Cabinet-Free Warehouse Automation: Modular, Scalable Systems

Simplify logistics with modular, scalable systems

Nearly every player in intralogistics is increasing automation spend. If you are evaluating your next-generation warehouse automation system, you are sorting through competing platforms and philosophies to find a real edge. One option that deserves a fresh look is modular, cabinet-free automation. Removing traditional control cabinets can free space, cut installation time, and make upgrades faster than before.

Walk your facility and note the cabinets and electrical enclosures along your lines. Now picture that floor space back in play. With cabinet-free warehouse automation, you shrink the footprint and increase flexibility across conveyors, storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), shuttle systems, and more. What sounded like a stretch a few years ago is now practical and proven.

What “cabinet-free” really means

Traditional warehouse automation technology ships with controls mounted in large, freestanding enclosures. These cabinets often house the PLC or industrial controller, power distribution equipment, VFDs or servo drives, network switches, terminal blocks, power supplies, and cooling. A single cabinet can be eight feet tall by four feet wide, anchored to the floor, with dense point-to-point wiring out to field devices.

Cabinet-free designs distribute those same functions directly on the machine. Rugged, IP-rated modules for I/O, drives, industrial PCs, and safety mount to the equipment baseplate or frame. Hybrid cabling and quick-disconnects replace long homeruns. The result is a cleaner, more compact control architecture without a freestanding enclosure.

How cabinet-free systems work

Modern cabinet-free automation systems use:

Machine-mounted I/O and drives rated for harsh environments
Compact controllers or industrial PCs close to the mechanics
Short, standardized cables with sealed connectors to reduce wiring
Integrated safety and power distribution equipment on the frame
Networked devices that publish real-time data to your warehouse management system (WMS) and analytics tools

This architecture supports plug-and-play module swaps. A failed device can be unplugged and replaced on the line, and the controller will auto-discover it. Your team will spend less time tracing wires and more time running.

Key benefits of cabinet-free warehouse automation

Floor space back to operations

Eliminating large cabinets returns square footage for order picking, staging, or storage solutions. That can boost storage capacity and improve travel paths for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

Faster projects, simpler installations

Shorter cable runs and modular assemblies reduce install time, FAT/SAT effort, and commissioning. OEMs can prebuild and test modules, then complete final hook-up on site.

Easier reconfiguration and scaling

Because you are not anchored to floor-mounted boxes, you can re-arrange lines, add cells, or extend shuttle systems and retrieval systems (AS/RS) with less disruption. This matters when order profiles shift or growth demands a new flow.

Lower maintenance burden

Field-replaceable modules minimize downtime. Many swaps do not require specialized engineers, which saves labor and helps reduce labor costs tied to reactive maintenance.

Cleaner cable management and safety

Fewer long cable trays and inter-cabinet feeds improve housekeeping and service access. Properly rated devices help maintain safety compliance without building custom enclosures.

Productivity and cost

Shorter projects, less wiring, and faster changeovers add up. Over the long term, cabinet-free designs can be cost-effective while helping increase productivity through higher availability and better order processing.

Where cabinet-free fits best

Cabinet-free controls are a strong choice across many types of warehouse automation:

Conveyors and sortation where space and quick service matter
Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and shuttle systems that expand over time
Vertical lift modules (VLMs) that benefit from compact controls
Order picking cells with collaborative robotics or light goods handling
Workcells that interact with AMRs, pallet movers, and goods-to-person stations

These deployments often sit alongside existing lines, which makes modularity and small footprints valuable during phased rollouts.

Integration with WMS and enterprise systems

Cabinet-free architectures connect cleanly to warehouse management systems (WMS) and higher-level software. Controllers can expose real-time data for throughput, faults, energy, and cycle times. That data feeds dashboards, predictive maintenance, and labor planning. The control layer remains a system designed for deterministic motion and safety, while the IT layer handles analytics and orchestration.

Migration path for existing facilities

You do not need a full rebuild to benefit. A practical roadmap:

Audit cabinets and cable runs to pinpoint the biggest space and maintenance pain points.
Target one pilot area, such as a conveyor spur or a small AS/RS aisle.
Standardize device modules and connectors to simplify spare parts.
Integrate with your WMS for visibility and exception handling.
Document service procedures so techs can swap modules without specialized tools.
Scale in phases across adjacent zones to limit downtime.

This phased approach lets you modernize while the operation stays live.

Buying checklist

When you evaluate cabinet-free automation solutions, pressure-test the following:

IP rating and thermal performance of machine-mounted devices
Safety capabilities and standards compliance
Drive technology options for conveyors, lifts, and shuttles
Power distribution strategy, including DC bus or single-cable schemes
Diagnostics and real-time data for faster troubleshooting
Spare parts and service model for quick module swaps
Interoperability with AMRs, VLMs, AS/RS, and vision or weighing subsystems
WMS integration patterns, including APIs and message queues
Total cost of ownership, not just hardware list price

Modular warehouse automation without large control cabinets is no longer a niche idea. It is a practical way to reclaim space, accelerate projects, and adapt faster as demand shifts. If you are upgrading warehouse automation technology across conveyors, storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), shuttle systems, VLMs, or AMR-supported cells, make cabinet-free your default option. Once you make the switch, you will not want to go back.

FAQs

Does cabinet-free mean zero enclosures everywhere?

Yes, it absolutely can mean the elimination of all cabinets and associated AC units, but not always. There are systems available today that support the complete elimination of all cabinets with the support of all power distribution. While with other systems you may still need small junction boxes or localized protection, but the large floor-mounted main cabinet goes away.