A cigarette auxiliary material warehouse-out scheduling method and system

Abstract

The application discloses a cigarette auxiliary material warehouse-out scheduling method and system, and belongs to the technical field of auxiliary material warehouse-out scheduling. The method comprises the following steps: a warehouse management system generates an auxiliary material warehouse-out task according to a material application, and forwards the auxiliary material warehouse-out task to a warehouse control system; the warehouse control system instructs a four-way shuttle vehicle to go to a designated storage location allocated by the warehouse management system, grabs a cigarette auxiliary material tray, and then transports the cigarette auxiliary material tray to a warehouse-out area reciprocating elevator of an auxiliary material balancing warehouse along a track of the four-way shuttle vehicle, and lowers the cigarette auxiliary material tray to a goods delivery platform in the warehouse-out area through the warehouse-out area reciprocating elevator; the warehouse control system dispatches a forklift AGV to the warehouse-out platform, extracts a cigarette auxiliary material tray in a waiting carrying state, and transports the cigarette auxiliary material tray to a corresponding cigarette packaging workshop workstation. The application avoids auxiliary material supply errors caused by human judgment errors or poor information communication, can realize real-time control of the use of storage locations, and improves the accuracy of inventory management.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of auxiliary material outbound scheduling technology, and more specifically, to a method and system for scheduling cigarette auxiliary materials outbound. Background Technology

[0002] Cigarette accessories, an indispensable part of cigarette manufacturing, encompass a variety of materials such as filter rods, cigarette paper, tipping paper, forming paper, tipping paper, inner lining paper, aluminum foil, label paper, and adhesives. The quality and supply efficiency of these accessories directly affect the final quality of cigarette products and production efficiency. Therefore, ensuring that cigarette accessories are delivered to each machine in the packaging workshop in a timely and accurate manner according to production needs is a crucial link in the smooth operation of cigarette production and an important measure to ensure a stable production supply chain and improve product quality.

[0003] However, the current distribution of cigarette auxiliary materials is mainly done manually. Traditional manual feeding has many quality and safety hazards, including: during manual feeding, traffic congestion, improper personnel allocation, and information transmission delays may cause auxiliary materials to fail to arrive at the packaging workshop on time; manual operation carries the risk of errors, such as sending the wrong auxiliary materials to the designated machine, or the quantity or model not matching the production plan; during manual handling and storage, auxiliary materials may be damaged due to improper handling, such as becoming damp, contaminated, or deformed, directly affecting the final quality of cigarettes; in addition, manual operation also involves employee safety issues, such as injuries caused by handling heavy objects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One objective of this invention is to provide a method and system for scheduling the outbound delivery of cigarette auxiliary materials, in order to solve the aforementioned problems of untimely delivery, delivery errors, and impact on cigarette quality caused by manual material feeding.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0006] Application initiation steps: Obtain the material request containing cigarette auxiliary material information transmitted through the material request terminal;

[0007] Outbound scheduling steps: The warehouse management system generates an auxiliary material outbound task based on the material request and forwards the auxiliary material outbound task to the warehouse control system;

[0008] Four-way shuttle handling steps: The warehouse control system directs the four-way shuttle to the designated storage location assigned by the warehouse management system, grabs the cigarette auxiliary material pallet, and then transports the cigarette auxiliary material pallet to the reciprocating elevator in the auxiliary material balance warehouse outbound area along the track of the four-way shuttle. The reciprocating elevator then descends to the unloading platform in the outbound area.

[0009] Forklift AGV handling steps: The warehouse control system dispatches forklift AGVs to the outbound station, picks up the pallets of cigarette auxiliary materials waiting to be handled, and transports them to the corresponding packaging workshop machine.

[0010] Optionally, the following steps may be included after the four-way shuttle transport process:

[0011] Information verification steps: The cigarette accessory pallet is transported from the loading platform to the outbound platform via the conveyor line. The cigarette accessory pallet undergoes barcode / RFID information verification at the outbound platform. If the verification result is abnormal, the conveyor system, reciprocating elevator and four-way shuttle will send the abnormal cigarette accessory pallet to the designated storage location; if the verification result is normal, it will be placed in the waiting-for-handling state.

