Maverick bundling

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for generating a source container sequence by means of a control device of a storage and order-picking system and a corresponding system for picking piece goods for a multiplicity of customer orders, wherein the orders comprise at least one multi-line order and a multiplicity of single-line orders, wherein each order line of each of the orders corresponds to an article type which is stored in each case in a source container, wherein the system has: a store configured to store a multiplicity of the source containers; a goods-to-person station having a number of buffer locations for target containers; a transport system configured to transport the source containers from the store to the goods-to-person station, and vice versa; and a control device configured to generate a source container sequence representing an order in which the source containers are to be provided for successive processing of the orders at the goods-to-person station; wherein the control device is further configured to bundle the single-line orders into a bundle order representing a further multi-line order and replacing the single-line orders during the generation of the source container sequence.

Description

Maverick Bundle This disclosure relates to a material flow from source containers in a storage and picking system designed for goods-to-person picking of individual items. Specifically, the source container material flow is optimized during the processing of picking orders in online retail by bundling certain orders to reduce sequencing requirements. More generally, this disclosure relates to order fulfillment during picking. Order fulfillment can encompass the entire process of handling a customer order within a warehouse or distribution center, i.e., from order acceptance to delivery of the ordered goods. This process includes several steps that ensure the correct items are picked in the correct quantity and delivered to the customer quickly and efficiently. Typical steps in order processing are: i) Order receipt: the order is recorded and entered into the system, often automatically via an electronic ordering system; ii) Order verification: the order is checked, and it is ensured that all necessary information is present and the ordered items are available; iii) Batch formation: in many cases, several orders are combined into a processing lot to make picking more efficient; iv) Material flow planning and prioritization: for each (source and / or destination) container, an optimal route through the warehouse at an optimal time must be determined, and orders must be handled according to priorities (e.g., delivery deadlines); v) Picking: the actual removal of the items from the storage locations.-containers, which can be done manually by people or automatically by a robot; vi) Inspection and packaging: after removal from the storage container(s) and after placement in a destination, order or shipping container, the items are inspected to ensure they meet the requirements, after which they can be securely packaged for shipment, if necessary; vii) Shipment preparation: appropriate packages can be labeled with shipping labels and sorted according to the shipping method; and viii) Delivery: the completed shipments are prepared for dispatch or delivered directly to the customer. The concept of this disclosure deals in particular with the planning and implementation of material flow. Planning the material flow is complex because the source and destination containers must arrive at a goods-to-person (HSP) picking station in a synchronized manner, i.e., they must be present at the same time, especially if the associated picking orders are processed sequentially. In this case, "sequentially" means that the sequence of both the source and destination containers must be planned and monitored in advance (meticulously) by a material flow computer. Finding a solution becomes increasingly complex the more branched the associated transport network is, particularly because several alternative transport routes are available. If one of the containers (source or destination) does not arrive on time, the entire system is affected.When a container arrives at the picking station synchronized with its corresponding container (destination or source), sequence errors occur. The containers can no longer be provided at the station simultaneously. This leads to undesirable delays and container jams. Throughput decreases. Mistakes can propagate further and further in the future and can become ever larger. It is difficult to resolve such errors during normal operation. Sequence errors can be reduced by increasing the number of buffer locations for target containers at the respective picking station. In this case, the station or picking station requires more space. The investment costs per station increase. The more orders (destinations) that can be processed in parallel at the station, due to sufficient buffer space, the more likely it is that a sufficient number of supplies cannot be provided per unit of time. In this case, the order picker may have to take unwanted breaks because they are not continuously supplied with containers. This problem is exacerbated if the order structure is characterized by handling very few order lines per order on average. In this case, a large number of storage containers must be provided per unit of time. DE 10 2010 016 124 A1, according to its title, relates to a sorting method and a sorting device. EP 4 194 376 A1, according to its title, relates to a picking station and a method for the automatic picking of goods. WO 2018 / 006 112 A1, according to its title, relates to a method for picking articles and a picking station. WO 2023 / 272 321 A1, according to its title, relates to a method for transferring goods from a long-term storage facility to a short-term buffer and a storage and picking system for this purpose. It is therefore an objective of the present disclosure to provide a storage and order picking system as well as a method for generating and implementing a corresponding material flow that overcomes the disadvantages described above. This task is solved by a storage and picking system for picking individual items from a large number of customer orders, wherein the orders comprise at least one multi-line order as well as a large number of single-line orders, with each order line from each of the orders belonging to one, preferably different, type of item. The system comprises: a storage unit configured to hold a plurality of source containers; a processing station with a number of buffer locations for destination containers; a transport system configured to transport the source containers from the storage unit to the processing station, and preferably the destination containers to and from the processing station; and a control unit configured, preferably based on customer orders, to generate a source container sequence representing a sequence in which the source containers are to be provided for the successive processing of the orders at the processing station by means of the transport system; wherein the control unit is further configured to bundle the single-line orders into a bundle order, which represents another multi-line order and replaces the single-line orders during the generation of the source container sequence. One initial advantage is that the requirements for sequencing the source containers during their delivery to the station are less stringent. It is possible for the source containers to exchange positions within a delivery sequence. This simplifies the planning and generation of the source container sequence by the control unit. A second advantage is that more source containers can be transported to the station per unit of time. This means that more order lines can be processed at the station per unit of time. Picking and processing efficiency is increased. A third advantage is that the person processing orders at the station experiences fewer, and ideally no, periods of downtime. The person works continuously without interruption, resulting in better utilization of their time. Another advantage is that the station can be equipped with fewer buffer spaces for the target containers while maintaining the same sequencing requirements. In other words, this means that the investment costs per station can be reduced while maintaining consistent sequencing quality. Preferably, the control device is also configured to define (especially in advance) a sequence of orders in which the orders are to be processed successively at the WzP station. The order sequence directly