Material package delivery control method, control device and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a control method, control device, and computer-readable storage medium for the outbound processing of material packages, and pertains to the field of automated logistics. The control method for outbound processing of material packages includes: distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport to multiple shuttle docking stations, wherein different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations; the material packages in each stacker crane's transport task are arranged and transported in ascending order of their material package numbers; the material package number in the preceding transport sequence of the multiple stacker cranes' transport tasks is less than or equal to the material package number in the following transport sequence; the multiple material packages include various types of material packages; and controlling the outbound processing of material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of their material package numbers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of automated logistics, and in particular to a control method, a control device, and a computer-readable storage medium for the outbound shipment of material packages. Background Technology

[0002] During the cigarette production process, material packages need to be transported and shipped out in the order specified by the formula (i.e., the correct order). Whether the order of transporting and shipping the material packages is correct directly affects the quality of the produced cigarettes, and the efficiency of transporting and shipping the material packages also directly affects the efficiency of cigarette production.

[0003] In related technologies, in order to ensure that material packages are transported and shipped out in the correct order, another material package can only be transported and shipped out after one material package has been transported and shipped out. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The inventors of this disclosure have discovered the following problem in the aforementioned related technologies: the efficiency of material package transportation and outbound delivery cannot meet the needs of normal cigarette production.

[0005] In view of this, this disclosure proposes a control method for the outbound delivery of material packages, which can distribute multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transportation and control the outbound delivery according to the order of the material package numbers, thereby realizing the sequential transportation control of multiple material packages and improving the outbound delivery efficiency.

[0006] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a method for controlling the outbound shipment of material packages is provided, comprising: distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport to multiple shuttle docking stations, wherein different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations, the material packages in the transport task of each stacker crane are arranged and transported in ascending order of material package number, the material package number of the previous transport sequence in the transport task of multiple stacker cranes is less than or equal to the material package number of the next transport sequence, and the multiple material packages include various types of material packages; and controlling the outbound shipment of material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of material package number.

[0007] In some embodiments, the method for controlling the outbound shipment of material packages further includes: numbering the material packages using the following method: when the number of the previous material package is determined, when the type of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package, the number of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package; when the type of the next material package is different from that of the previous material package, the number of the next material package is increased relative to the number of the previous material package.

[0008] In some embodiments, the method for controlling the outbound material packages further includes: renumbering the outbound material packages in ascending order of their outbound sequence, and counting the number of outbound material packages according to their new numbers.

[0009] In some embodiments, the control method for material package outbound further includes: determining whether the new numbers of the material packages outbound in sequence are increasing sequentially from small to large based on the outbound order and the new numbers; and issuing an alarm if they are not increasing sequentially from small to large.

[0010] In some embodiments, the method for controlling the outbound shipment of material packages further includes: controlling the outbound shipment of empty pallets arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations according to the order in which empty pallets are outbound, taking precedence over the order in which material packages are outbound.

[0011] In some embodiments, the material package outbound control method further includes: for multiple high-priority material packages with higher priority than multiple material packages, prioritizing the allocation of multiple high-priority material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport to multiple shuttle docking stations, wherein different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations, and the high-priority material packages in the transport task of each stacker crane are arranged and transported in ascending order of their high-priority material package numbers, and the high-priority material package numbers in the previous transport sequence of the multiple stacker crane transport tasks are less than or equal to the high-priority material package numbers in the next transport sequence; for high-priority material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations, outbound control is performed in ascending order of their high-priority material package numbers.

[0012] In some embodiments, different stacker cranes are connected to different stacker crane outbound stations and different conveyors corresponding to different shuttle docking stations to distribute multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport. The transport to multiple shuttle docking stations includes: distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport, and the material package transported by each stacker crane is transported to the shuttle docking station corresponding to each stacker crane via the stacker crane outbound station and the conveyor corresponding to each stacker crane.

[0013] In some embodiments, the outbound control of material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations according to the material package number in ascending order further includes: when the material package numbers are equal, the outbound control is performed according to the order in which the material packages arrive at the shuttle docking stations from earliest to latest.

[0014] In some embodiments, the material package includes a net material package and a pallet carrying the net material package. For material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations, the outbound control according to the material package number in ascending order further includes: separating the net material package and the pallet carrying the net material package; controlling the outbound of the net material package according to the material package number in ascending order; and controlling the inbound of the pallet carrying the net material package.

[0015] According to some other embodiments of this disclosure, a control device for the outbound delivery of material packages is provided, comprising: a conveying unit configured to distribute multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel conveying to multiple shuttle docking stations, wherein different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations, the material packages in the conveying task of each stacker crane are arranged and conveyed in ascending order of material package number, the material package number of the previous conveying sequence in the conveying tasks of multiple stacker cranes is less than or equal to the material package number of the next conveying sequence, and the multiple material packages include various types of material packages; and a control unit configured to control the outbound delivery of material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of material package number.

[0016] In some embodiments, the control device for issuing material packages further includes a numbering unit, configured to, when the number of the previous material package is determined, and when the type of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package, have the same number as the previous material package; and when the type of the next material package is different from that of the previous material package, increase the number of the next material package relative to the number of the previous material package.

[0017] In some embodiments, the control device for material package outbound further includes a renumbering unit configured to renumber the outbound material packages in ascending order of outbound sequence, and to count the number of outbound material packages according to the new material package numbers.

[0018] In some embodiments, the control device for material package outbound further includes a judgment unit configured to determine, based on the outbound order and the new number of the material packages, whether the new numbers of the outbound material packages are increasing sequentially from small to large; and an alarm unit configured to trigger an alarm if the new numbers are not increasing sequentially from small to large.

[0019] In some embodiments, the control unit is further configured to control the outbound movement of empty pallets arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations, prioritizing the outbound movement of empty pallets over that of material packages.

[0020] In some embodiments, the conveying unit is further configured to prioritize the allocation of multiple high-priority material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel conveying to multiple shuttle docking stations, wherein different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations, and the high-priority material packages in the conveying task of each stacker crane are arranged and conveyed in ascending order of their high-priority material package numbers, and the high-priority material package numbers in the previous conveying sequence of the multiple stacker cranes' conveying tasks are less than or equal to the high-priority material package numbers in the next conveying sequence; the control unit is further configured to perform outbound control on the high-priority material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of their high-priority material package numbers.

[0021] In some embodiments, different stacker cranes are connected to different stacker crane outbound stations and different conveyors corresponding to different shuttle docking stations. The conveying unit is also configured to distribute multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel conveying. The material package conveyed by each stacker crane is conveyed to the shuttle docking station corresponding to each stacker crane via the stacker crane outbound station and the conveyor corresponding to each stacker crane.