[0012] Optionally, during the outbound scheduling process, the warehouse management system will lock the cigarette auxiliary material pallets that are within 24 hours of being balanced, and automatically unlock them after 24 hours.

[0013] Optionally, in the outbound dispatching step, the warehouse management system determines the storage location based on the following factors:

[0014] The storage status of each location in the warehouse, including whether each location is currently occupied, the type and quantity of cigarette accessories stored therein, and the amount of remaining usable space.

[0015] The internal logistics path planning of the warehouse includes the arrangement of shelves, the width and direction of aisles, and the operating tracks of four-way shuttles and forklift AGVs;

[0016] Information on the distance between different storage locations and the packaging workshop, including the physical distance between the storage location and the packaging workshop, and whether there is a slope, number of bends and curvature.

[0017] Optionally, in the outbound scheduling step, the outbound task of auxiliary materials includes, but is not limited to, the picking location of the auxiliary material balance warehouse, pallet information, and the loading location information of the wrapping machine.

[0018] Optionally, in the four-way shuttle transport step, the four-way shuttle identifies the type of obstacle from the image obtained by the visual sensor based on the image recognition algorithm of machine learning. At the same time, it combines the distance data of the lidar and ultrasonic sensors, and determines the specific position of the obstacle in the coordinate system of the four-way shuttle through coordinate transformation and spatial calculation, and calculates the azimuth angle and distance parameters of the obstacle relative to the four-way shuttle.

[0019] Optionally, the method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials also includes the following steps:

[0020] The sampling / inventory process for auxiliary materials includes the following steps:

[0021] Storage location allocation steps: The warehouse management system issues a sampling / inventory count instruction and simultaneously allocates storage locations for the sampling / inventory count task to carry out outbound operations;

[0022] Four-way shuttle material handling steps: The four-way shuttle goes to the corresponding location to pick up the cigarette auxiliary material pallet according to the assigned cargo location information, and then transports it along the four-way shuttle track to the reciprocating elevator in the auxiliary material balance warehouse outbound area, and then descends to the unloading platform in the outbound area through the reciprocating elevator.

[0023] Inspection and processing steps: The cigarette auxiliary material pallets are sent to the sampling / inventory station via the delivery platform and conveyor system for corresponding inspection and processing operations;

[0024] Return to warehouse storage steps: After inspection and processing, the cigarette accessory pallet is sent to the conveyor line of the bulk pallet return station via the conveyor system. It is then lifted to the designated shelf level by the reciprocating elevator, and finally stored in the system-allocated storage location by a four-way shuttle.

[0025] Optionally, in the storage location allocation step, after the warehouse management system issues the sampling / inventory instruction, the rules for allocating storage locations are based on a comprehensive determination of the sampling ratio and inventory scope, taking into account factors such as the type of cigarette auxiliary materials, the batch information of the cigarette auxiliary materials, and the order of the cigarette auxiliary materials' entry into the warehouse.

[0026] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a cigarette auxiliary material outbound scheduling system is provided, comprising:

[0027] The application initiation module is used to obtain application requests containing cigarette auxiliary material information transmitted through the material request terminal;

[0028] The outbound scheduling module generates an auxiliary material outbound task based on the material request through the warehouse management system, and forwards the auxiliary material outbound task to the warehouse control system.

[0029] The first handling module directs the four-way shuttle to the designated storage location assigned by the warehouse management system, grabs the cigarette auxiliary material pallet, and then transports the cigarette auxiliary material pallet to the reciprocating elevator in the auxiliary material balance warehouse outbound area along the track of the four-way shuttle. The reciprocating elevator then descends to the unloading platform in the outbound area.

[0030] The second handling module dispatches forklift AGVs to the outbound platform, retrieves pallets of cigarette accessories waiting to be handled, and transports them to the corresponding packaging workshop machines.

[0031] Optionally, the outbound platform includes three branch outbound platforms, namely the first outbound platform, the second outbound platform, and the third outbound platform;

[0032] The first outbound station is used as a normal outbound station in normal outbound operation mode, and as a sampling / inventory station in sampling / inventory operation mode. The function switching of the first outbound station is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system.

