基于分拣机器人零售电商订单动态聚类及仿真

目的提高电商物流配送中心订单的分拣效率和动态响应能力。方法通过分析零售电商订单的多品种、小批量和高时效等特征,考虑分拣机器人动作与载重约束,提出了滚动时窗调度策略和高维稀疏动态聚类算法,并以某大型电商企业配送中心建立仿真实验模型,进行数据对比分析。结果以某大型电商某日高峰时段500个订单进行仿真实验,与固定组批分拣策略进行对比,优化后的分拣策略在机器人平均搬运距离上减少了66.9%,分拣时间降低了23.9%。结论高维稀疏动态聚类策略有效提高了分拣效率,降低了分拣成本,算法方式更加开放灵活,对于电商企业物流业务降本增效具有重要意义。     

订单分批算法的适用性研究

本文回顾了当前企业分拣过程中订单分批的最优算法.在人工分拣环境,在不同储位分配和仓储物品量的条件下,对订单分批的FIFS,MAA,COG,GSM,GS等五种算法进行考察.根据某国有大型企业的订单数据和计算机生成订单,采用Java编程实现各种算法,通过程序分析了不同条件下各种算法的分拣效率.实验结果表明S型分拣路线的MAA启发式算法,比其他算法优化效果更好,因此推荐采用.     

基于分布重心的分拣码垛桁架机械手系统货位分配优化

目的 提高大规模定制化按单生产应用场景下桁架机械手分拣码垛下线成品的作业效率。方法 提出一种基于分布重心法的播种区货位分配法,针对分拣码垛桁架机械手系统的工作特点,建立设备分拣任务总时间数学模型,将其归结为以最小桁架机械手带载水平移动总时间为目标的播种区货位分配问题。根据待拣订单货品的初始数量和位置,构建订单–货品分布重心矩阵。在此基础上,依据分布重心系数由大到小的顺序对播种区内的货位进行订单分配。结果 与货位随机分配法相比,采用分布重心法可以将桁架机械手带载水平移动时间平均缩短约28.14%,分拣任务总时间平均缩短约5.78%。结论 通过货位分配的优化,有效缩短了桁架机械手完成分拣任务的时间,提高了系统分拣效率。     

基于遗传算法的分区拣选系统储位优化实证研究

目的研究零售连锁企业区域配送中心分区拣选系统下的储位优化方法。方法以某药品连锁零售企业区域配送中心为研究对象,将不同分区的拣选时间趋于均衡作为储位优化目标,结合样本订单与历史订单的特点,建立储位优化数学模型,并采用遗传算法进行求解,以获取约束条件内该模型的最优解。结果在样本订单占80%权重的前提下,将所求得的分区与储位的解所对应的拣选时间,与研究对象的拣选现状进行对比,发现采用均衡各区拣选时间模型的求解结果提高了37.34%的效率,优化效果显著。结论实证研究证明了该模型和算法的有效性,该优化方法也广泛适用于其他分区拣选系统的储位分配作业。     

基于提高分拣效率的快递面单优化设计研究

通过实验方法研究快递面单的优化设计对分拣员分拣效率的影响。在实地调研、问卷调查和专家访谈的基础上,对快递面单的信息项进行分析与整合,设计出新的快递面单。新面单保留有利于提高分拣效率的重要信息项并增强其显著性,删除重复和没有必要显示的信息项,根据信息项的重要程度确定字体大小,固定目标信息的位置。通过实验模拟分拣人员识别收件地址的分拣流程,采用独立样本 t 检验方法分析分拣人员在新旧两种快递面单上完成分拣任务的反应时间和失误率,并对新旧快递面单的可用性进行主观的对比分析。结果表明：优化后的面单由于减少了大量不必要的信息项的显示,增强了重要目标信息项的显著性,固定了目标信息的位置,从而降低了分拣人员的认知负荷,提高了分拣效率,减少了分拣失误,增强了人因可靠性,优化了分拣作业流程,有利于快递企业实现快速反应,提高服务水平。     

