Why it matters
Automated equipment is designed against stated assumptions about the building. Floors, clearances, power, and fire protection are slow and costly to change once equipment is on order.
Facility limits found during design are engineering inputs. The same limits found during installation become change orders.
What can go wrong
- Floor flatness, joints, or slopes fall outside the tolerance the mobile equipment was specified for.
- Slab capacity has not been checked against the concentrated loads of dense storage or heavy equipment.
- Available electrical capacity does not cover chargers and new equipment without a service upgrade.
- A change in storage height, density, or commodity alters the basis of the existing sprinkler design.
- Battery charging areas raise fire protection and permitting questions that were not scheduled.
- Aisle widths and turning areas work on the drawing but not with staged pallets and pedestrian traffic.
What evidence to examine
| Evidence | What it can establish |
|---|---|
| Structural drawings and slab specifications | Whether floor capacity has a documented basis |
| Floor flatness and levelness survey | Whether the floor meets the equipment’s stated tolerances |
| As-built layout with aisle widths, clear heights, and column grid | Whether the proposed layout fits the building as it stands |
| Electrical one-line diagram and panel schedules | Capacity available for chargers and equipment |
| Fire protection design basis and sprinkler documentation | Whether the planned storage arrangement is covered |
| Lighting survey in the operating areas | Suitability for vision systems and safe mixed traffic |
| Permit history and local authority requirements | Permits needed, and their lead times |
Warning signs
- The only layout drawings are from original construction.
- Nobody can say when the floor was last surveyed, or to what standard.
- Electrical capacity is described as “plenty” without a load calculation.
- The fire protection contractor has not seen the proposed storage arrangement.
What to do next
- Request the equipment’s facility requirements in writing from each candidate vendor.
- Compare those requirements with measured conditions, not with drawings alone.
- Bring the fire protection engineer and the local authority into the discussion early.