Authors
Nils Boysen, Dirk Briskorn, Simon Emde
Publication date
2017/10/16
Journal
European Journal of Operational Research
Volume
262
Issue
2
Pages
550-562
Publisher
North-Holland
Description
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.
Total citations
20172018201920202021202220232024812232634485526
Scholar articles