基于COI与作业负荷平衡的多巷道仓库储位分配策略

储位分配策略直接影响仓储货品的拣选效率与仓库绩效。传统基于物料周转率（COI）的储位分配方法将出入库频率高的货物存储于距离出入口近的储位上,在多巷道分布的仓库当中,这可能导致部分巷道作业拥堵和事故发生率高等。为提升仓储货品拣选效率和减少巷道作业不平衡带来的负面影响,本研究将基于COI储位分配方法与巷道作业平衡改进策略相结合,通过定性解析与模型分析,提出绝对分巷道存储模型和相对平均与最大值控制模型两种储位分配改进方法。通过实例数据分析,两种新方案对行走距离增加值可控制于千分之一以内,而新最优可行解对完善仓储策略和进一步提升仓储企业效率有着重要作用。     

条烟自动分拣的异步法及其装置

为统筹规划自动分拣仓列阵和输送系统的动作,提出条烟自动分拣系统的异步分拣法及其基本控制算法,并与同步分拣法进行了比较,其中输送系统包括一串相互连接的输送容器,并且采用步进方式运动。研究了自动分拣仓的条烟分拣执行方案,设计了滑道式分拣装置,其条烟连续进给运用斜面和重力原理而无需动力推进,其中双动出烟机构具有可任意切换的单条出烟和单排出烟功能。试验得到了基于异步分拣法的条烟自动分拣的基本能力数据,系统的实际分拣效率大于10 000 条/h。     

基于PLC的快递分拣系统

近年来,快递行业的订单量迅猛增涨,而快递分拣环节的机械化水平较低,主要采用人工分拣。人工分拣已无法满足快递业务的需求。为了提高快递分拣效率,根据分拣要求进行软硬件设计,利用可编程逻辑控制器（PLC）与液压系统设计一套快递自动分拣系统。快递分拣系统由触摸屏、PLC、传感器、电机、扫描相机以及液压缸等机构组成,触摸屏为西门子KTP700系列,PLC使用西门子1200系列中的S7-1215CPU。人机交互界面用西门子博图V15软件完成设计。液压系统完成快递的分拣推送任务和控制过程。本系统能自动识别不同区域的快递,完成连续、大批量地分拣业务,降低了劳动成本,进而提高了企业的整体效益。     

烟草商业卷烟物流分拣审核系统的研究

卷烟分拣系统自2000年开始,在各地烟草公司陆续投入使用,这极大促进和提高了烟草公司对消费者的服务。本文是基于视频识别技术开发,实现独立于现有卷烟分拣信息系统和出烟机构硬件之外的“烟草商业卷烟物流分拣审核系统’：实现提高分拣后卷烟品种、数量的正确率,降低分拣人员工作强度和提高其工作效率的目的。     

3-CUR并联分拣机器人的运动学分析与仿真

目的我国传统的食品生产行业,以人工分拣为主,自动化程度低,需耗费大量的劳动力,设计一种3-CUR并联机器人,用于食品生产的快速分拣。方法运用螺旋理论分析了该机构的自由度数目和类型,并且用修正的Grubler-Kutzbach公式对该机构的自由度进行了验证。接着使用D-H运动链参数表示法和欧拉角表示法,求解该机构的位置反解,采用三维动态法和Matlab软件对该并联分拣机器人的工作空间进行了分析与仿真,最后利用ADAMS软件对该机器人的运动性能进行了仿真分析。结果该机构可以实现一平(沿z轴的平动)两转(绕x轴y轴的转动)的运动,工作空间大,可达范围广,没有出现奇异点,末端执行器各参数的运动曲线呈有规律的周期性变化,可满足分拣机器人所需的运动和工作范围。结论该机构运动性能优越,稳定性好,具有良好的工作空间,可实现食品生产过程中的高速自动扫描和分拣,在包装自动化领域具有潜在的应用价值。     

Enhancing the order picking process through a new storage assignment strategy in forward-reserve area

This paper reexamines the order picking process in a warehouse facing the challenges that e-commerce brings about and which are characterised by a very large number of small sized orders and returns. Implementing effective storage assignment strategies combined with efficient batching, in this context, is very fundamental to keep the warehouse’s responsiveness and order completion times up to the standards. This paper investigates a new storage assignment strategy, initially implemented by a large shoes and footwear wholesaler, to enhance the performance of the order picking process in its warehouses. The impact of this new storage assignment strategy on the performance of the order picking process is analysed via simulation. The performance of the system, measured in terms of total picking time as well as order lead time while taking congestion into account, is compared to the cases where conventional storage assignment strategies are implemented. A full factorial design is set up and the simulation output is statistically analysed. The results of this analysis are reported and thoroughly discussed. Attending to the results, the proposed strategy presents a remarkable potential to shorten total picking travel distances and order completion time and consequently customer satisfaction.     