[0022] In some embodiments, the control unit is also configured to perform outbound control in the order in which the material packages arrive at the shuttle docking station from earliest to latest, provided that the material package numbers are equal.

[0023] In some embodiments, the material package includes a net material package and a pallet carrying the net material package. The control unit is further configured to separate the net material package and the pallet carrying the net material package, perform outbound control on the net material package in ascending order of its corresponding material package number, and perform inbound control on the pallet carrying the net material package.

[0024] According to further embodiments of this disclosure, a control device for the outbound shipment of material packages is provided, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the control method for the outbound shipment of material packages according to any of the above embodiments based on instructions stored in the memory device.

[0025] According to further embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, implements the material package outbound control method of any of the above embodiments.

[0026] In the above embodiments, by distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport and controlling the outbound shipment according to the order of the material package numbers, the sequential transport control of multiple material packages is realized. This ensures that multiple material packages are transported and shipped out in the correct order at the same time, improving the outbound efficiency of the material packages and reducing the production time of cigarettes (or the production time of tobacco shreds) affected by the time of transporting and shipping the material packages. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0028] This disclosure can be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

[0029] Figure 1 Flowcharts illustrating some embodiments of the material package outbound control method of this disclosure are shown.

[0030] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates some embodiments of the areas involved in the material package delivery and outbound process of this disclosure.

[0031] Figure 3 Schematic diagrams showing some embodiments of the material package rack of this disclosure include side views, front views, and top views.

[0032] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates some application examples of the material package outbound control method disclosed herein.

[0033] Figure 5 Schematic diagrams showing some application examples of the yarn-making production line of this disclosure are provided.

[0034] Figure 6 Schematic diagrams showing some application examples of the B-line production line of the filament-making end of this disclosure are shown.

[0035] Figure 7 Schematic diagrams showing some embodiments of the control device for the release of material packages according to this disclosure.

[0036] Figure 8 Schematic diagrams showing some other embodiments of the control device for the release of material packages according to this disclosure are provided. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0038] At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to actual scale.

[0039] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure or its application or use.

[0040] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0041] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0042] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0043] In the automated logistics system of a cigarette factory, after an outbound task is released, it is assigned to multiple stacker cranes for transport and outbound processing. To ensure the correct sequence of material package transport and outbound processing, another material package can only be transported and outbound after one type of material package has been completed. This results in low efficiency in material package transport and outbound processing, affecting the normal production of cigarettes. Furthermore, each step in the material package transport and outbound process requires interaction with the Warehouse Control System (WCS) within the automated logistics system. However, when an outbound task for a certain material package has been completed, the WCS often gets stuck in an "in execution" state, preventing other material packages from being transported and outbound normally. The efficiency of material package transport and outbound processing significantly impacts the production time of cigarettes (or the production time of tobacco shreds).

[0044] To address the aforementioned issues, this disclosure proposes a method for controlling the outbound shipment of material packages. By distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport and controlling the outbound shipment according to the package number sequence, it achieves sequential transport control of multiple material packages. This ensures that multiple material packages are simultaneously transported and shipped out in the correct order, reduces the possibility of lost material packages, improves outbound efficiency, reduces the impact of material package transport and outbound time on cigarette production time (or tobacco production time), and also reduces the number of interactions with the warehouse control system, lowering the possibility of material packages failing to be transported and shipped normally due to warehouse control system malfunctions. Furthermore, during the material package outbound process, this control method is easy to maintain, reduces maintenance time, and facilitates emergency response.

[0045] Figure 1 Flowcharts illustrating some embodiments of the material package outbound control method of this disclosure are shown. In some embodiments, the material package outbound control method is executed by a material package outbound control device.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, the control method for material package outbound includes steps 120 and 130, and may also include steps 110 and one or more of steps 140-160 as needed.

[0047] In step 110, the material packages are numbered to obtain the material package numbers.

[0048] In some embodiments, the determination and numbering of material packages are achieved through the following methods:

[0049] First, the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) sends the production plan from the Production Management Department to the Warehouse Management System (WMS), where warehouse staff confirm the material package orders obtained based on the production plan. The production plan refers to the types and quantities of cigarettes to be produced.

[0050] Secondly, the warehouse management system calculates outbound tasks based on material package orders (or production plans) and assigns numbers to the material packages. In calculating these outbound tasks, the system considers factors such as the inventory status of the material packages, the status of the stacker crane (e.g., whether the stacker crane is operational), and the first-in, first-out (FIFO) principle for the material packages.

[0051] For example, an outbound task may include the material package that needs to be outbound, the correspondence between the material package that needs to be outbound and the available stacker cranes, and the yarn production line to which the material package belongs.

[0052] Finally, the warehouse management system sends the outbound task to the warehouse control system based on the material package number. For example, the outbound task can be written into a task list and sent to the warehouse control system.

[0053] By numbering the material packages, it becomes easier to determine the order in which the material packages are transported based on their numbers.

[0054] In some embodiments, step 110 includes steps 111 and 112.

[0055] In step 111, if the number of the previous material package is determined, and if the type of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package, then the number of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package.

[0056] In step 112, if the type of the subsequent material package is different from that of the previous material package, the number of the subsequent material package is increased relative to the number of the previous material package.

[0057] For example, if the type of the later material package is different from that of the earlier material package, the number of the later material package is increased by 1 relative to the number of the earlier material package.

[0058] The same numbering of material packages of the same type improves the fault tolerance of material package transportation. For example, if two material packages of the same type are transported in the wrong order, there is no need to spend time adjusting the wrong material package because the two material packages are of the same type, thus improving outbound efficiency.

[0059] In step 120, multiple material packages are distributed to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport to multiple shuttle docking stations.

[0060] Different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations. The material packages in the conveying task of each stacker crane are arranged and conveyed in ascending order of material package number. In the conveying tasks of multiple stacker cranes, the material package number of the previous conveying sequence is less than or equal to the material package number of the next conveying sequence. Multiple material packages include various types of material packages.

[0061] In some embodiments, the warehouse control system distributes multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes and schedules the multiple stacker cranes to transport the multiple material packages in parallel.

[0062] By distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes, allowing multiple stacker cranes to transport multiple material packages in parallel, sequential transport control of multiple material packages is achieved, improving outbound efficiency.

[0063] In some embodiments, multiple material packages are sequentially numbered, with the number of the next material package being equal to or greater than the number of the previous material package. The multiple sequentially numbered material packages are then distributed to multiple stacker cranes in a specified order according to the ascending order of the material package numbers and the specified order of the multiple stacker cranes, until all material packages have been distributed.

