Glide

Glide System

Glide systems offer a high density and efficient vehicle handling capability in an automated parking system. A typical system will utilize around 95% of the available floor area. In a multiple floor garage, a set of pallets cover a concrete floor or steel frame. Rollers and belts located underneath the pallets glide them along the x and y plane. Whole rows or columns of parked vehicles can move together simultaneously in order to maneuver vehicles to their destination, such as to vehicle loading bays, elevators, etc.

Glide systems also provide flexible layout options as the system configuration is highly adaptable. A pallet can be maneuvered from one support frame to an adjacent one in any direction. This means the system shape can vary greatly, instead of being rectangular or square, glide systems can also be “T” shaped, “U” shaped, “L” shaped, “H” shaped, etc. as long as there is a route for pallets to get from their current location to their destination location via an adjacent support frame. This also makes maneuvering around structural members possible that may not otherwise be possible with other system types.

Scissor lifts are typically used in glide systems as they allow the pallets to move on and off the lift platforms in all directions. Electrical cantilevered lifts can also be used however the pallet movements on and off the lift platform are more restricted.

Turning the vehicles can be done in the vehicle loading bay, on an elevator, or within the parking system.