[0033] The second outbound station is used as an outbound station in normal outbound mode and as a loose pallet return station in loose pallet return operation mode. It is used to receive and process the return operation of loose pallet auxiliary materials. The function switching of the second outbound station is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system.

[0034] The third outbound station is used as an outbound station in normal outbound mode and as an empty pallet return station in empty pallet return operation mode. The function switching of the third outbound station is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system.

[0035] The cigarette auxiliary material outbound scheduling method and system disclosed herein have the following technical advantages:

[0036] In this invention, the packaging workshop machines submit material requests in advance through the material requisition terminal based on production needs. The warehouse management system automatically calculates the types of auxiliary materials suitable for the packaging machine models and allocates specific storage locations. The warehouse control system dispatches a four-way shuttle to transport the auxiliary material pallets from the designated storage locations and automatically delivers them to the packaging workshop machines. When spot checks / inventory checks are required, the system automatically dispatches the auxiliary material pallets out of the warehouse, and after inspection, automatically returns them to the warehouse. This invention, based on a data-driven model of precise matching between machines and auxiliary materials, avoids auxiliary material supply errors caused by human judgment mistakes or poor communication. The process of the warehouse management system allocating specific storage locations and the warehouse control system dispatching four-way shuttles to transport and automatically deliver materials to the machines significantly shortens the auxiliary material supply cycle.

[0037] The warehouse management system considers multiple factors when allocating storage locations, such as the storage status of the locations, the internal logistics route planning of the warehouse, and the distance to the packaging workshop. This allows for more rational use of warehouse space and avoids situations where some storage locations are over-occupied while others remain idle.

[0038] It allows for real-time monitoring of storage space usage, enabling more flexible adjustments to storage space arrangements during spot checks, inventory counts, or other special circumstances.

[0039] From the moment the packaging machine initiates a material request to the dispatch, delivery, and return of auxiliary materials after sampling / inventory counting, the system updates inventory data in real time throughout the entire process. Every step of the operation is accurately recorded and reflected in the warehouse management system, ensuring that inventory information remains up-to-date, improving the accuracy of inventory management, and reducing errors and omissions that may result from manual operation.

[0040] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the cigarette auxiliary material outbound scheduling method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall layout from the auxiliary material balance warehouse to the cigarette packaging machine in the cigarette auxiliary material outbound scheduling system provided in this embodiment of the invention;

[0044] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the return to the primary auxiliary material warehouse from the auxiliary material balance warehouse in the cigarette auxiliary material outbound scheduling system provided in this embodiment of the invention.

[0045] The diagram is marked as follows:

[0046] 1. Forklift AGV; 2. Outbound platform; 3. Reciprocating elevator in the outbound area; 4. Auxiliary material balance warehouse; 5. Wrapping machine; 6. Four-way shuttle; 7. Outbound platform of the auxiliary material balance warehouse; 8. Main conveyor line; 9. Reciprocating elevator in the return area; 10. Inspection station; 21. First outbound platform (sampling / inventory platform); 22. Second outbound platform (loose pallet return platform); 23. Third outbound platform (empty pallet return platform). Detailed Implementation

[0047] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention 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 invention.

[0048] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use.

[0049] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, they should be considered part of the specification.

[0050] In all the 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.

[0051] This invention proposes an embodiment of a method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials from the warehouse. Specifically, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0052] Application initiation steps: Obtain a material request containing cigarette auxiliary material information transmitted through the material request terminal. The machine operators in the cigarette packaging workshop input the required auxiliary material information into the material request terminal, including the specific types of cigarette auxiliary materials required, such as specific specifications of cigarette paper, filters, packaging materials, etc., the required quantity, and the corresponding cigarette packaging machine number.

[0053] Outbound scheduling steps: The warehouse management system generates an auxiliary material outbound task based on the material request and forwards the task to the warehouse control system. The outbound task includes, but is not limited to, the location of the auxiliary material balance warehouse, pallet information, and the placement location information of the wrapping machine. For example, for a specific filter tip auxiliary material requested by a certain model of wrapping machine, the system quickly queries the storage location, quantity, and quality status of that specific filter tip auxiliary material in inventory to determine if the request can be met. If the inventory is sufficient, the system formulates a detailed auxiliary material outbound task plan based on factors such as the location of the wrapping machine, warehouse layout, and the current operating status of logistics equipment.