affects the source container sequence. Each order determines which source container it requires for processing at the station. Once the order sequence is established, planning complexity is reduced by one degree of freedom, thus simplifying the planning process. Order sequence enables more efficient planning and execution of tasks at the station, as the order of order processing is predetermined. Furthermore, processing time can be reduced and organizational efficiency increased. Preferably, each of the single-line orders that are bundled into the bundle order requires the provision of exactly one of the source containers. The single-line jobs are therefore not hidden multi-line jobs. These truly single-line jobs previously increased the requirements for the source container sequence when generated without the bundle optimization described here. Furthermore, assigning exactly one source container per single-line order simplifies order picking and can minimize errors, as each order can be served quickly and directly from a single specific source container. Preferably, the orders correspond to an order structure with an average number of order lines per order that is less than or equal to two. Experience and simulations have shown that the efficiency gains are particularly pronounced with this key performance indicator. The corresponding order structures contain a sufficient number of single-line orders for the optimization to have a noticeable effect. This limitation can promote the optimization of the system for small and medium order sizes or order structures. This is particularly relevant in environments such as... An example in online retail, with many smaller customer orders, which are advantageous due to few order lines and small quantities. Preferably, the control device is further configured to assign each of the orders, in particular single-line and multi-line orders, its own sequence slot in the source container sequence, wherein each of the sequence slots defines: in particular at least one of the source containers for each of the single-line orders; and a number of source containers corresponding to a number of order lines for the at least one multi-line order and for the bundle order; wherein, in particular, within the sequence slots assigned to the at least one multi-line order and the bundle order, the order of the corresponding source containers may be arbitrary. The individual allocation of sequence slots enables precise control and management of the source containers, simplifying the execution of complex orders and the simultaneous processing of different order types. Preferably, the control device is further configured to assign each of the single-line orders of the bundle order its own separate target container, in particular only at a time (in terms of data processing) as soon as the processing of the respective single-line order of the bundle order begins at the WzP station, whereby the corresponding target container is empty. The source container sequence does not need to be synchronized with a destination container sequence because the so-called "job start" for the destination containers only occurs at the station. Therefore, the overall sequencing requirements are reduced. Preferably, the control device is further configured to assign at least one target container to each of the single-line and multi-line orders in advance, wherein the target containers are to be provided at the WzP station in a target container sequence that is synchronized with the source container sequence for processing the corresponding orders. Pre-assigning destination containers for the purpose of synchronization with the source container sequence facilitates smooth and orderly order processing, which can improve material flow and time management. Preferably, the control device is further configured to extend the bundle order (dynamically) by additional single-line orders, which are inserted into the multitude of orders only after an initial bundling. In this context, "dynamic" means that the bundle order is generated "on a rolling basis." Additional single-line orders are added to the bundle order in real time after the bundle order has already been generated. The bundle order grows and shrinks dynamically. This accurately reflects the reality in which order input never truly ends. While an initially generated source container sequence is being processed, new single-line orders can be received, preferably resulting in an update of a remaining source container sequence. Preferably, the control device is further configured to determine the number of buffer positions for target containers that are actively operated at the WzP station based on an order structure and the bundle order, wherein the determination is in particular further based on an order key figure that represents an average number of pieces per order line, and / or based on a source container fill key figure that represents an average number of pieces per (fully filled) source container. In this case, the adaptability of the number of buffer locations is based on order and source container key figures, which enables optimization of resource utilization and allows the system to be adapted to varying operating conditions. Not all buffer locations at the station need to be in operation. For example, the station might have six buffer locations, but only four might be active because this better suits the current order structure, allowing the order picker to work without interruption. Preferably, the source containers assigned to the multi-line order may be provided at the WzP station in any order. Flexibility in the order in which source containers are provided for multi-line orders enables more efficient use of the transport system. It can help minimize waiting times and maximize throughput at the station, especially when certain source containers are available more quickly than others. This can be very beneficial in dynamic environments where container availability fluctuates. Preferably, the control device is further configured to transmit the generated source container sequence to the transport system, and the transport system is further configured to implement a material flow of the source containers according to the transmitted source container sequence, in particular by generating corresponding source container-specific transport commands that are transmitted to components of the transport system for implementation by the components. Direct transmission of the source container sequence from the control unit to the transport system ensures precise and timely control of the material flow. This improves the efficiency and accuracy of the entire picking process by ensuring that the correct source containers are in the right place at the right time. Integrating specific transport commands can increase automation and reduce errors caused by human intervention in the operational process. The aforementioned problem is further solved by a method for generating a source container sequence by a control device of a storage and picking system, which is set up for unit load picking and which is designed in particular according to the type mentioned above, comprising: providing a plurality of customer orders, wherein the orders comprise at least one multi-line order as well as a plurality of single-line orders, each order line of each of the orders corresponding to one, preferably different, type of item, each of which is stored, in particular in a single-type manner, in a source container; bundling the single-line orders into a bundle order, which represents a further multi-line order; generating the source container; container sequence, which represents an order in which the source containers defined by the order lines are to be provided for the successive processing of the orders at the WzP station by means of a transport system, whereby the single-line orders are replaced by the bundle order. One initial advantage is that the requirements for sequencing the source containers when they are delivered to the station are less stringent. The planning and generation of the source container sequence by the control unit is simplified. A second advantage is that more source containers can be transported to the station per unit of time. This means that more order lines can be processed at the station per unit of time. Picking and processing efficiency is increased. A third advantage is that the person processing orders at the station experiences fewer, and ideally no, periods of downtime. The person works continuously without interruption, resulting in better utilization of their time. Another