B.J.C. van Langen
Orderpicksystemen: een overzicht van de literatuur.
Literature survey,
Report 93.3.LT.4041, Transport Technology, Logistic Engineering.
A lot of strategies, methods and equipment for retrieving orders from
warehouses (orderpicking) are developed. This is caused by the the vast
choice of articles and the high costs caused by orderpicking. These days,
there is also a growing need to flexible and powerfull orderpick systems.
This report tries to give an overview of the existing strategies, methods
and equipment used in the industry.
The primary connections are shown between the behavioral system, the
control system and the physical process. Also the variety of orderpick
methods will be described. The environment of an orderpick system will
have a big influence on the way the system is set up and operated. The
most influencing factors (example company goals, market strategies) are
described.
To make the understanding of the physical process of an orderpicksystem
easier, a short description of the physical layout of warehouses
will be given. The warehouses are separated in two categories: static
warehouses (fixed scaffolding) and dynamic warehouses (moveable
scaffolding).
The description of the physical process is divided in the following
functions: locating, catching, carrying and delivering the articles. Each
of the functions given, can be executed in different ways by mechanical
means, in a static or dynamic setup. The control of the execution of these
functions, which are mentioned in the report, are classified in the
following categories: hand-, mechanic-, semi automatic- and automatic
control. The communication pathways between the physical process and the
control system are described as: papertransfer, wire connection and
wireless connection.
To give more insight information on the equipment of few typical physical
orderpick processes is given: application fields, technical information and
positive and negative points will be looked at.
The control system is described by the following control functions:
determining the moment an order has to be executed, determining the work order
for the orderpicker and determining for the orderpicker the route through
to the warehouse. The heuristics which are being used for these functions
are described.
In the description of the strategic control system, the models mentioned
in the report are being used to support the decisions on the strategy and
the tactical level. These models are divided in: designing models, storage
models and integral control models. From the designing models. the
design project and expected picking times models are looked at.
This report tries to give a better view on orderpick systems. The variety
of orderpick systems are not compared to each other and solutions of
orderpicking problems are not within the scope of this report.
Reports on Logistic Engineering (in Dutch)
Modified: 2000.06.04;
logistics@3mE.tudelft.nl
, TU Delft
/ 3mE
/ TT
/ LT.