[0054] The four-way shuttle transport process is as follows: The warehouse control system directs the four-way shuttle to the designated storage location assigned by the warehouse management system, grabs the cigarette accessory pallet, and then transports the cigarette accessory pallet along the four-way shuttle track to the reciprocating elevator in the outbound area of ​​the accessory balance warehouse. The four-way shuttle then descends to the outbound area unloading platform via the reciprocating elevator. The four-way shuttle utilizes its efficient gripping mechanism to accurately grab the cigarette accessory pallet. The gripping mechanism adopts structures such as robotic arms, suction cups, or forklift-style forks, and can adaptively adjust according to the shape, size, and weight of different pallets.

[0055] Forklift AGV handling steps: The warehouse control system dispatches forklift AGVs to the outbound station, retrieves pallets of cigarette auxiliary materials awaiting handling, and transports them to the corresponding packaging workshop machine. Upon arrival at the machine, the forklift AGV places the pallets in the designated loading area, facilitating access to the auxiliary materials by packaging workshop operators. This completes the entire cigarette auxiliary material outbound dispatch process, ensuring a timely and accurate supply of auxiliary materials to the cigarette production line.

[0056] In this embodiment of the invention, the process further includes the following after the four-way shuttle transport step:

[0057] Information verification steps: Cigarette accessory pallets are conveyed from the loading platform to the outbound platform via a conveyor line. At the outbound platform, the pallets undergo barcode / RFID information verification. If the verification result is abnormal, the conveyor system, the outbound area reciprocating elevator, and the four-way shuttle will transport the abnormal pallet to a designated storage location. If the verification result is normal, the pallet will be placed in a waiting-for-handling state. The warehouse management system performs a consistency comparison of the barcode / RFID information based on pre-stored database information. For example, it checks whether the batch of cigarette paper is recorded in the system, whether its manufacturer is a qualified supplier, whether the globally unique identifier on the label matches the corresponding accessory's inbound registration information in the system, and whether the inbound time meets expectations.

[0058] In this embodiment of the invention, during the outbound scheduling step, the warehouse management system locks cigarette accessory pallets that are within 24 hours of being balanced. After 24 hours, the pallets are automatically unlocked and made available for production. This ensures that cigarette accessory pallets are not arbitrarily dispatched out of the warehouse within a certain period, helping warehouse managers to better plan inventory and avoid inventory shortages or backlogs caused by excessive allocation.

[0059] In this embodiment of the invention, during the outbound scheduling step, the warehouse management system determines the storage location based on the following factors:

[0060] The storage status of each location in the warehouse, including whether each location is currently occupied, the type and quantity of cigarette accessories stored therein, and the amount of remaining usable space.

[0061] The internal logistics path planning of the warehouse includes the arrangement of shelves, the width and direction of aisles, and the operating tracks of four-way shuttles and forklift AGVs;

[0062] The information on the distances between different storage locations and the packaging workshop includes the physical distance between the storage location and the packaging workshop, the presence of slopes, the number and curvature of bends, and whether it is necessary to traverse other special areas (such as areas with high temperature and humidity control requirements, which may affect handling speed and equipment performance). By comprehensively considering the storage status of each storage location in the warehouse, the internal logistics route planning of the warehouse, and the distance information between different storage locations and the packaging workshop, the warehouse management system can accurately determine the most suitable storage location for this cigarette auxiliary material outbound task, thereby achieving an efficient and smooth outbound operation process, minimizing outbound time, and improving the operational efficiency of the entire warehousing and logistics system.