advantage is that the station can be equipped with fewer buffer spaces for the target containers while maintaining the same sequencing requirements. In other words, this means that the investment costs per station can be reduced while maintaining consistent sequencing quality. Preferably, the control device further transmits the generated source container sequence to the transport system, and the transport system implements a material flow of the source containers according to the transmitted source container sequence, in particular by generating corresponding source container-specific transport commands that are transmitted to components of the transport system for implementation by the components. These measures result in improved coordination between the control unit and the transport system. By transmitting the generated source container sequence directly to the transport system, which then uses this sequence to determine specific transport- By generating and implementing port commands, the overall efficiency of the material flow is increased. This leads to faster and more precise delivery of the required source containers to the station, saving time and reducing the potential for errors. Preferably, each of the single-line orders that are bundled into the bundle order requires the provision of exactly one of the source containers. Limiting each single-line order to exactly one source container simplifies order handling. This leads to streamlined and more transparent order picking, as each single-line order can be processed faster and more efficiently without having to coordinate multiple containers simultaneously. This increases both the speed and accuracy of order picking. Preferably, the orders correspond to an order structure with an average number of order lines per order that is less than or equal to two. Limiting the number of orders to two or fewer lines on average aims to optimize the system for smaller and less complex orders. This simplifies handling and enables faster order processing, which is particularly beneficial in environments with many small or less complex orders. It allows for quick turnaround times and minimizes order processing, thus improving the overall efficiency of the system. It is understood that the aforementioned features and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without leaving the scope of the present concept. Examples of the concept are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. They show: Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a storage and order picking system; Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a customer order; Fig. 3 shows a multi-line order in tabular form; Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a system according to Fig. 1; Fig. 5 shows a visualization of a source vessel sequence moving towards a WzP station with two target vessel buffer positions; Fig. 6 shows a flowchart of a process for generating a source vessel sequence; Fig. 7 shows a graph illustrating an increase in efficiency by comparing order picking with bundle optimization and without optimization; Fig. 8 Order structures for different average lines / order; Fig. 9 shows a block diagram of a processing circuit; and Fig. 10 a block diagram of a processor and a memory device. The present concept is particularly relevant in intralogistics. The term "intralogistics" refers to the organization, control, execution, and optimization of all internal material flow and storage processes. This discipline encompasses the management of goods movements within a company's boundaries, including warehousing, transportation, and distribution. Intralogistics plays a crucial role in the efficiency and productivity of production and warehousing operations by integrating modern technologies and systems such as automated conveyor systems, robots, warehouse management software, and advanced information technologies. The main objectives of intralogistics include optimizing the flow of goods within the company to shorten delivery times, reduce costs, improve space utilization, and / or increase productivity.By using intralogistics systems, the company can not only improve its... to make internal processes more efficient, but also to create a basis for seamless integration with global supply chains. The term "material flow" refers to the movement of goods within, through, or out of a production and / or storage area. It encompasses all processes related to the physical movement of goods, including transportation, storage, order picking, and delivery. Material flow is a core component of intralogistics. Its aim is to optimize efficiency in the production and distribution of goods and to ensure they are available at the right place at the right time. Effective material flow management minimizes downtime, reduces inventory, and accelerates order processing times. Optimizations in material flow can be achieved through automation, improved facility layouts, and the use of advanced planning and control systems. The present concept is used particularly for order picking of individual items, which are stored, for example, in source containers 20 in a warehouse 18 (see Fig. 1). The term "order picking" refers to a process in which specific (individual) goods, items, products, etc., are assembled from a total assortment according to customer orders 34 (see Figs. 2 and 3). The terms goods, items, products, and similar terms are used interchangeably in the following. This process is, for example, a central component of distribution or production logistics. The process usually begins with the receipt of a customer order 34, whereupon the required items are taken from the warehouse stock, packed, and prepared for shipment. Order picking is crucial for the efficiency of the supply chain, as it directly influences delivery times and contributes to customer satisfaction.It can be done manually by employees or automatically using technical systems such as robots or automated storage and retrieval systems that bring the necessary products directly to the (picking) person or the robot. When a person is mentioned below, this always includes a robot as an alternative. In other words, this means that no distinction is made between manual and automated picking of individual items. A distinction is made between the items from source container 20 and the discharge of the removed items into target container 16. However, the present concept operates on a goods-to-person principle. The term "goods-to-person" (WTP) refers to how a storage and order picking system 10, cf. Fig. 1, is operated, which is hereinafter also referred to as system 10. In this system, the items are automatically transported to a (stationary) workstation or picking station 12, hereinafter also referred to as WTP station 12, where a person performs the order picking. This system 10 is particularly efficient in environments with a high variety of items and a high throughput (number of fully picked orders per unit of time) because it reduces or eliminates travel time for the personnel. In other words, this means that the order pickers (almost) do not have to walk to retrieve and return an item to be picked. This represents the essential difference to "person-to-goods" (P2W) solutions.With pick-and-place (PzW) solutions, the employee physically walks to the storage locations of the items to retrieve and collect the required items according to customer orders. In a PzW system, employees walk along the warehouse shelves, for example, and manually pick the goods. This can be done using lists, paper orders, or digitally supported by mobile devices such as handheld scanners or tablets, which provide employees with precise storage location and customer order information. However, this system requires more time for employees to travel, which can negatively impact efficiency, especially in large warehouses. In the WzP system described here, automated transport systems 22, such as (continuous) conveyors, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS / RS), shuttles, or other (mobile, self-driving, autonomous, discontinuous) robotic solutions (AMR, AGV, or AGV), are typically used to transport the required items from their storage locations to the picking station. The picking stations are hereinafter also referred to as WzP stations 12, which are workstations where source containers 20 for retrieval and destination containers 16 for return are automatically provided to personnel. An AS / RS is a type of automated storage technology that typically consists of the following components: i) racking; ii) storage and retrieval machines (SRMs) for automated retrieval. Storage and retrieval of the source containers 20 into and out of racks 28; iii) Conveyors for material flow connection with other areas, such as the WzP stations 12; and / or iv) Control systems (material flow computer, warehouse management computer, etc.) that can control the operation of the RBG and the transport system 22 and manage stock levels. Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of the (storage and order picking) system 10. The system 10 is configured for picking individual items from a large number of customer orders (hereinafter also referred to simply as "orders") 34, wherein the orders 34 comprise a large number of single-line orders 36 and at least one multi-line order 38, as will be described in more detail below with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. The system 10 comprises: at least one picking station 12 with at least one, preferably several, buffer positions 14 for each destination container 16; a storage facility 18 configured for storing a large number of source containers 20; a transport system 22; and a control unit 24. Warehouse 18 can have the storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) 26 described above, with, for example, racks 28 for storing the source containers 20, which can be stored / retrieved, for example, by a stacker crane (e.g., shuttle). It is understood that each of the source containers 20 can be implemented by a load carrier, such as a (PVC) box, a carton, a tray, an overhead conveyor bag, a pallet, or similar, which is filled—preferably by type—with a variety of items that can be removed individually. These can also be so-called multipacks. A "single-item" or "single-type" source container 20 refers to a container that is filled exclusively with items of a single type or variety. This means that no mixing with other types of items takes place in such a container.An exception is so-called compartment-divided source containers 20, whose storage volume is divided into several compartments by partitions, with the compartments being filled with items of a single type. The advantage is that warehousing and order picking are simplified, and the error rate in processing orders 34 is minimized. It also facilitates inventory management, as there is a clear overview of which and how many items are in each storage container (source container 20). This can be done in the automated system 10. Furthermore, it contributes to increasing the efficiency of the storage and retrieval process by reducing handling times and improving throughput times. This method is often used in industries where accuracy and speed in order processing are crucial, such as e-commerce or the pharmaceutical industry, where this concept is particularly well-suited. The transport system 22 can include continuous conveyors 30 (e.g., roller conveyors, belt conveyors, chain conveyors, overhead conveyors, etc.) and / or discontinuous conveyors 32 (e.g., AGVs, AMRs, drones, etc.) of the type described above. The transport system 22 is configured to transport the source containers 20 from the storage area 18 to the processing station 12, and vice versa. The transport system 22 can also be configured to transport the destination containers 16 to and from the processing station 12. Figure 2 illustrates, in the form of a block diagram, essentially two types of customer order 34, which will subsequently be referred to simply as "order" 34 and which is processed by system 10. Basically, there are single-line orders 36 and multi-line orders 38. The multi-line orders 38 each comprise several (order) lines 40. Each of the orders 34 processed by system 10 therefore has either one (single) or several order lines 40. In other words, each of the single-line orders 36 has exactly one line 40, whereas each of the multi-line orders 38 has more than one line 40. Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary order 34. Order 34 in Figure 3 is shown in tabular form. Order 34 in Figure 3 is an example of a multi-line order 38, which is surrounded by a dashed line for clarity. The multi-line order 38 consists, for example, of six lines 40-1 to 40-6, of which lines 40-2 to 40-4 are not shown. Generally, each of the lines 40 is defined by at least one item type (see first column) and a corresponding quantity (see second column). Further item attributes, such as packaging type (bottle, tablets, multipack), volume, expiration date, etc., could be provided in additional columns, which are not shown here for the sake of simplicity. Furthermore, no information about the respective customer or client (e.g., their address) is included here. and / or individualizing customer number) illustrates that this information is of secondary importance for the implementation of the present concept. The first line, 40-1, of the multi-line order 38 in Fig. 3 indicates, by way of example, that the customer has ordered five units (e.g., packs) of "Aspirin". The customer could be a pharmacy owner. The fifth line, 40-5, indicates that the multi-line order 38 also includes a pack of "Nasivin". The sixth line, 40-6, specifies one hundred bottles of "cough syrup". The second to fourth lines, 40-2 to 40-4, are omitted for simplicity. If order 34 in Fig. 3 consisted, for example, only of line 40-5, order 34 would be a single-line order 36-1 (see dashed line), according to which the customer ordered one pack of "Nasivin". Alternatively, if order 34 in Fig. 3 consisted, for example, only of line 40-6, order 34 would be another single-line order 36-2 (see dashed line), according to which the customer ordered one hundred bottles of cough syrup. Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration of the system 10 according to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 essentially shows three areas of the system 10: an (upper) area for the storage 18; a (middle) area for the transport system 22; and a (lower) area 42 for a plurality of WzP stations 12. The storage facility 18 can be formed from a plurality of racks 28, with each pair of opposing racks 28 defining an aisle between them in which a stacker crane operates to store the source containers 20 in the racks 28 and retrieve them from the racks 28. The transport system 22 could be formed from roller conveyors and belt conveyors, which can be configured in two tiers to spatially separate the storage and retrieval flows of the source containers 20. The transport system 22 is arranged between the storage facility 18 and the stations 12. The transport system 22 connects the storage facility 18 with the stations 12 with respect to the material flow of the source containers 20. The transport system 22 can also be used to transport the destination containers 16 to and from the stations 12. Preferably, the destination containers 16 and the source containers 20 are transported by means of separate partial transport systems. In Fig. 4, area 42 comprises, by way of example, six WzP stations 12-1 to 12-6. It is understood that more or fewer stations 12 can be provided. Each of the stations 12-1 to 12-6 is equipped with, by way of example, four buffer positions 14, so that at each station 12 four target containers 16 – and thus also four orders 34 – can be processed simultaneously. In this case, one also speaks of “parallel” (single-stage) order processing. The buffer positions 14 of station 12 can be connected to a target container conveyor system ZB-FT, which could represent one of the sub-transport systems. Each of the stations 12 is connected to a source container conveyor system QB-FB, which could represent the other of the sub-transport systems. The QB-FT is part of the transport system 22. Fig. 5 schematically illustrates a section of a source container sequence 44. This section includes, by way of example, six source containers 20 for three orders 34. The source container sequence 44 is generated (in advance) by the control unit 24 to regulate a source container material flow and generally defines a sequence in which selected source containers 20 are to be transported from storage 18 (also not shown here) to a production station 12, which in Fig. 5 has, by way of example, two buffer positions 14-1 and 14-2, by means of the transport system 22 (not shown here). The selection of the source containers 20 is based on the orders 34. The control unit 24 is configured to generate corresponding transport commands for the transport system 22 based on the source container sequence 44. The transport commands are source container-specific.This means that for each (selected) source container 20 a transport command is generated, which defines a specific (transport) route, including