[0064] In some embodiments, different stacker cranes are connected to different stacker crane outbound platforms and different conveyors to correspond to different shuttle docking platforms.

[0065] The following method enables the distribution of multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport to multiple shuttle docking stations:

[0066] Multiple material packages are distributed to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport. The material packages transported by each stacker crane are transported to the corresponding shuttle docking station of each stacker crane via the stacker crane outbound station and conveyor.

[0067] For example, each stacker crane delivers its material packages to the stacker crane outbound station corresponding to that stacker crane, and the corresponding conveyor transports the material packages from the stacker crane conveyor station to the corresponding shuttle docking station.

[0068] Each stacker crane delivers its material packages to the corresponding stacker crane outbound station, where it can perform other conveying tasks.

[0069] In some embodiments, multiple material packages are assigned to multiple stacker crane receiving stations corresponding to multiple stacker cranes, so that multiple stacker cranes can transport materials in parallel.

[0070] In this process, multiple material packages are transported by conveyors to multiple stacker crane receiving stations corresponding to multiple stacker cranes.

[0071] For example, multiple net material packages (excluding pallets) are transported by truck to the material package inbound / outbound area after passing quality inspection (e.g., passing aging). A forklift then places the net material packages onto pallets to form a material package (referring to both the net material package and the pallet supporting it). Furthermore, the material package undergoes shape inspection, and a barcode reader reads the net material package information (e.g., the package number and the production line to which the package belongs) and the pallet barcode information, binding these two pieces of information together. Then, an inbound application is submitted, and the bound information is written to a database for later retrieval. Finally, multiple material packages are transported by conveyor to multiple stacker crane inbound stations corresponding to multiple stacker cranes.

[0072] The material package's production line indicates which of the multiple filament production lines the material package will be processed on after it leaves the warehouse.

[0073] Furthermore, the conveyors include chain conveyors and roller conveyors. Net material package information and pallet barcode information are linked to ensure a one-to-one correspondence between net material packages and pallets during subsequent transport. If the material package fails the external inspection or the net material package information and pallet barcode information fail to link, manual processing and outbound shipment are required.

[0074] In some embodiments, multiple material packages are assigned to multiple stacker crane inbound stations corresponding to multiple stacker cranes. Then, the multiple stacker cranes can fork multiple material packages in the stacker crane inbound station and place them in the material package rack. Subsequently, each of the multiple stacker cranes can fork the material package corresponding to that stacker crane from the material package rack and place it in the stacker crane outbound station corresponding to that stacker crane to facilitate subsequent transportation.

[0075] The aforementioned material package receiving and shipping areas, stacker cranes, stacker crane receiving platforms, stacker crane shipping platforms, conveyors, and shuttle docking platforms can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 2 and Figure 3 .

[0076] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates some embodiments of the areas involved in the material package delivery and outbound process of this disclosure.

[0077] like Figure 2 As shown, the areas involved in the material package conveying and outbound process include the material package shelves, the material package inbound and outbound areas, and the yarn-making production line. The yarn-making production line is the processing line that handles the material packages after they leave the warehouse. The yarn-making production line includes yarn-making production line A, yarn-making production line B, and yarn-making production line C.

[0078] like Figure 2 As shown, 21 refers to the material bag being transported to the material bag rack, 22 refers to the empty material bag rack, 23 refers to the stacker crane, 24 refers to the material bag being transported to the stacker crane inbound or outbound station, 25 refers to the chain conveyor, 26 refers to the roller conveyor, 27 refers to the shuttle docking station, and 28 refers to the shuttle vehicle (STV).

[0079] like Figure 2 As shown, the arrows on the chain conveyors in the material package inbound and outbound areas indicate the conveying direction of the material packages.

[0080] Figure 3 Schematic diagrams showing some embodiments of the material package rack of this disclosure include side views, front views, and top views.

[0081] like Figure 3 As shown, 31 refers to the side view of the material bag rack, 32 refers to the front view of the material bag rack, 33 refers to the top view of the material bag rack, and 34 refers to the stacker crane.

[0082] Among them, tunnels 1, 2, 3 and 4 in 32 are used for stacker crane travel to transport material packages.

[0083] In some embodiments, for multiple high-priority material packages with higher priority than multiple material packages, the multiple high-priority material packages are preferentially allocated to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transportation to multiple shuttle docking stations. Different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations. The high-priority material packages in the transportation task of each stacker crane are arranged and transported in ascending order of their high-priority material package numbers. In the transportation tasks of multiple stacker cranes, the number of the high-priority material package in the previous transportation sequence is less than or equal to the number of the high-priority material package in the next transportation sequence.

[0084] In some embodiments, when multiple stacker cranes are conveying multiple material packages, and there are multiple high-priority material packages with higher priority than the multiple material packages, the warehouse control system will schedule the stacker cranes to convey the multiple high-priority material packages first. After the multiple high-priority material packages have been conveyed, the stacker cranes will continue to convey the multiple material packages.

[0085] In some embodiments, when multiple stacker cranes are conveying multiple material packages, and a specific material package needs to be temporarily replenished due to special circumstances, the warehouse control system will schedule the stacker cranes to prioritize conveying the specific material package to the roller conveyor, and the warehouse control system will then schedule the roller conveyor to convey the specific material package to a specific location.

[0086] If there are higher priority material packages or designated material packages that need to be temporarily replenished, the delivery of material packages in the current outbound task can be stopped first, and the higher priority material packages or designated material packages that need to be temporarily replenished can be delivered first. This facilitates information maintenance and emergency handling during the delivery and outbound process of material packages.

[0087] In step 130, material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations are subject to outbound control in ascending order of their material package numbers.

[0088] In some embodiments, the warehouse control system schedules a programmable logic controller (PLC) to compare and determine the numbers of material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations, so that the shuttles (such as...) can... Figure 2 As shown in 28), the material packages in the shuttle docking station can be dispatched (or transported) in ascending order of their numbers.

[0089] For example, a programmable logic controller (PLC) can compare and judge material packages arriving at two of multiple shuttle docking stations.

[0090] By scheduling the programmable logic controller to compare and judge the numbers of material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations, it ensures that the material packages can be transported and shipped out in the correct order. It also reduces the number of interactions with the warehouse control system and lowers the possibility that material packages cannot be transported and shipped out normally due to the lag in the warehouse control system.

[0091] In some embodiments, when the material packages have the same number, the outbound control is performed according to the order in which the material packages arrive at the shuttle docking station from earliest to latest.