[0063] In this embodiment of the invention, during the four-way shuttle transport step, the four-way shuttle identifies the type of obstacle from images acquired by a visual sensor using a machine learning-based image recognition algorithm. Simultaneously, it combines distance data from lidar and ultrasonic sensors, and through coordinate transformation and spatial calculation, determines the specific position of the obstacle in the coordinate system of the four-way shuttle, calculating the azimuth and distance parameters of the obstacle relative to the four-way shuttle, providing a precise basis for subsequent obstacle avoidance strategy formulation. During the transport process, the four-way shuttle comprehensively assesses the potential risk level posed by the obstacle to its operation based on factors such as the obstacle's distance, size, and moving speed (for movable obstacles), as well as the shuttle's own speed. The four-way shuttle's control system also includes a multi-task coordination module to coordinate the relationship between speed adjustment and route change tasks, ensuring that they cooperate and do not conflict during execution.

[0064] In this embodiment of the invention, the cigarette auxiliary material outbound scheduling method further includes the following steps:

[0065] The sampling / inventory process for auxiliary materials includes the following steps:

[0066] Storage location allocation steps: The warehouse management system issues a sampling / inventory count instruction and simultaneously allocates storage locations for the sampling / inventory count task to carry out outbound operations;

[0067] Four-way shuttle material handling steps: The four-way shuttle goes to the corresponding location to pick up the cigarette auxiliary material pallet according to the assigned cargo location information, and then transports it along the four-way shuttle track to the reciprocating elevator in the auxiliary material balance warehouse outbound area, and then descends to the outbound area unloading platform via the reciprocating elevator in the outbound area.

[0068] Inspection and processing steps: The cigarette auxiliary material pallets are sent to the sampling / inventory station via the delivery platform and conveyor system for corresponding inspection and processing operations;

[0069] Return to warehouse storage steps: After inspection and processing, the cigarette accessory pallet is sent to the conveyor line of the return warehouse platform via the conveyor system. It is then lifted to the designated shelf level by the reciprocating elevator in the return warehouse area. Finally, the four-way shuttle car stores the cigarette accessory pallet into the storage location reassigned by the system.

[0070] In this embodiment of the invention, during the location allocation step, after the warehouse management system issues a sampling / inventory instruction, the rules for allocating locations are based on a comprehensive determination of the sampling ratio and inventory scope, taking into account factors such as the type of cigarette auxiliary materials, batch information, and the order of their arrival at the warehouse. By considering these multiple factors, including the type of cigarette auxiliary materials, batch information, and the order of their arrival at the warehouse, the warehouse management system can accurately determine the sampling ratio and inventory scope corresponding to each location, thereby allocating locations for targeted sampling / inventory operations. For example, for a key type of cigarette auxiliary material with a recently arrived batch, locations closer to the sampling area and easier to handle will be prioritized for allocation, enabling quick and efficient sample extraction and testing during the sampling process. Conversely, for non-key types of auxiliary materials with earlier arrival times but good past sampling records, relatively more remote locations will be allocated for inventory checks. This approach optimizes the internal logistics process of the warehouse while ensuring inventory accuracy, thereby improving overall warehouse management efficiency and resource utilization efficiency.

[0071] The present invention also provides an embodiment of a cigarette auxiliary material outbound scheduling system, specifically as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the system includes:

[0072] The application initiation module is used to obtain application requests containing cigarette auxiliary material information transmitted through the material request terminal;

[0073] The outbound scheduling module generates auxiliary material outbound tasks based on material requests through the warehouse management system and forwards these tasks to the warehouse control system. It should be noted that the warehouse management system automatically calculates and allocates auxiliary material pallets suitable for the production location based on the model of the wrapping machine 5 that initiated the request, and forwards the outbound tasks to the warehouse control system.

[0074] The first handling module directs the four-way shuttle 6 to the designated storage location assigned by the warehouse management system, grabs the cigarette auxiliary material pallet, and then transports the cigarette auxiliary material pallet to the reciprocating elevator 3 in the outbound area of ​​the auxiliary material balance warehouse 4 along the track of the four-way shuttle 6. After the electronic control system detects the position signal, the auxiliary material pallet is lowered to the unloading platform 7 in the outbound area via the reciprocating elevator 3 in the outbound area.

[0075] The second handling module dispatches forklift AGV1 to the outbound station 2, retrieves the cigarette auxiliary material pallet that is waiting to be handled, and transports it to the corresponding cigarette packaging machine 5.