corresponding (transport) times, from the corresponding storage location to the respective station 12, i.e. through the network of the transport system 22. At station 12 of Fig. 5, several orders 34, which together form an order pool 46 (see dashed line), are to be picked or processed by: transporting the order-specific source containers 20 to station 12; taking the respective items specified by order 34 in the corresponding quantity from the respective source container 20; and placing the taken items into the destination container(s) 16 assigned to this order 34 (depending on the order scope). For the sake of simplicity, the following The illustration assumes that one target container 16 is sufficient to hold all items of order 34. In the example shown in Fig. 5, four orders 34-1 to 34-4 from order pool 46 are depicted, although the pool can generally contain more (or fewer) orders 34. Each of these four orders 34-1 to 34-4 is assigned, for illustrative purposes, a single target container 16, of which only target containers 16-1 and 16-2 are shown in Fig. 5. Target containers 16-1 and 16-2 are already positioned in buffer locations 14-1 and 14-2, so that the first two orders 34-1 and 34-2 can be processed simultaneously. Generally, the orders 34 are processed successively at station(s) 12. In this disclosure, "successive" means that the orders 34 are processed in a sequential order or step by step. The orders 34 are processed one after the other, i.e., one after the other. However, depending on the number of buffer locations 14 per station 12, a corresponding number of orders 34 can still be picked or processed simultaneously. In the example of Fig. 5, two orders 34 can therefore be picked in parallel during a general successive processing of all orders 34. The first two orders 34-1 and 34-2 in Fig. 5 are exemplary multi-line orders 38-1 and 38-2, respectively. This is reflected in the source container subsequence 44-1, which is assigned to these orders 38-1 and 38-2. Subsequence 44-1 comprises, by way of example, a total of five source containers 20: three for the three-line order 38-1 and two for the two-line order 38-2. Within subsequence 44-1, the order in which orders 34-1 and 34-2 are provided, and in particular the order in which the corresponding source containers 20 are provided at station 12 within each order 34-1 or 34-2, is not relevant. This means that the order-specific source containers 20, selected by the control unit 24 for each of orders 34-1 and 34-2, may be provided at station 12 in any order. This is illustrated by way of example in Fig. 5, in which the third source container 20 of the first order 34-1 or 38-1 in sequence 44, or in the associated subsequence 44-1, is located in front of the other two (first and second) source containers 20 of the first Orders 34-1 and 38-1 may be provided at station 12. The source containers 20 of the first order, 34-1 and 38-1, may therefore be mixed with respect to their (internal) sequence, which reduces the corresponding sequencing requirements. For example, the retrieval sequence from storage 18 could thus be planned more flexibly. The same applies to the (external) sequence of the two orders, 34-1 and 34-2. The source containers 20 of the first order, 34-1 and 38-1, may be provided mixed with the source containers 20 of the second order, 34-2 and 38-2. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the first source container 20 of the second order, 34-2 and 38-2, is provided at station 12 (in terms of timing) before the third source container 20 of the first order, 34-1 and 38-1. In general, no sequencing requirements are imposed: i) on the (inner) provisioning sequence of the source containers 20 within the same multi-line order 38; and ii) also not on the (outer) provisioning sequence of the source containers 20 within a group of orders 34 to be processed simultaneously at station 12, which may nevertheless include single-line orders 36 (also with several source containers 20 each) and multi-line orders 38. Figure 5 also illustrates that sequence 44 must be maintained with respect to the (single-line) order 34-3. In other words, the source containers 20 of subsequence 44-1 (sequence slot) assigned to the first and second orders 34-1 and 34-2, and subsequence 44-2 (sequence slot) assigned to the third single-line order 34-3 or 34-1, must not be mixed, i.e., their order must not be changed. The source containers 20 of the second subsequence 44-2 may only be provided at station 12 once at least one of the buffer slots 14-1 or 14-2 has become available to receive the corresponding destination container 16-3. This is taken into account by the control unit 24 when generating sequence 44.One of the buffer spaces 14 will be free when all items from both orders 34-1 and 34-2 have been taken from the associated source containers 20 and placed into the assigned destination containers 16, after which they are transported away from station 12 by the transport system 20. In principle, the sequencing requirements for system 10, and especially for control unit 24, increase if each of the orders 34 is pre-assigned to a specific target container 16. In this case, the material flows of the source containers 20 and target containers 16 assigned to each other (via the orders 34) must be coordinated (synchronized) so that the corresponding source containers 20 and target containers 16 are present at station 12 simultaneously. It follows from the explanations above that the sequencing requirements increase as the order pool 46 contains more single-line orders 36, because their source containers 20 must not exchange their respective positions within sequence 44 with other source containers 20 of sequence 44, as described above. In other words, the order of the sub-sequences must be maintained. The sequencing requirements also increase if station 12 has only a few buffer locations 14 for the target containers 16. For example, if station 12 in Fig. 5 had only a single buffer location 14, the source containers 20 of the first order 34-1 and 38-1 could not be mixed with the source containers 20 of the second order 34-2 and 38-2 (not shown in Fig. 5). In other words, this means that the subsequence 44-1 would have to be divided (and ordered) into two subsequences 44-1A and 44-1B, with subsequence 44-1A comprising the three source containers 20 of the first order 34-1 and 38-1, and subsequence 44-1B comprising the two source containers 20 of the second order 34-2 and 38-2. To simplify the generation of the source vessel sequence 44, the present concept provides the procedure described below. Fig. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a method 100 for generating a source vessel sequence 44 by the control unit 24 of the system 10. In step S102, a plurality of customer orders 34 are provided to the control unit 24, wherein the orders 34 comprise at least one multi-line order 38 and a plurality of single-line orders 36. Each order line 40 of each of the provided orders 34 corresponds to one, preferably different, item type, each stored in a pure form in one of the source containers 20, as described above. Provision can be effected by electronically reading a corresponding data record into a data storage device of the control unit 24. The data record can be generated by an electronic ordering system and transmitted to the control unit 34, which receives, processes, and prepares the customer orders in the form of customer orders 34. In step S104, the control unit 24 groups the single-line orders 36 into one or more bundled orders 48, each of which represents a further multi-part order 38 (see the dashed line around Nasivin and cough syrup in Fig. 3). Single-line orders 36 no longer exist after bundling. For this purpose, the control unit 24 can include a processor, a computer, or similar device configured with algorithms to perform corresponding functions, which can be stored in the data storage device. Preferably, step S104 also includes an analysis of the provided data set to identify, in particular, the single-line orders 36, preferably considering only those single-line orders 36 that can be processed by providing a single source container 20 at station 12. In other words, the control device 24 divides the plurality of orders 34 into two groups: the single-line orders 36 and the multi-line orders 38. Preferably, all single-line orders 36 are combined into a single bundle order 48. In this context, it is interesting to note that the article types associated with the single-line orders 36 play no role in the bundling process. In other words, each of the single-line orders 36 that are bundled can