[0092] In some embodiments, when the material package numbers are equal, the warehouse control system schedules the programmable logic controller to compare and determine the numbers of the material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations, so that the shuttles (such as...) can... Figure 2 As shown in 28), the material packages in the shuttle docking station can be dispatched (or transported) in the order of arrival of the material packages at the shuttle docking station from morning to evening.

[0093] When material packages have the same number, the material packages are transported according to the time it takes for them to arrive at the shuttle docking station. This facilitates smoother transport of material packages with larger numbers and reduces the possibility of accumulation.

[0094] In some embodiments, a material package includes a net material package and a pallet carrying the net material package. The net material package and the pallet carrying the net material package are separated. The net material packages are controlled to be issued in ascending order of their respective material package numbers. The pallets carrying the net material packages are controlled to be received.

[0095] In some embodiments, the warehouse control system dispatches shuttle cars to issue (or transport) net material packages in ascending order of their package numbers.

[0096] In some embodiments, pallets carrying net material packages are stacked and their quantities are checked. When the quantity matches the quantity of material packages in the outbound task calculated by the warehouse management system, the pallets carrying net material packages are put into storage control.

[0097] In some embodiments, a clamping machine separates the net material package from the pallet carrying the net material package.

[0098] In some embodiments, empty pallets arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations are controlled to leave the warehouse in the order of leaving the empty pallets, prior to the order of leaving the material packages.

[0099] In some embodiments, when a shuttle is picking up (or transporting) material packages from the shuttle docking station in ascending order of package number, if there are empty pallets that need to be picked up, the warehouse control system will dispatch the shuttle to pick up (or transport) the empty pallets first.

[0100] In some embodiments, when a shuttle is picking up (or transporting) material packages from the shuttle docking station in ascending order of package number, and there are empty pallets that need to be put into storage, the warehouse control system will dispatch the shuttle and stacker crane to prioritize putting the empty pallets into storage (or transporting them).

[0101] When there are pallets or empty pallets that need to be shipped out or received, priority is given to transporting those pallets or empty pallets, ensuring the smooth outflow of material packages and reducing the possibility that material packages cannot be shipped out normally due to insufficient pallets.

[0102] In some embodiments, advanced material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations are subject to outbound control in ascending order of their advanced material package numbers.

[0103] In step 140, the outgoing material packages are renumbered in ascending order of their outgoing sequence, and the quantity of outgoing material packages is counted according to their new numbers.

[0104] By renumbering the outgoing material packages and counting the number of outgoing material packages according to the new numbers, the system ensures that the material packages are delivered and shipped in the correct order, and reduces the possibility of losing material packages.

[0105] In some embodiments, the warehouse control system dispatches a barcode reader to identify the number of the material package issued by the shuttle and the silk-making production line to which the material package belongs, and updates the number of the material package. This enables the material packages to be renumbered in ascending order of issuance, and the quantity of issued material packages to be counted according to the new numbers.

[0106] By identifying the yarn-making production line to which the material package belongs, it is determined whether the material package belongs to the yarn-making production line corresponding to the current outbound task, thus ensuring that the material package is correct. By identifying the material package number, it is ensured that the outbound order of the material packages is correct. By updating the material package number, the quantity of material numbers that have been outbound can be counted.

[0107] In some embodiments, it is determined whether the quantity of the outbound material packages is consistent with the quantity of the material packages in the outbound task calculated by the warehouse management system. If they are inconsistent, the outbound task continues to be transported and outbound. If they are consistent, it means that the outbound task has been completed and other outbound tasks can be transported and outbound.

[0108] In step 150, based on the outbound order and new number of the material packages, it is determined whether the new numbers of the material packages outbound in sequence are increasing in ascending order.

[0109] In some embodiments, a new number of the material package is obtained through a barcode reader. In addition, the barcode reader can also be used to obtain the yarn production line to which the material package belongs, in order to determine whether the material package belongs to the yarn production line corresponding to the current outbound task, so as to verify the correctness of the material package once again.

[0110] By determining whether the new numbers of the material packages being shipped out sequentially are increasing in ascending order, it is ensured that the material packages are delivered and shipped out in the correct order, and the possibility of losing material packages is reduced.

[0111] In step 160, an alarm is triggered if the numbers do not increase in ascending order.

[0112] In some embodiments, if the new numbers of the sequentially issued material packages are in ascending order, it is determined whether the quantity of the sequentially issued material packages matches the quantity of material packages in the outbound task calculated by the warehouse management system. If they match, the outbound material packages are transported to the yarn-making production line corresponding to the outbound task. If they do not match, the system waits for all material packages to complete their sequential outbound process.

[0113] In the above embodiments, by distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport and controlling their outbound movement according to their numerical order, sequential transport control of multiple material packages is achieved. This ensures that multiple material packages are simultaneously transported and outbound in the correct order, reduces the possibility of lost material packages, improves outbound efficiency, reduces the impact of material package transport and outbound time on cigarette production time (or tobacco production time), and also reduces the number of interactions with the warehouse control system, lowering the possibility of material packages failing to be transported and outbound normally due to warehouse control system malfunctions. Furthermore, this material package outbound control method is easy to maintain, reduces maintenance time, and facilitates emergency response.

[0114] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates some application examples of the material package outbound control method disclosed herein.

[0115] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, this example uses four available stacker cranes. The number of available stacker cranes can be multiple (e.g., two, three, or more). For ease of explanation later, [the following is a simplified explanation]. Figure 4 The four stacker cranes are numbered from left to right as stacker crane 1, stacker crane 2, stacker crane 3, and stacker crane 4. 1010, 1012, 1014, and 1016 refer to the stacker crane inbound stations. 1011, 1013, 1015, and 1017 refer to the stacker crane outbound stations.

[0116] The correspondence between stacker cranes, stacker crane inbound platforms, and stacker crane outbound platforms is as follows: Stacker crane No. 1's stacker crane inbound platform is 1010, and stacker crane outbound platform No. 1 is 1011; Stacker crane No. 2's stacker crane inbound platform is 1012, and stacker crane outbound platform No. 2 is 1013; Stacker crane No. 3's stacker crane inbound platform is 1014, and stacker crane outbound platform No. 3 is 1015; Stacker crane No. 4's stacker crane inbound platform is 1016, and stacker crane outbound platform No. 4 is 1017.

[0117] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the arrows indicate the conveying direction of material packages, empty pallets, net material packages, or pallets.