[0076] The auxiliary material pallets are conveyed to inspection station 10 via a conveyor line, where barcode / RFID information is verified. If an abnormality is detected in the auxiliary material pallet information, the electronic control system reverses the conveyor line at inspection station 10, returning the pallet to the main conveyor line 8. From there, it is transported via the conveyor lines at the second outbound platform (bulk pallet return platform) 22 and the third outbound platform (empty pallet return platform) 23 to the return-to-warehouse reciprocating elevator 9. After the electronic control system detects the abnormality, the reciprocating elevator 9 rises to the designated shelf level. Simultaneously, the warehouse control system dispatches a four-way shuttle 6 to the return-to-warehouse reciprocating elevator 9 to pick up the auxiliary material pallet and deliver it to the designated storage location assigned by the warehouse management system. Pallets that pass inspection are conveyed to outbound platform 2, awaiting transport by forklift AGV1. The warehouse control system issues instructions to the forklift AGV1 system to dispatch the forklift AGV1 to the outbound station 2. As the forklift AGV1 runs along the preset route to the outbound station 2, it raises its forks to the same height as the center of the cross-shaped hole of the auxiliary material pallet on the outbound station 2. After the forks are fully inserted into the cross-shaped hole of the pallet, they are raised to a certain height to pick up the auxiliary material pallet and then retreat to the designated position. The forks carrying the auxiliary material pallet are lowered to the low position and sent to the corresponding material receiving machine in the wrapping workshop.

[0077] The warehouse management system issues a sampling / inventory count instruction, allocates outbound storage locations, and forwards the outbound task to the warehouse control system. The warehouse control system dispatches a four-way shuttle 6 to the designated storage location to retrieve auxiliary material pallets. These pallets are then transported along the shuttle 6's track to the reciprocating elevator 3 in the outbound area of ​​the auxiliary material balance warehouse 4. Upon detecting a positioning signal, the electrical control system lowers the reciprocating elevator 3 to the outbound area's unloading platform 7. The auxiliary material pallets are then conveyed via a conveyor system to the first outbound platform (sampling / inventory count platform) 21, where they are manually inspected and processed.

[0078] After inspection and processing, manual verification is performed within the warehouse management system. The warehouse management system generates a return task and forwards it to the warehouse control system. The warehouse control system then issues an instruction to the electrical control system, reversing the conveyor line at the sampling / inventory station 21 to transport the auxiliary material pallets to the main conveyor line 8. From there, the pallets are transported via the conveyor lines at the second outbound station (bulk pallet return station) 22 and the third outbound station (empty pallet return station) 23 to the reciprocating elevator 9 for return storage. Once the electrical control system detects the location, the reciprocating elevator 9 in the return storage area rises to the designated shelf level. Simultaneously, the warehouse control system dispatches a four-way shuttle 6 to the reciprocating elevator 9 in the return storage area to pick up the auxiliary material pallets and deliver them to the designated storage location reassigned by the warehouse management system.

[0079] In this embodiment of the invention, the outbound platform 2 at the auxiliary material balance warehouse 4 includes three branch outbound platforms, namely the first outbound platform 21, the second outbound platform 22 and the third outbound platform 23; wherein, the first outbound platform 21 serves as the sampling / inventory platform, the second outbound platform 22 serves as the loose pallet return platform, and the third outbound platform 23 serves as the empty pallet return platform;

[0080] The first outbound station 21 is used as a normal outbound station in the normal outbound operation mode to realize the normal outbound transportation operation of auxiliary material pallets. In the sampling / inventory operation mode, it is used as a sampling / inventory station for sampling or inventory of specific auxiliary material pallets. The function switching of the first outbound station 21 is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system.

[0081] The second outbound platform 22 is used as an outbound platform in normal outbound mode and as a bulk pallet return platform in bulk pallet return operation mode. It is used to receive and process the return operation of bulk pallet auxiliary materials. The function switching of the second outbound platform 22 is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system.

[0082] The third outbound platform 23 is used as an outbound platform in normal outbound mode and as an empty pallet return platform in empty pallet return operation mode. It is used to receive and process the return operation of empty pallets, and the function switching of the third outbound platform 23 is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system.