Order picking system design: the storage assignment and travel distance estimation (SA&TDE) joint method

Of all the warehouse activities, order picking is one of the most time-consuming and expensive. In order to improve the task, several researches have pointed out the need to consider jointly the layout of the warehouse, the storage assignment strategy and the routing policy to reduce travelled distances and picking time. This paper presents the storage assignment and travel distance estimation (SA&TDE) joint method, a new approach useful to design and evaluate a manual picker-to-parts picking system, focusing on goods allocation and distances estimation. Starting from a set of picking orders received in a certain time range, this approach allows to evaluate the combinations of product codes assigned to storage locations, aisles, sections or warehouse areas and to assess the most relevant ones, for the best location and warehouse layout, with the aim of ensuring optimal picking routes, through the application of the multinomial probability distribution. A case study is developed as well, in order to clarify the concept that underlies the SA&TDE joint method, and to show the validity and the flexibility of the approach, through the calculation of the saving at different levels of detail.     

Clusters and filling-curve-based storage assignment in a circuit board assembly kitting area

Kitting is the process that gathers all of the components necessary to assemble a batch of circuit boards on production machines. An objective in kitting storage design is to minimize the travel involved in collecting the components in the storage area so as to decrease labor costs. From outward appearances, the kitting process is similar to order picking in a warehouse. Closer observation, however, reveals that its unique characteristics favor a cluster-based allocation over the storage strategies usually adopted in warehouses. We present a clustering and cluster assignment method. In the clustering method we develop a new objective function and incorporate it into a genetic algorithm. In the cluster assignment method we first develop a new index for cluster assignment priorities. We then prove optimum assignments of clusters under restrictive conditions and extend the result to realistic storage configurations using filling curves. We analyze the properties affecting the quality of filling curves and develop a class of filling curves with good performance characteristics. Finally, we perform numerical analyses to show that the cluster and filling-curve-based assignment in the kitting area can reduce travel distances.     

An integrated storage assignment method for manual order picking warehouses considering cost,workload and posture

This paper presents an integrated storage assignment method for low-level picker-to-parts order picking warehouses taking into account economic and ergonomic objectives. Three different pallet rack layouts are studied in this paper, namely (a) picking from full pallets on the floor, (b) picking from half-pallets on the floor, and (c) picking from half-pallets on the upper rank of the shelf. First, cost functions are developed to assess the total order picking performance impact of these different pallet rack layouts. Second, with regard to workload, the metabolic cost and energy expenditure rates for picking from the different rack layouts under study are derived. Third, for assessing the working posture during order picking, the Ovako Working Posture Analysing System index is used where the required data is collected using a motion capturing system. The developed models are combined to propose a heuristic storage assignment procedure that supports the decision of which item to store on which pallet. The developed storage assignment method is then applied to an industrial case study. The results of the paper support warehouse managers in assessing the order picking storage assignment from an ergonomics viewpoint and in estimating its impact on financial order picking performance.     

基于英式拍卖的RMFS货位指派研究

目的 构建英式拍卖模型，以待指派商品品项(SKU)群的最低周转率为媒介，通过逐步提升最低周转率来实现待指派SKU与待指派区域货位数量的匹配。方法 针对移动机器人拣货系统(RMFS)中的货位指派，提出基于英式拍卖机制的货位指派方法，提升仓库拣货效率。结果 与随机指派相比，在不同仓库规模、订单规模、订单偏度的RMFS中采用英式拍卖货位指派机制，机器人行走路程下降比率在大型仓库中达30.17%，中型仓库的下降比率为27.31%，小型仓库的下降比率为24.13%。结论 采用英式拍卖机制在RFMS中进行货位指派可大幅度提高工作效率。     

