A Photographic History of DaifukuIntroducing One of Japan’s Largest Automated Book Storage Systems at the Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library

The National Diet Library is the national library of Japan and one of the largest libraries in the World. In 2002, the library opened a new facility, the Kansai-kan, in Seika-cho, Kyoto, which boasts Daifuku’s mini load automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) at its center. The system is capable of storing some 1.4 million items, making it one of the largest systems in Japan for storing books and documents.
In addition to collecting all of Japan’s publications for preservation, the National Diet Library also provides a wide range of services to the Japanese Diet, various administrative and judicial organizations, and the public. The Kansai-kan was introduced to provide additional storage space for the Tokyo Main Library, where storage capacity had maxed out, and to better meet the needs of the information age, such as through digital resources.
With four floors above ground and four below ground, the Kansai-kan is home to a mini load AS/RS in the atrium on the 3rd and 4th underground floors. This system can hold some 28,000 cases of dedicated containers, with each container having an average capacity of some 50 items. When visitors request books or other materials, the containers are automatically transported from the AS/RS to a library worker via a sorting transfer vehicle (STV). Daifuku’s system offers improved storage functionality while also eliminating the workload needed for transporting materials manually.

Daifuku’s mini load AS/RSs are used in libraries around the world, including in the USA and China. These systems are a testament to Daifuku’s dedication to utilizing its material handling technology to support social infrastructure.
- *This article is based on content from DAIFUKU NEWS No. 167.