[0083] The warehouse control system includes a platform function control module. This module establishes communication connections with the first outbound platform 21, the second outbound platform 22, and the third outbound platform 23, respectively. It receives operational mode instructions from external sources and controls the function switching of the corresponding outbound platforms based on these instructions. The operational mode instructions include normal outbound instructions, sampling / inventory instructions, loose pallet return instructions, and empty pallet return instructions. Each outbound platform is equipped with a detection and identification device to identify the type and status information of auxiliary material pallets or empty pallets at the platform. This detection and identification device communicates with the platform function control module, transmitting the identification results to the module so that it can further confirm or adjust the platform's functional mode based on the identification results.

[0084] This invention forwards the generated auxiliary material outbound tasks to the warehouse control system, achieving effective integration and collaborative operation between the two different functional modules: the warehouse management system and the warehouse control system. The warehouse control system directs the four-way shuttle to the designated storage location assigned by the warehouse management system, enabling it to quickly and accurately locate the target storage location within the vast and complex warehouse racking space and precisely grab the cigarette auxiliary material pallets. The goods are then lowered to the outbound area's unloading platform via a reciprocating elevator, allowing the goods to smoothly transition from the four-way shuttle's transport plane to a height suitable for forklift AGV operations. This achieves orderly connection between different handling equipment and different logistics links, ensuring seamless integration of the entire outbound process, reducing the time goods spend in transit, and accelerating the outbound speed.

[0085] The above description of the structure, features, and effects of the present invention is based on the embodiments shown in the figures. However, the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that the technical features involved in the above embodiments and their preferred methods can be reasonably combined and matched by those skilled in the art to form a variety of equivalent solutions without departing from or changing the design concept and technical effects of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the scope of implementation shown in the figures. Any changes made in accordance with the concept of the present invention, or modifications to equivalent embodiments, that do not exceed the spirit covered by the specification and figures, should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Application initiation steps: Obtain a material request containing cigarette auxiliary material information transmitted through the material request terminal. The machine operators in the cigarette packaging workshop input the required auxiliary material information into the material request terminal, including: the specific type of cigarette auxiliary material, the required quantity, and the corresponding cigarette packaging machine number. Outbound scheduling steps: The warehouse management system generates an auxiliary material outbound task based on the material request and forwards the auxiliary material outbound task to the warehouse control system. Generating the auxiliary material outbound task includes: querying the storage location, quantity, and quality status of the corresponding auxiliary material in the inventory based on the auxiliary material requested by the rolling and packaging machine, and determining whether the outbound request requirements are met; if the inventory is sufficient, an auxiliary material outbound task plan is formulated based at least on the location of the rolling and packaging machine, the warehouse layout, and the current operating status of the logistics equipment; and the warehouse management system determines the storage location during outbound scheduling based on at least the following factors: distance information between different storage locations and the rolling and packaging workshop, specifically including: the physical distance between the storage location and the rolling and packaging workshop, whether there is a slope, the number and curvature of bends, and whether it needs to pass through a designated area with high temperature and humidity control requirements. Four-way shuttle handling steps: The warehouse control system directs the four-way shuttle to the designated storage location assigned by the warehouse management system, grabs the cigarette auxiliary material pallet, and then transports the cigarette auxiliary material pallet to the reciprocating elevator in the outbound area of ​​the auxiliary material balance warehouse along the track of the four-way shuttle. The pallet is then lowered to the unloading platform in the outbound area via the reciprocating elevator. Forklift AGV handling steps: The warehouse control system dispatches forklift AGVs to the outbound station, picks up the cigarette auxiliary material pallets waiting to be handled, and transports them to the corresponding packaging workshop machine. It also includes the sampling / inventory process, specifically: Storage location allocation steps: The warehouse management system issues a sampling / inventory count instruction and simultaneously allocates storage locations for the sampling / inventory count task to carry out outbound operations; Four-way shuttle material handling steps: The four-way shuttle goes to the corresponding location to pick up the cigarette auxiliary material pallet according to the assigned cargo location information, and then transports it along the four-way shuttle track to the reciprocating elevator in the auxiliary material balance warehouse outbound area, and then descends to the unloading platform in the outbound area via the reciprocating elevator in the outbound area. Inspection and processing steps: The cigarette auxiliary material pallets are sent to the sampling / inventory station via the delivery platform and conveyor system for corresponding inspection and processing operations; Return to warehouse storage steps: After inspection and processing, the cigarette accessory pallet is sent to the conveyor line of the bulk pallet return station via the conveyor system. It is then lifted to the designated shelf level by the reciprocating elevator, and finally stored in the system-allocated storage location by a four-way shuttle.