[0118] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, 1007, 1032, 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 1037, 1038, 1039, 1040, 1041, 1042, 1043, 1044, 1045, and 1046 refer to roller conveyor No. 1; 1058, 1061, 1062, 1063, 1064, 1065, 1067, 1068, 1069, 1070, 1071, 1073, 1074, and 1075 refer to roller conveyor No. 2. The arrows in roller conveyors No. 1 and No. 2 indicate the conveying direction of that conveyor. Figure 4 As shown, roller conveyor No. 1 is a unidirectional conveyor, and roller conveyor No. 2 is a bidirectional conveyor. Furthermore, for both roller conveyors No. 1 and No. 2, material packages do not necessarily need to be transported from the beginning to the end of the roller conveyor; material packages can enter midway through the roller conveyor (e.g., at position 1039 of roller conveyor No. 1 and position 1068 of roller conveyor No. 2) to be transported.

[0119] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, 2001 refers to the shuttle car, 1047, 1049, 1050 and 1051 refer to the shuttle car docking stations, 1048 refers to the warehousing station, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1008, 1009, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030 and 1031 refer to the chain conveyor, 1066 refers to the pallet unpacking machine, used for palletizing empty pallets, and 1052, 1053, 1054, 1055, 1056 and 1057 refer to the stations, which have the function of conveying material packages.

[0120] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the control method for material package outbound includes steps 1-7.

[0121] In step 1, the material packages that need to be transported are identified and numbered. See below for details:

[0122] First, the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) sends the production plan from the Production Management Department to the Warehouse Management System. Warehouse staff then confirm the material package orders obtained based on the production plan. The production plan specifies the types and quantities of cigarettes to be produced.

[0123] Secondly, the warehouse management system calculates outbound tasks based on material package orders (or production plans) and assigns numbers to the material packages. In calculating these outbound tasks, the system considers factors such as the inventory status of the material packages, the status of the stacker crane (e.g., whether the stacker crane is operational), and the first-in, first-out (FIFO) principle for the material packages.

[0124] For example, an outbound task may include the material package that needs to be outbound, the correspondence between the material package that needs to be outbound and the available stacker cranes, and the yarn production line to which the material package belongs.

[0125] For example, there are 16 material packages in the outbound task. According to the numbering method in steps 111 and 112 above, the multiple material packages can be numbered as B1 / B2 / B2 / B3 / B3 / B4 / B4 / B4 / B5 / B5 / B6 / B6 / B7 / B7 / B8 / B8. Material packages of the same type have the same number. The B in the number indicates that the 16 material packages belong to the yarn production line B.

[0126] Finally, the warehouse management system sends the outbound task to the warehouse control system based on the material package number. For example, the outbound task can be written into a task list and sent to the warehouse control system.

[0127] In step 2, the material packages are stored in the material package shelf. See below for details:

[0128] First, after the material packages pass the aging process, multiple clean material packages are transported by truck to the material package inbound / outbound area. A forklift places these clean material packages into a pallet at position 1062, resulting in multiple material packages. Roller conveyor No. 2 then transports these multiple material packages to position 1058.

[0129] Secondly, at point 1058, multiple material packages undergo shape inspection. A barcode reader is used to read the information of the net material package within these packages (e.g., the package number and the production line to which the package belongs) and the pallet barcode information. These two pieces of information are then bound together. If the shape inspection is successful and the information binding is successful, multiple material packages are requested to be stored in the warehouse, and the binding information is written to the database for subsequent retrieval. If the shape inspection fails or the information binding is unsuccessful, multiple material packages are transported to point 1001 for manual processing. Once manual processing is successful, multiple material packages are released from the warehouse.

[0130] For example, the production line to which the material package belongs can be the B production line of the filament-making end.

[0131] Finally, the multiple material packages requested for warehousing are transported via 1006 to the stacker crane warehousing stations 1010, 1012, 1014 or 1016. Then, the stacker crane corresponding to the receiving stacker crane warehousing station will fork the material packages and place them into the designated material package rack.

[0132] In step 3, the warehouse control system allocates multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport based on the outbound task. See below for details:

[0133] For example, there are 16 material packages, numbered B1 / B2 / B2 / B3 / B3 / B4 / B4 / B4 / B5 / B5 / B6 / B6 / B7 / B7 / B8 / B8, where material packages of the same type have the same number.

[0134] According to the numbering and allocation rules in step 120 above, the correspondence between the 16 material packages and the 4 stacker cranes can be as follows: stacker crane No. 1 is allocated material packages B1 / B3 / B5 / B7; stacker crane No. 2 is allocated material packages B2 / B4 / B5 / B7; stacker crane No. 3 is allocated material packages B2 / B4 / B6 / B8; and stacker crane No. 4 is allocated material packages B3 / B4 / B6 / B8.

[0135] First, the 16 material packages are allocated to the 4 stacker cranes according to the above correspondence, and the stacker cranes transport the material packages in parallel.

[0136] In other words, the warehouse control system schedules the four stacker cranes, so that each of the four stacker cranes picks up the corresponding material package from the material package shelf in ascending order of the material package number, and transports it according to the above correspondence.

[0137] Finally, each stacker crane delivers the corresponding material packages to the stacker crane outbound station in ascending order of the material package numbers.

[0138] In other words, stacker crane 1 transports material packages B1 / B3 / B5 / B7 to stacker crane outbound station 1011 in ascending order of material package number; stacker crane 2 transports material packages B2 / B4 / B5 / B7 to stacker crane outbound station 1013 in ascending order of material package number; stacker crane 3 transports material packages B2 / B4 / B6 / B8 to stacker crane outbound station 1015 in ascending order of material package number; and stacker crane 4 transports material packages B3 / B4 / B6 / B8 to stacker crane outbound station 1017 in ascending order of material package number.

[0139] In some embodiments, when a specific material package needs to be temporarily replenished under special circumstances, for example, when the specific material package is stored in a material package shelf, Stacker Crane No. 1 can prioritize transporting the specific material package, and then continue to transport the material packages in the outbound task after the transport is completed.

[0140] In other words, Stacker Crane No. 1 can prioritize picking up the designated material package from the material package rack and placing it at the stacker crane's outbound platform 1011. Then, the designated material package is transported by chain conveyors 1018 and 1025 and roller conveyors 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 1037, 1038, 1039, 1040, 1041, 1042, 1043, 1044, 1045, and 1046, and finally, a forklift places the designated material package into the designated location.

[0141] In some embodiments, when there are other outbound tasks with higher priority that require outbound control, the stacker machine will prioritize transporting physical packages from the higher-priority outbound tasks.