Maverick picking: the impact of modifications in work schedules on manual order picking processes

Order picking, the process of retrieving items from their storage locations to fulfil customer orders, ranks among the most labour- and time-intensive processes in warehousing. Prior research in this area had a strong focus on the development of operating policies that increase the efficiency of manual order picking, for example by calculating optimal routes for the order pickers or by assigning products to storage locations. One aspect that poses a major challenge to many warehouse managers in practice has, curiously enough, remained largely unexplored by academic research: modifications in workflows (i.e. workplace deviance in a positive or negative sense) in order picking, which we define as ‘maverick picking’. The purpose of this paper is to characterise maverick picking and to study its causes, its forms of appearance and its potential impact on order picking performance. To gain insights into maverick picking, we first survey the literature to illustrate the state-of-knowledge of maverick picking. Subsequently, we report the results of a multi-case study on maverick picking and deduct a related content framework. The results of our case study support the proposition that maverick picking is highly relevant in practice and that it is a major determinant of order picking performance.     

Auto Store仓储系统的运作与效率优化研究

目的 为缓解零售电商商品仓库占地面积广,拣选效率受限等问题。方法 文中就存储策略、指派策略以及路径策略方面对Auto Store仓储系统进行详尽的介绍,在此基础上流程化的分析Auto Store系统完成单次订单拣货作业的业务流程,并运用Anylogic软件对所提出的模型进行仿真和验证。结果 假定订单到达服从Erlang分布,在拣选车和工作站数量和拣选货物数量相同的情况下,对比了Auto Store仓储系统混存布局和传统布局的拣选效率,验证了混存布局的可行性。结论 同时对比基于2种任务指派策略,得出了以基于拣选时间最小化的指派策略下系统运作效率更优这一结论,对理论分析与仿真研究之间的结果进行分析比较,验证了模型的有效性。     

Evaluating order picking performance trade-offs by configuring main operating strategies in a retail distributor: A Design of Experiments approach

Warehouse design has become important due to its impact on service to customers and total logistics costs. Order picking is the key activity of a warehouse and an appropriate design will directly affect its overall performance. The increasing complexity of warehouses means that the main operating strategies such as storage location assignment, batching and routing need to be considered simultaneously. A Design of Experiment approach aided by Discrete Event Simulation could help to meet these new picking design process requirements, especially when various performance measures need to be compared. Some of the trade-offs that managers must keep in mind when designing order picking systems are shown, describing a single-case study carried out at a retail distributor.     

Ergonomic workplace design in the fast pick area

The aging society in many developed countries has made an ergonomic workplace design to an important topic among researchers and practitioners alike. We investigate the workplace design for order pickers that manually collect items from the shelves of a warehouse. Specifically, we treat the storage assignment, i.e., the placement of products in shelves of different height, and zoning, i.e., the partitioning of the storage space into areas assigned to separate pickers, in the fast pick area of a warehouse. A fast pick area unifies the most fast-moving items in a compact area, so that workers are relieved from unproductive travel, but face extraordinary ergonomic risks due to the frequent repetition of picking operations. Concerning the health of (aged) workers, it is crucial to reduce such risks. Thus, we define a combined ergonomic storage assignment and zoning problem with the objective of minimizing the maximum ergonomic burden among all workers. This problem is formalized, and two construction heuristics and a tabu search procedure are proposed. Our results show that neglecting ergonomic aspects and only focusing on picking performance leads to much higher ergonomic risks of the workforce.

     

可变路径人工拣货系统动态货位调整研究

考虑在线零售企业的时变需求,基于逐步求精、渐进式优化的思路,通过实时、动态调整商品在仓库中的存储位置来响应需求的快速变化,并允许拣货员改变其行走路线,在订单拣货的同时进行货位调整。构建了可变路径下动态货位调整框架模型;提出前进和返回交替进行的回转路径策略,并对路径调整策略及商品选择策略两个关键进行研究;通过实验验证模型的有效性。结果表明,在订单规模中等,需求偏度较大时,动态货位调整可节约25%左右的拣货距离,货位优化效果明显,可为在线零售企业科学实施动态货位调整提供理论指导。