Picking-replenishment synchronization for robotic forward-reserve warehouses

Min Jiang, K.H. Leung, Zhongyuan Lyu and George Q. Huang

Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 2020, vol. 144, issue C

Abstract: Forward-reserve strategy is commonly applied when processing a large number of small orders. This paper considers robotic forward-reserve warehouses, where pick locations are brought to workers by mobile robots in the forward area. We treat the critical problem of unsatisfactory efficiency in the robotic forward area. A picking-replenishment synchronization mechanism (PRSM) is thereby proposed, which optimally attains a balance between replenishment efforts and picking efficiency. The resulting problem is formulated and solved by a tailored variable neighborhood search procedure integrated with a divide-and-conquer paradigm. Numerical results reveal remarkable benefits of PRSM over the conventional random schemes under different scenarios.

Keywords: Warehouse systems; Picking-replenishment decisions; Synchronization; Forward-reserve area; Robotic mobile fulfillment systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.tre.2020.102138

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