Robot-storage zone assignment strategies in mobile fulfillment systems
| Autor: | Jacques Resing, Ivo Adan, Debjit Roy, Shobhit Nigam, René de Koster |
|---|---|
| Přispěvatelé: | Department of Technology and Operations Management, Purchasing & Supply Management, Operations Planning Acc. & Control, Dynamics and Control, Stochastic Operations Research |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
050210 logistics & transportation
Order picking 021103 operations research Design insights Computer science Stochastic modelling Robot assignment 05 social sciences Real-time computing 0211 other engineering and technologies Transportation 02 engineering and technology Robotic systems 0502 economics and business Robot Initial value problem Queueing models Pick and pack Business and International Management Mobile shelves Queue Throughput (business) Civil and Structural Engineering |
| Zdroj: | Transportation Research. Part E, The Logistics and Transportation Review, 122, 119-142. Elsevier Ltd. Transportation Research. Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 122, 119-142. Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 1366-5545 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.tre.2018.11.005 |
| Popis: | The robotic mobile fulfillment system (MFS) is widely used for automatingstorage pick and pack activities in e-commerce distribution centers. In this system, the items are stored on movable storage shelves, also known as inventory pods, and brought to the order pick stations by robotic drive units. We develop stylized performance evaluation models to analyze both order picking and replenishment processes in a mobile fulfillment system storage zone, based on multi-class closed queueing network models. To analyze robot assignment strategies for multiple storage zones, we develop a two-stage stochasticmodel. For a single storage zone, we compare dedicated and pooled robot systems for pod retrieval and replenishment. For multiple storage zones, we also analyze the effect of assigning robots to least congested zones on system throughput in comparison to random zone assignment. The models are validated using detailed simulations. For single zones, the expected throughput time for order picking reduces to one-third of its initial value by using pooled robots instead of dedicated robots; however, the expected replenishment timeestimate increases up to three times. For multiple zones, we find that robots that are assigned to storage zones with dedicated and shortest queues provide a greater throughput than robots assigned at random to the zones. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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