[0142] For example, if the stacker crane has already delivered eight material packages B1 / B2 / B2 / B3 / B3 / B4 / B4 / B4, the stacker crane will stop delivering the remaining material packages in the current outbound task and prioritize delivering material packages in higher priority outbound tasks. The eight material packages that have already been delivered by the stacker crane will continue to be processed in subsequent steps.

[0143] In step 4, the warehouse control system dispatches conveyors to transport material packages from each of the multiple stacker crane outbound stations to the corresponding shuttle docking station. See below for details:

[0144] like Figure 4As shown, the shuttle docking station corresponding to stacker crane outbound station 1011 (corresponding to stacker crane No. 1) is shuttle docking station 1047; the shuttle docking station corresponding to stacker crane outbound station 1013 (corresponding to stacker crane No. 2) is shuttle docking station 1049; the shuttle docking station corresponding to stacker crane outbound station 1015 (corresponding to stacker crane No. 3) is shuttle docking station 1050; and the shuttle docking station corresponding to stacker crane outbound station 1017 (corresponding to stacker crane No. 4) is shuttle docking station 1051.

[0145] In other words, the warehouse control system schedules chain conveyor 1018 to transport material packages B1 / B3 / B5 / B7 from stacker crane outbound station 1011 in ascending order of their material package numbers to shuttle car docking station 1047, awaiting delivery by shuttle car 2001; the warehouse control system schedules chain conveyor 1020 to transport material packages B2 / B4 / B5 / B7 from stacker crane outbound station 1013 in ascending order of their material package numbers to shuttle car docking station 1049, awaiting delivery by shuttle car 2001. Conveying; The warehouse control system schedules chain conveyor 1022 to transport material packages B2 / B4 / B6 / B8 from stacker crane outbound station 1015 in ascending order of material package number to shuttle car docking station 1050, awaiting transport by shuttle car 2001; The warehouse control system schedules chain conveyor 1024 to transport material packages B3 / B4 / B6 / B8 from stacker crane outbound station 1017 in ascending order of material package number to shuttle car docking station 1051, awaiting transport by shuttle car 2001.

[0146] In step 5, the shuttle transports the material packages in the shuttle docking station to the designated station (e.g., ...) in ascending order of material package number. Figure 4 As shown, at location 1054. See below for details:

[0147] In some embodiments, the warehouse control system schedules a programmable logic controller to compare and determine the numbers of the material packages arriving at the shuttle docking station, so that the shuttle transports the material packages from the shuttle docking station to station 1054 in ascending order of their numbers.

[0148] If the material packages arriving at the shuttle docking station have the same number, the programmable logic controller will compare and judge the arrival time of the material packages at the shuttle docking station, so that the shuttle will transport the material packages in the shuttle docking station to station 1054 in the order of arrival time from earliest to latest.

[0149] As described in step 130 above, material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations are subject to outbound control in ascending order of their material package numbers.

[0150] For example, the programmable logic controller (PLC) compares the number of the material package at shuttle docking station 1047 with the number of the material package at shuttle docking station 1049. Assuming that the material package at 1047 is numbered B1 and the material package at 1049 is numbered B2, the PLC can determine that the material package at 1047 has a smaller number, so the shuttle will first transport the material package at 1047 to 1054.

[0151] Next, the programmable logic controller (PLC) compares the material package number at shuttle docking station 1049 with the material package number at shuttle docking station 1050. Assuming the material package number at 1050 is B2, the PLC can determine that the material package numbers at these two locations are equal, and the material package at 1049 will arrive earlier than the material package at 1050. Therefore, the shuttle will first transport the material package at 1049 to 1054.

[0152] And so on.

[0153] Finally, the programmable logic controller (PLC) compares the material package numbers at shuttle docking station 1050 and 1051. Assuming both the material package at 1050 and 1051 are numbered B8, the PLC determines that the material package numbers are equal and that the material package at 1050 arrived earlier than the material package at 1051. Therefore, the shuttle will first transport the material package at 1050 to 1054, and then transport the material package at 1051 to 1054.

[0154] After the shuttle car transports material package B1 from location 1047 to location 1054, the chain conveyor 1025 will transport material package B3 from the stacker crane outbound station 1011 corresponding to stacker crane No. 1 to the shuttle car docking station 1047. This facilitates the subsequent comparison and judgment by the programmable logic controller and the transport by the shuttle car. When material packages from other shuttle car docking stations are transported to location 1054, the warehouse control system will call the chain conveyor corresponding to that shuttle car docking station to transport the material packages from the corresponding stacker crane outbound station to that shuttle car docking station.

[0155] In some embodiments, when the shuttle is transporting material packages in the shuttle docking station, if there is an empty pallet that needs to be stored at position 1052, the shuttle will prioritize transporting the empty pallet at position 1052 to position 1048, so that the empty pallet can be stored from position 1048. At this time, the warehouse control system can schedule stacker crane No. 2, stacker crane No. 3 or stacker crane No. 4 to transport the empty pallet to achieve storage.

[0156] In addition, if there are empty pallets that need to be shipped out at locations 1047, 1049, 1050, or 1051, the shuttle will prioritize transporting the empty pallets that need to be shipped out to location 1053 for shipment.

[0157] In step 6, through a code reader (such as...) Figure 4 As shown, the barcode reader at position 1054 reads the number of the material package delivered to position 1054, reads the information of the net material packages included in that material package, and updates the number of the material package to count the number of material packages delivered to position 1054. See below for details:

[0158] In some embodiments, information about the net material package included in the material package is read to determine that the material package belongs to the yarn-making production line B.

[0159] In some embodiments, if it is determined that the production line to which the material package belongs is the B production line of the filament production line, the number of the material package is updated and the number of material packages delivered to location 1054 is counted.

[0160] In step 140 above, the outgoing material packages are renumbered in ascending order of their outgoing sequence, and the quantity of outgoing material packages is counted according to their new numbers.

[0161] For example, firstly, when the shuttle transports material package B1 from location 1047 to location 1054, if it is determined that the production line to which material package B1 belongs is the production line B of the silk-making end, the number of material package B1 is updated to B1, and compared with the number of material packages in the outbound task (i.e., 16). If it is found to be less than 16, the outbound task continues to be processed.

[0162] Then, when the shuttle transports material package B2 from location 1049 to location 1054, if it is determined that the production line to which material package B2 belongs is the production line B of the silk-making end, the number of material package B2 is updated to B2, and compared with the number of material packages in the outbound task (i.e., 16). If it is found to be less than 16, the outbound task continues to be processed.