define a different article type, but it doesn't have to. This is not a conventional article-type-based batch formation. The advantage is that, from the perspective of sequence 44 (see Fig. 5), the multitude of small sub-sequences—each comprising a single source container 20—(see, for example, sub-sequence 44-2 in Fig. 5) become one large, complete sub-sequence, within which the associated source containers 20 are now allowed to change their order. This, in turn, means that— In other words, an associated source container 20 may now also be outsourced sooner or later compared to a sequence without bundle optimization. Also worth mentioning is the aspect that single-line orders 36, in particular, can be considered and taken into account where the corresponding article types can be provided by a single source container 20 at station 12 alone. In this context, reference is again made to Fig. 3. The provision of one unit of Nasivin is undoubtedly achieved by a single source container 20. When providing one hundred units of cough syrup, the question of how many source containers 20 are required for this provision depends in particular on how many units of cough syrup can be held per source container 20. If, for example, each source container 20 can only hold fifty units of cough syrup due to its capacity, then it is clear that the required quantity can only be provided in the form of two source containers 20. Providing several source containers 20 can, for example,This also occurs in a case where a source container 20, despite sufficient capacity, only holds a remaining quantity that is less than the required number of pieces, so that another source container 20 containing the same type of item must be accessed. This type of single-line order 36 does not represent a "true" single-line order 36 for which the bundle optimization described above works, because the two or more source containers 20 required for this must not change their position within the sequence, i.e., they must be provided directly one after the other as a contiguous package. Furthermore, it should be noted that it is not necessary to assign a specific target container 16 to the single-line orders 36 in advance. The single-line orders 36 are picked into empty target containers 16. The so-called "order start" takes place at station 12. This means that the respective single-line order 36 (of the bundle order 48) is only linked to the target container 16 in the data when a picked item is placed in this target container 16, i.e., when processing (physically) begins. Each of the target containers 16 generally has a unique identifier, which is permanently assigned to the respective order 34 or 36 by means of a data link for the future. The identifier of the target container 16 can be determined in the area of ​​the buffer location 14, e.g., by automatically scanning a corresponding barcode that may be attached to the target container 16. In this context, there is no requirement for sequencing because any empty target container 16 can be used to process the single-line orders 36 of the batch order 48. In step S106 of Fig. 6, the control unit 24 generates the source container sequence 44, which represents a sequence in which the source containers 20 - defined by the order lines 40 - are to be provided for the successive processing of the orders 34 at the WzP station(s) 12 by means of the transport system 22, whereby the single-line orders 36 are replaced by the bundle order 48. In a further step, the control unit 24 can transmit the generated source container sequence 44 to the transport system 22. The transport system 22 can then implement a material flow of the source containers according to the transmitted source container sequence 44, in particular by generating corresponding, source container-specific transport commands, which are transmitted to components of the transport system 22 for implementation by the components. These components can be, for example, individual conveyors, diverters at discharge points and / or infeed points, or similar. Figure 7 shows a graph illustrating the performance improvement of the bundle optimization described above by comparing the order structure (X-axis) with a source container throughput (Y-axis). The order structure is defined by the average number of order lines (40) per order (34). The source container throughput is defined by the number of source container deliveries (20) to station (12) per hour. The source container throughput also corresponds to the number of order lines processed (40) per hour. These throughputs are a measure of the picking efficiency of system (10). In the following, particular points of the efficiency curves 62 and 64 of Fig. 7 will be considered, where curve 62 represents the efficiency without bundle optimization and curve 64 represents the efficiency taking bundle optimization into account. This represents the following special points: an order structure with an average of 1.2 lines per order, on the left side of the graph; an order structure with an average of two lines per order, slightly further to the right in the graph; an order structure with an average of three lines per order; and an order structure with an average of five lines per order, on the far right of the graph. With the exception of the last order structure, the corresponding distributions are illustrated by way of example in Figures 8A-C. Figure 8A illustrates, for instance, that almost 80% of the orders, which on average have 1.2 lines per order, are single-line orders (in the broad sense), whereas the remaining 20% ​​are distributed among multi-line orders, which in the example of Figure 8A include only two- and three-line orders. The order structure of Figure 8A is representative of online retail, where many customers place numerous orders, each containing only a single item type. The order structure of Figure 8B, where the orders have an average of two lines, is significantly more broadly distributed, with the proportion of single-line orders being considerably lower (just under 40%). This becomes even clearer in the order structure of Figure 8C, where each order has an average of three lines.There, the proportion of single-line orders is even lower (just over 10%). The order structure in Fig. 8C may be representative for deliveries to branches (e.g., pharmacies), where the proportion of multi-line orders is significantly higher. Figure 7 most clearly illustrates the efficiency increase (of almost 10%) with an order structure averaging 1.2 lines per order (see Figure 8A). Bundle optimization is therefore particularly beneficial in online retail. During order picking, more source containers 20 can be transported to the station(s) 12 per unit of time. The more source containers 20 can be transported to the station(s) 12 per unit of time, the more order lines 40 can be processed, i.e., picked, per unit of time. However, this does not necessarily mean that a correspondingly larger number of orders 34 can be processed per unit of time. In other words, with an average of 1.2 lines per order, approximately 300 more source containers 20 can be transported to station 12 per hour, which, based on experience, corresponds to processing an additional 200 orders 34. For order structures with an average of two lines per order or more, the efficiency gain decreases significantly. In other words, the batch optimization described here is particularly advantageous for order structures with an average of two or fewer lines per order. Next, hardware configurations of the control unit 24 and / or the transport system 22 controller will be described. FIG. 9 shows a diagram illustrating a first exemplary hardware configuration that implements each function of the control unit 24 and / or the transport system 22 controller. FIG. 10 shows a diagram illustrating a second exemplary hardware configuration that implements each function of the control unit 24 and / or the transport system 22 controller. It should be noted that each function of the control unit 24 and / or the transport system 22 controller relates to each of the functions described above. Each of the functions could be implemented using a processing circuit 50. In the case where dedicated hardware is used, the dedicated processing circuit 50 could be a single circuit, a composite circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a custom-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a combination thereof. The functions of the control device 24 and / or the transport system 22 could each be implemented by a processing circuit, or they could be implemented collectively by a processing circuit.

