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Robotics in order picking: evaluating warehouse layouts for pick, place, and transport vehicle routing systems

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  • Hung-Yu Lee
  • Chase C. Murray

Abstract

Motivated by recent technological advances in mobile robotics, this paper explores a novel approach for warehouse order picking. In particular, this work considers two types of commercially available mobile robots – one that can grasp items from a shelf (a picker) and another (a transporter) that can quickly deliver all items from the pick list to the packing station. A new vehicle routing problem is defined which seeks to minimise the time to deliver all items from a pick list to the packing station, a problem termed the pick, place, and transport vehicle routing problem. A mixed integer linear programming formulation is developed to answer three related research questions. First, what combination of picker and transport robots is required to obtain performance exceeding traditional human-based picking operations? Second, how should the composition of the robot fleet be altered to affect the greatest performance improvements? Finally, what are the impacts of warehouse layout designs when coordinated mobile robots are deployed? An extensive numerical analysis reveals that, (1) increasing the number of cross aisles decreases system performance; (2) centrally located packing stations improve system performance; and (3) the average distance from each pick location to the packing station and the average distance between pick locations are effective metrics for identifying specific fleet modifications that are likely to yield system improvements.

Suggested Citation

  • Hung-Yu Lee & Chase C. Murray, 2019. "Robotics in order picking: evaluating warehouse layouts for pick, place, and transport vehicle routing systems," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(18), pages 5821-5841, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:tprsxx:v:57:y:2019:i:18:p:5821-5841
    DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2018.1552031
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    Cited by:

    1. Fragapane, Giuseppe & de Koster, René & Sgarbossa, Fabio & Strandhagen, Jan Ola, 2021. "Planning and control of autonomous mobile robots for intralogistics: Literature review and research agenda," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 294(2), pages 405-426.
    2. Jiang, Min & Huang, George Q., 2022. "Intralogistics synchronization in robotic forward-reserve warehouses for e-commerce last-mile delivery," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    3. Zheng Wang & Jiuh‐Biing Sheu & Chung‐Piaw Teo & Guiqin Xue, 2022. "Robot Scheduling for Mobile‐Rack Warehouses: Human–Robot Coordinated Order Picking Systems," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(1), pages 98-116, January.
    4. Srinivas, Sharan & Yu, Shitao, 2022. "Collaborative order picking with multiple pickers and robots: Integrated approach for order batching, sequencing and picker-robot routing," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    5. Xie, Lin & Li, Hanyi & Luttmann, Laurin, 2023. "Formulating and solving integrated order batching and routing in multi-depot AGV-assisted mixed-shelves warehouses," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 307(2), pages 713-730.

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