[0163] Secondly, when the shuttle transports material package B2 from location 1050 to location 1054, if it is determined that the production line to which material package B2 belongs is the production line B of the silk-making end, the number of material package B2 is updated to B3, and compared with the number of material packages in the outbound task (i.e., 16). If it is found to be less than 16, the outbound task continues to be processed.

[0164] And so on.

[0165] Finally, when the shuttle transports material package B8 from location 1051 to location 1054, if it is determined that the production line to which material package B8 belongs is the B production line of the silk-making end, the number of material package B8 is updated to B16, and compared with the quantity of material packages in the outbound task (i.e., 16). If it is found to be equal to 16, then after the material package is outbound, other outbound tasks can be outbound.

[0166] In step 7, at point 1057, the net material package and the pallet carrying the net material package are separated, the pallet is stored, and the net material package is transported to its corresponding yarn-making production line. See below for details:

[0167] In some embodiments, a clamping machine separates the net material package from the pallet carrying the net material package.

[0168] For example, after separation, the pallets are transported to the unpacking and palletizing machine 1066 via roller conveyors 1069, 1068 and 1067. The unpacking and palletizing machine stacks the pallets. When the number of pallets matches the number of material packages in the outbound task (i.e. 16), the pallets are transported to location 1052 via roller conveyor 1065, and then the pallets at location 1052 are transported to location 1048 via shuttle car 2001 for warehousing.

[0169] For example, the separated clean material packages are transported to a convenient receiving position on shuttle 2002 via roller conveyors 1070, 1071, 1072, 1073, 1074, and 1075. See below for details:

[0170] Figure 5 Schematic diagrams showing some application examples of the yarn-making production line of this disclosure are provided.

[0171] like Figure 5 As shown, the yarn-making production line includes yarn-making production line A, yarn-making production line B, and yarn-making production line C. Based on the outbound task, the warehouse control system can dispatch shuttle car 2002 to transport the outbound net material packages to yarn-making production line A, yarn-making production line B, or yarn-making production line C.

[0172] The net material packages leaving the warehouse are transported to the yarn-making production line via roller conveyors, and the arrows indicate the conveying direction of the roller conveyors.

[0173] In addition, each yarn-making production line's starting position (i.e., position 1131 on yarn-making production line A, position 1128 on yarn-making production line B, and position 1186 on yarn-making production line C) is equipped with a barcode reader. The barcode reader reads the material package number corresponding to the net material package leaving the warehouse to determine whether the net material package leaving the warehouse belongs to the current yarn-making production line. The order of the net material packages leaving the warehouse is also confirmed again to determine whether their numbers satisfy the requirement of increasing in ascending order. If not, an alarm is triggered; if so, the material continues to be transported to the yarn-making production line.

[0174] Taking the B-line production line at the yarn-making end as an example, Figure 6 Schematic diagrams showing some application examples of the B-line production line of the filament-making end of this disclosure are shown.

[0175] like Figure 6 As shown, the net material packages leaving the warehouse are transported to the yarn-making production line B via roller conveyors 1128, 1107, 1108, 1109, 1110, 1111, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1115, 1118, 1127, 1126, 1125, 1124, 1123, 1122, 1121, 1120, and 1119. Figure 6 B1 / B2 / B3 / B4 / B5 / B6 / B7 / B8 / B9 / B10 / B11 / B12 / B13 / B14 / B15 / B16 in the text represent net material packages that are being transported.

[0176] In the above application example, by distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport and controlling the outbound movement according to the package number sequence, sequential transport control of multiple material packages is achieved. This ensures that multiple material packages are transported and outbound simultaneously in the correct order, reduces the possibility of lost packages, improves outbound efficiency, reduces the impact of material package transport and outbound time on cigarette production time (or tobacco production time), and also reduces the number of interactions with the warehouse control system, lowering the possibility of material packages failing to be transported and outbound due to warehouse control system malfunctions. Furthermore, this material package outbound control method is easy to maintain, reduces maintenance time, and facilitates emergency response.

[0177] Figure 7 Schematic diagrams showing some embodiments of the control device for the release of material packages according to this disclosure.

[0178] like Figure 7As shown, the material package outbound control device 70 includes a conveying unit 72 and a control unit 73. If necessary, it may also include a numbering unit 71, a renumbering unit 74, a judgment unit 75, and an alarm unit 76.

[0179] Numbering unit 71 is configured such that, when the number of the previous material package is determined, if the type of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package, the number of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package; and if the type of the next material package is different from that of the previous material package, the number of the next material package increases relative to the number of the previous material package.

[0180] The conveying unit 72 is configured to distribute multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel conveying to multiple shuttle docking stations. Different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations. The material packages in the conveying task of each stacker crane are arranged and conveyed in ascending order of material package number. In the conveying tasks of multiple stacker cranes, the number of the material package in the previous conveying sequence is less than or equal to the number of the material package in the next conveying sequence. The multiple material packages include various types of material packages.

[0181] In some embodiments, different stacker cranes are connected to different stacker crane outbound stations and different conveyors corresponding to different shuttle docking stations. The conveying unit 72 is also configured to distribute multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel conveying. The material package conveyed by each stacker crane is conveyed to the shuttle docking station corresponding to each stacker crane via the stacker crane outbound station and the conveyor corresponding to each stacker crane.

[0182] In some embodiments, the conveying unit 72 is further configured to preferentially allocate multiple high-priority material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel conveying to multiple shuttle docking stations, wherein different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations, and the high-priority material packages in the conveying task of each stacker crane are arranged and conveyed in ascending order of high-priority material package numbers, and the high-priority material package numbers in the previous conveying sequence of the multiple stacker cranes' conveying tasks are less than or equal to the high-priority material package numbers in the next conveying sequence.

[0183] Control unit 73 is configured to control the outbound delivery of material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of material package number.

[0184] In some embodiments, the control unit 73 is further configured to perform outbound control in the order in which the material packages arrive at the shuttle docking station from earliest to latest, provided that the material package numbers are equal.

[0185] In some embodiments, the material package includes a net material package and a pallet carrying the net material package. The control unit 73 is further configured to separate the net material package and the pallet carrying the net material package, perform outbound control on the net material package in ascending order of its corresponding material package number, and perform inbound control on the pallet carrying the net material package.

[0186] In some embodiments, the control unit 73 is further configured to control the outbound movement of empty pallets arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations, prioritizing the outbound movement of empty pallets over that of material packages.

[0187] In some embodiments, the control unit 73 is further configured to control the outbound delivery of advanced material packages arriving at multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of their advanced material package numbers.

[0188] Renumbering unit 74 is configured to renumber the outgoing material packages in ascending order of their outgoing sequence, and to count the quantity of outgoing material packages according to their new numbers.

