Shelf automated warehouse referred to the warehouse. Generally refers to the use of several layers, a dozen layers or even dozens of storey shelf storage unit cargo, cargo inbound and outbound warehouse operations with the appropriate material handling equipment. Such warehouses can take full advantage of the space to store the goods, it often vividly called the "three-dimensional warehouse.

The emergence and development of the warehouse is the result of the development of production and technology in the aftermath of the Second World War. The early 1950s, the United States has a three-dimensional warehouse bridge stacker cranes; late 1950s early 1960s roadway stacking crane driver operated three-dimensional warehouse; 1963, the United States took the lead in the high-bay warehouse with computer control technology, the establishment of the first three-dimensional computer-controlled warehouse. Since then, the automated warehouse in the United States and Europe have developed rapidly, and the formation of specialized disciplines. The mid-1960s, Japan began the construction of a warehouse, and the development of faster and faster, becoming one of the largest in the world today have automated warehouse.

The beginning of the development of three-dimensional warehouse material handling equipment late 1963 for the development of the first bridge stacker cranes, in 1973 started to develop China's first computer-controlled automated warehouse (15 meters high, the Ministry of Machinery responsible for lifting), the library put into operation in 1980. Until 2003, the number of automated warehouse in China has more than 200. Three-dimensional warehouse with high space utilization, strong capacity into and out of, the use of computer control and management and help enterprises to implement modern management, warehousing technology has become indispensable enterprise logistics and production management, more and more importance in enterprises.

Three-dimensional warehouse (AS / RS) is a rail tunnel by the three-dimensional shelf stackers, a storage tray conveyor system, the size detection barcode reading system, communication systems, automatic control systems, computer monitoring system, computer management systems, and other such wire cable tray distribution cabinets, trays, adjustable platform, steel platform and other auxiliary equipment consisting of complex automation systems. The use of state-of-the-art integrated logistics concept, the use of advanced control, bus, communications and information technology, through the coordinated action of the above equipment, in accordance with the needs of the user automatically orderly completion of the specified goods, fast and accurate, and efficient storage storehouse job.