Necessity and complexity of order picking routing optimisation based on pallet loading features

AbstractOrder picking is the most labour-intensive and costly activity of warehouses. The main challenges of its improvement are the synchronisation of warehouse layout, storage assignment policy, routing, zoning, and batching. Furthermore, the competitiveness of the warehouse depends on how it adapts to the unique customer demands and product parameters and the changes. The operators usually have to manage the picking sequence based on best practices taking into consideration the product stacking factors and minimising the lead time. It is usually necessary to support the operators by making e ective decisions. Researchers of the pallet loading problem, bin packing problem, and order picking optimisation provide a wide horizon of solutions but their results are rarely synchronised.

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A Simple Case of Pallet Setup Features Based Order Picking Routing Optimization

Acta Technica Jaurinensis ◽

10.14513/actatechjaur.v9.n3.417 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 204 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

T Bódis ◽

J Botzheim ◽

P Földesi

Keyword(s):

Influencing Factors ◽

Order Picking ◽

Physical Parameters ◽

Decision Matrix ◽

Process Improvements ◽

Policy Routing ◽

Routing Optimization ◽

Matrix Modeling ◽

Storage Assignment ◽

Loading Problem

Order picking is the most labour-intensive and costly activities in many warehouses by consuming ca. 55 % of the total operating expenses. Order picking development strategies mostly concentrate on warehouse layout, storage assignment policy, routing, zoning and on batching methods. The main challenges of order picking process improvements are the synchronization of these fields and fit the system with the further influencing factors, like unique demands and product parameters. Researchers of the pallet-loading problem could provide a wider horizon on considerable parameters, but their results are rarely implemented into order picking processes. The physical parameters of the products also have a significant impact on the processes which could strongly influence the picking sequence. \\The aim of this paper is to describe our own developed methodology for modeling the pallet setup rules. We introduce our product classifying and PSF based decision matrix modeling solutions. These will be the basis of our further research on PSF based harmonized routing and SLA optimization. We examine the complexity of a simple pallet setup features based order picking routing case, where the products of the defined pallet setup classes stored in separated zones.

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Research and Design of 3D Model Based on Bin Packing Software System

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.200.478 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 200 ◽

pp. 478-481

Author(s):

Zhen Zhai ◽

Xiao Min Han ◽

Li Chen

Keyword(s):

3D Model ◽

Bin Packing ◽

Packing Problem ◽

Combined Loading ◽

Load Optimization ◽

Optimization System ◽

Development Platform ◽

Visualization Toolkit ◽

Loading Problem ◽

Research And Design

As a key technology, container loading problem plays an important role in improving the efficiency of distributing works, optimizing the cargos loading pattern and standardizing the business process. Based on the study of 3D model, a new bin-packing software, load optimization system, has been developed to solve complex combined loading problem. This paper emphatically analyzes the functions of 3D model and design of graphics system based on load optimization system. An open source visualization toolkit is applied to implement this system and a friendly user interface is developed on the Visual C++ development platform. The results show that 3D model plays a very important role to the visualization of load optimization system. Furthermore, this system can effectively solve 3D bin packing problem with objects of different dimensions.

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The Pallet Loading Problem: Three-dimensional bin packing with practical constraints

European Journal of Operational Research ◽

10.1016/j.ejor.2020.04.053 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 287 (3) ◽

pp. 1062-1074 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Fatma Gzara ◽

Samir Elhedhli ◽

Burak C. Yildiz

Keyword(s):

Bin Packing ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Pallet Loading ◽

Loading Problem ◽

Practical Constraints

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Solving a Real-Life Distributor’s Pallet Loading Problem

Mathematical and Computational Applications ◽

10.3390/mca26030053 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 53

Author(s):

Mauro Dell’Amico ◽

Matteo Magnani

Keyword(s):

Bin Packing ◽

Real Life ◽

Second Phase ◽

Pallet Loading ◽

Minimum Number ◽

Loading Problem ◽

The Difference ◽

Two Phases ◽

The Stability ◽

Selection Of

We consider the distributor’s pallet loading problem where a set of different boxes are packed on the smallest number of pallets by satisfying a given set of constraints. In particular, we refer to a real-life environment where each pallet is loaded with a set of layers made of boxes, and both a stability constraint and a compression constraint must be respected. The stability requirement imposes the following: (a) to load at level k+1 a layer with total area (i.e., the sum of the bottom faces’ area of the boxes present in the layer) not exceeding α times the area of the layer of level k (where α≥1), and (b) to limit with a given threshold the difference between the highest and the lowest box of a layer. The compression constraint defines the maximum weight that each layer k can sustain; hence, the total weight of the layers loaded over k must not exceed that value. Some stability and compression constraints are considered in other works, but to our knowledge, none are defined as faced in a real-life problem. We present a matheuristic approach which works in two phases. In the first, a number of layers are defined using classical 2D bin packing algorithms, applied to a smart selection of boxes. In the second phase, the layers are packed on the minimum number of pallets by means of a specialized MILP model solved with Gurobi. Computational experiments on real-life instances are used to assess the effectiveness of the algorithm.

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The Improvement of a Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for Three Dimensional Bin-Packing Problems

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.200.470 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 200 ◽

pp. 470-473

Author(s):

Zhen Zhai ◽

Li Chen ◽

Xiao Min Han

Keyword(s):

Genetic Algorithm ◽

Bin Packing ◽

Hybrid Genetic Algorithm ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Packing Problem ◽

Flow Process ◽

Packing Problems ◽

Loading Problem ◽

The Cost ◽

Process Diagrams

The multi-constrained bi-objective bin packing problem has many extensive applications. In the loading section of logistics it has mainly been transported by truck. The cost of transportation is not only determined by the bin space utilization, but also by the number of vehicles in transporta¬tion utilization. The type of items and bins is introduced in the mathematical model, as well as the volume of the items. In this paper, the hybrid genetic algorithm which tabu and simulated annealed rules are added for complex container-loading problem is studied. The effective coding and decod-ing method together with flow process diagrams are given.

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