[0189] Judgment unit 75 is configured to determine, based on the outbound order and new number of the material package, whether the new number of the material package being outbound sequentially increases in ascending order.

[0190] Alarm unit 76 is configured to trigger an alarm if the alarm is not triggered in ascending order.

[0191] In the above embodiments, by distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport and controlling their outbound movement according to their numerical order, sequential transport control of multiple material packages is achieved. This ensures that multiple material packages are simultaneously transported and outbound in the correct order, reduces the possibility of lost material packages, improves outbound efficiency, reduces the impact of material package transport and outbound time on cigarette production time (or tobacco production time), and also reduces the number of interactions with the warehouse control system, lowering the possibility of material packages failing to be transported and outbound normally due to warehouse control system malfunctions. Furthermore, this material package outbound control method is easy to maintain, reduces maintenance time, and facilitates emergency response.

[0192] Figure 8 Schematic diagrams showing some other embodiments of the control device for the release of material packages according to this disclosure are provided.

[0193] like Figure 8 As shown, the material package outbound control device 80 of this embodiment includes: a memory 81 and a processor 82 coupled to the memory 81. The processor 82 is configured to execute the method of any of the foregoing embodiments based on instructions stored in the memory 81.

[0194] The memory 81 may include, for example, system memory, fixed non-volatile storage media, etc. The system memory stores, for example, the operating system, application programs, boot loader, and other programs.

[0195] The material package outbound control device 80 may also include input / output interfaces 83, network interfaces 84, and storage interfaces 85. These interfaces 83, 84, and 85, as well as the memory 81 and processor 82, can be connected via, for example, a bus 86. Specifically, the input / output interface 83 provides a connection interface for input / output devices such as monitors, mice, keyboards, touchscreens, microphones, and speakers. The network interface 84 provides a connection interface for various networked devices. The storage interface 85 provides a connection interface for external storage devices such as SD cards and USB flash drives.

[0196] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this disclosure can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this disclosure can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this disclosure can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable non-transitory storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0197] This concludes the detailed description of the control method, control device, and computer-readable storage medium for the outbound shipment of material packages disclosed herein. To avoid obscuring the concept of this disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein based on the above description.

[0198] The methods and systems of this disclosure may be implemented in many ways. For example, they may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order of steps for the methods is for illustrative purposes only, and the steps of the methods of this disclosure are not limited to the specific order described above unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, in some embodiments, this disclosure may also be implemented as a program recorded on a recording medium, the program including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to this disclosure. Thus, this disclosure also covers recording media storing programs for performing the methods according to this disclosure.

[0199] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of example, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the outbound shipment of material packages, comprising: Multiple material packages are distributed to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport to multiple shuttle docking stations. Different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations. The material packages in the transport task of each stacker crane are arranged and transported in ascending order of material package number. The material package number of the previous transport sequence in the transport task of the multiple stacker cranes is less than or equal to the material package number of the next transport sequence. The multiple material packages include various types of material packages. For material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations, outbound control is performed in ascending order of material package number. The following method is used to number the material packages: If the number of the previous material package is determined, and the type of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package, then the number of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package. If the type of the subsequent material package is different from that of the preceding material package, the number of the subsequent material package is increased relative to the number of the preceding material package.

2. The material package outbound control method according to claim 1 further includes: The material packages are renumbered in ascending order of their outbound sequence, and the quantity of the outbound material packages is counted according to their new numbers.

3. The material package outbound control method according to claim 2 further includes: Based on the outbound sequence of the material packages and the new number, determine whether the new numbers of the material packages outbound in sequence are increasing in ascending order; An alarm will be triggered if the numbers do not increase in ascending order.

4. The material package outbound control method according to claim 1 further includes: For empty pallets arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations, the outbound control of the empty pallets is performed according to the outbound order of the empty pallets taking precedence over the outbound order of the material packages.

5. The material package outbound control method according to claim 1 further includes: For multiple high-priority material packages that have a higher priority than the multiple material packages, the multiple high-priority material packages are preferentially allocated to the multiple stacker cranes for parallel transportation to the multiple shuttle docking stations. Different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations. The high-priority material packages in the transportation task of each stacker crane are arranged and transported in ascending order of their high-priority material package numbers. The high-priority material package number in the previous transportation sequence of the multiple stacker cranes is less than or equal to the high-priority material package number in the next transportation sequence. For advanced material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations, outbound control is performed in ascending order of the advanced material package numbers.

6. The control method of the material package delivery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The different stacker cranes are connected to different stacker crane outbound platforms and different conveyors, which correspond to the different shuttle car docking platforms. The process of distributing multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport to multiple shuttle docking stations includes: The multiple material packages are distributed to the multiple stacker cranes for parallel transport. The material packages transported by each stacker crane are transported to the shuttle docking station corresponding to each stacker crane via the stacker crane outbound station and conveyor.

7. The method for controlling the outbound shipment of material packages according to claim 1, wherein, The method of controlling the outbound delivery of material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of their material package numbers also includes: If the material packages have the same number, the outbound control is carried out in the order of arrival of the material packages at the shuttle docking station from earliest to latest.

8. The control method for the release of material packages according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The material package includes a net material package and a tray that holds the net material package. The method of controlling the outbound delivery of material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of their material package numbers also includes: Separate the clean material package and the pallet carrying the clean material package, and control the outbound shipment of the clean material package in ascending order of its package number; The pallets carrying the net material packages are subject to warehousing control.

9. A control device for issuing material packages, comprising: The conveying unit is configured to distribute multiple material packages to multiple stacker cranes for parallel conveying to multiple shuttle docking stations. Different stacker cranes correspond to different shuttle docking stations. The material packages in the conveying task of each stacker crane are arranged and conveyed in ascending order of material package number. The material package number of the previous conveying sequence in the conveying task of the multiple stacker cranes is less than or equal to the material package number of the next conveying sequence. The multiple material packages include various types of material packages. The control unit is configured to control the outbound delivery of material packages arriving at the multiple shuttle docking stations in ascending order of their material package numbers. The control device for issuing material packages uses the following method to number the material packages: If the number of the previous material package is determined, and the type of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package, then the number of the next material package is the same as that of the previous material package. If the type of the subsequent material package is different from that of the preceding material package, the number of the subsequent material package is increased relative to the number of the preceding material package.

10. A control device for issuing material packages, comprising: Memory; and A processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the control method for discharging material packages according to any one of claims 1-8 based on instructions stored in the memory.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the control method for the release of material packages according to any one of claims 1-8.

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