[0096] Furthermore, in FIG. 10, the processing circuit 50 has been replaced by a processor 52 and a storage device 54. The processor 52 could be an arithmetic mean, such as an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a central processing unit (CPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP). Examples of the storage device 54 also include non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memories, such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), and electrical EPROM (EEPROM (registered trademark)). In a case where the processor 52 and the storage device 54 are used, each of the functions of the control unit 24 and / or the control of the transport system 22 is implemented by software, firmware, or a combination thereof. The software or firmware is written in the form of a computer-readable program and stored in the storage device 54. The processor 56 reads and executes such programs stored in the storage device 54. These programs can cause a computer to execute procedures and processes for the respective functions of the control unit 24 and / or the control of the transport system 22. For example, the storage device 54 can be a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory, such as a ROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a floppy disk, an optical disc, a compact disc, or a DVD. Some of the functions of the control unit 24 and / or the control of the transport system 22 could be implemented by hardware, and other functions could be implemented by software or firmware. For example, the functions of the control unit 24 could be implemented using dedicated hardware, and the functions of the control of the transport system 22 could be implemented using the processor 52 and the memory device 54. The configurations shown in the above embodiments are examples, and it is possible to combine the configurations with another known method or to combine the embodiments with each other, and it is also possible to partially omit or modify the configurations without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. Reference symbol list: 10 Storage and order picking systems 12 WzP station 14 Buffer space for target container 16 target containers 18 warehouses 20 source containers 22 transport system 24 Control unit 26 Storage and retrieval system 28 shelves 30 continuous conveyors 32 discontinuous conveyors 34 Customer order 36 Single-line order 38 Multi-line order 40 order line 42 Area for WzP stations 44 Source container sequence 46 Order pool 48 bundle order