2. The method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, Following the four-way shuttle transport step is: Information verification steps: The cigarette accessory pallet is transported from the loading platform to the outbound platform via the conveyor line. The cigarette accessory pallet undergoes barcode / RFID information verification at the outbound platform. If the verification result is abnormal, the conveyor system, reciprocating elevator and four-way shuttle will send the abnormal cigarette accessory pallet to the designated storage location; if the verification result is normal, it will be placed in the waiting-for-handling state.

3. The method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the outbound scheduling process, the warehouse management system will lock the cigarette auxiliary material pallets that are within 24 hours of being balanced, and automatically unlock them after 24 hours.

4. The method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the outbound dispatching process, the warehouse management system determines the storage location based on the following factors: The storage status of each location in the warehouse, including whether each location is currently occupied, the type and quantity of cigarette accessories stored therein, and the amount of remaining usable space. The internal logistics path planning of the warehouse includes the arrangement of shelves, the width and direction of aisles, and the operating tracks of four-way shuttles and forklift AGVs.

5. The method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the outbound scheduling process, the outbound task for auxiliary materials includes: the location of the auxiliary material balance warehouse, pallet information, and the location of the wrapping machine.

6. The method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the four-way shuttle transport step, the four-way shuttle identifies the type of obstacle from the image obtained by the visual sensor based on the image recognition algorithm of machine learning. At the same time, combined with the distance data of the lidar and ultrasonic sensors, the shuttle determines the specific position of the obstacle in the coordinate system of the four-way shuttle through coordinate transformation and spatial calculation, and calculates the azimuth angle and distance parameters of the obstacle relative to the four-way shuttle.

7. The method for scheduling the release of cigarette auxiliary materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the storage location allocation step, after the warehouse management system issues the sampling / inventory instruction, the rules for allocating storage locations are based on a comprehensive determination of the sampling ratio and inventory scope, taking into account factors such as the type of cigarette auxiliary materials, the batch information of the cigarette auxiliary materials, and the order of the cigarette auxiliary materials' entry into the warehouse.

8. A cigarette auxiliary material outbound scheduling system for executing the outbound scheduling method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, include: The application initiation module is used to obtain application requests containing cigarette auxiliary material information transmitted through the material request terminal; The outbound scheduling module generates an auxiliary material outbound task based on the material request through the warehouse management system, and forwards the auxiliary material outbound task to the warehouse control system. The first handling module directs the four-way shuttle to the designated storage location assigned by the warehouse management system, grabs the cigarette auxiliary material pallet, and then transports the cigarette auxiliary material pallet to the reciprocating elevator in the auxiliary material balance warehouse outbound area along the track of the four-way shuttle. The reciprocating elevator then descends to the unloading platform in the outbound area. The second handling module dispatches forklift AGVs to the outbound station, retrieves pallets of cigarette auxiliary materials waiting to be handled, and transports them to the corresponding packaging workshop machine. The outbound platform includes three branch outbound platforms: the first outbound platform, the second outbound platform, and the third outbound platform. The first outbound station is used as a normal outbound station in normal outbound operation mode, and as a sampling / inventory station in sampling / inventory operation mode. The function switching of the first outbound station is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system. The second outbound station is used as an outbound station in normal outbound mode and as a loose pallet return station in loose pallet return operation mode. It is used to receive and process the return operation of loose pallet auxiliary materials. The function switching of the second outbound station is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system. The third outbound station is used as an outbound station in normal outbound mode and as an empty pallet return station in empty pallet return operation mode. The function switching of the third outbound station is automatically controlled and executed by the warehouse control system.

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