Parts-to-picker based order processing in a rack-moving mobile robots environment

Nils Boysen, Dirk Briskorn and Simon Emde

European Journal of Operational Research, 2017, vol. 262, issue 2, 550-562

Abstract: This paper treats a special parts-to-picker based order processing system, where mobile robots hoist racks and bring them directly to stationary pickers. This technological innovation – known as the Kiva system – heavily influences all traditional planning problems to be solved when operating a warehouse. We, specifically, tackle the order processing in a picking station, i.e., the batching and sequencing of picking orders and the interdependent sequencing of the racks brought to a station. We formalize the resulting decision problem and provide suited solution procedures. In a comprehensive computational study we show that an optimized order picking allows to more than halve the fleet of robots compared to simple decision rules often applied in real-world warehouses.

Keywords: Freight/material handling; Warehousing; Scheduling; Mobile robots (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (34)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ejores:v:262:y:2017:i:2:p:550-562

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2017.03.053

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