Using a palette system prevents any harm coming to the vehicle as it is not touched at any time during the parking process. After realigning the vehicle it is transported to an empty parking space within the shelf system.
5. When the customer returns, he is required to pay the parking fee at the payment machine. Once paid, the transport unit retrieves the car from its shelf and returns it to the hand-over room.
6. Then the customer enters the hand-over room and drives the car out without having to drive backwards as the vehicle is already positioned in the right direction.
Automated Car Parking Systems – How It Works
Once the customer has dropped off his vehicle in the hand-over room a crane mechanism turns the car in the right direction and transports it into the shelf system, where the vehicle is safely deposited in an empty parking unit.
The unique feature of this mechanical system is that even the space between the hand-over room and the destination can be used for storing cars as it consists of a rack of movable parking units. This patented combination of fixed and movable racks enables the automated car parking system to achieve the maximum amount of parking space for any given building, ensuring high capacity parking on minimum floor space.
When the customer comes to pick up his car he is informed in which hand-over room the vehicle will appear. The system then retrieves the car and returns it to the hand-over room with the front of the vehicle facing the exit, allowing the customer to drive straight out of the automated system.