Claims

REQUIREMENTS 1. Storage and order picking system (10) for a general cargo Picking a plurality of customer orders (34), wherein the orders (34) comprise at least one multi-line order (38) and a plurality of single-line orders (36), each order line (40) of each of the orders (34) corresponding to an item type, each stored in a source container (20), the system (10) comprising: a warehouse (18) configured to store a plurality of the source containers (20); a goods-to-person (HSP) station (12) with a number of buffer locations (14) for destination containers (16); a transport system (22) configured to transport the source containers (20) from the warehouse (18) to the HSP station (12), and vice versa; and a control device (24) which is set up to generate a source container sequence (44) which represents a sequence in which the source containers (20) are to be provided for the successive processing of the orders (34) at the WzP station (12) by means of the transport system (22);wherein the control device (24) is further configured to bundle the single-line orders (36) into a bundle order (48) which represents a further multi-line order (38) and which replaces the single-line orders (36) during the generation of the source container sequence (44).

2. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the control device (24) is further configured to determine an order sequence in which the orders (34) are to be processed successively at the WzP station (12).

3. System (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the single-line orders (36) that are bundled to form the bundle order (40) requires the provision of exactly one of the source containers (20).

4. System (10) according to one of claims 1-3, wherein the orders (34) correspond to an order structure with an average number of order lines (40) per order (34) that is less than or equal to two.

5. System (10) according to one of claims 1-4, wherein the control device (24) is further configured to assign each of the orders (34, 36, 38) its own sequence slot (44-1, 44-2) in the source container sequence (44), and each of the sequence slots (44-1, 44-2) defines: one of the source containers (20) for each of the single-line orders (36), and a number of source containers (20) corresponding to a number of order lines (40) for the at least one multi-line order (38) and for the bundle order (40); wherein, in particular, within the sequence slots (44-1, 44-2) assigned to the at least one multi-line order (38) and the bundle order (40), the order of provision of the corresponding source containers (20) may be arbitrary.

6. System (10) according to one of claims 1-5, wherein the control device (24) is further configured to assign each of the single-line orders (36) of the bundle order (48) its own separate destination container (16) at a time when the processing of the respective single-line order (96) of the bundle order (48) begins at the WzP station (12), wherein the corresponding destination container (16) is empty.

7. System (10) according to one of claims 1-6, wherein the control device (24) is further configured to assign at least one target container (16) to each of the single-line and multi-line orders (36, 38) in advance, wherein the target containers (16) are to be provided at the WzP station (12) for processing the corresponding orders (36, 38) in a target container sequence that is synchronized with the source container sequence (44).

8. System (10) according to one of claims 1-7, wherein the control device (44) is further configured to extend the bundle order (48) by further single-line orders (36) which are added to the plurality of orders (34) only after an initial bundling.

9. System (10) according to one of claims 1-8, wherein the control device (24) is further configured to determine the number of buffer positions (14) for target containers (16) at which the WzP station (12) is actively operated, based on an order structure and the bundle order (48), wherein the determination is in particular further based on an order key figure representing an average number of pieces per order line, and / or on a source container fill key figure representing an average number of pieces per source container (20).

10. System (10) according to one of claims 1-9, wherein the source containers (20) which are assigned to the multi-line order (38) may be provided at the WzP station (12) in any sequence.

11. System (10) according to one of claims 1-10, wherein the control device (24) is further configured to transmit the generated source container sequence (44) to the transport system (22), and the transport system (22) is further configured to implement a material flow of the source containers (20) according to the transmitted source container sequence (44), in particular by generating corresponding source container-specific transport commands which are transmitted to components of the transport system (22) for implementation by the components.

12. Method (100) for generating a source container sequence (44) by a control device (24) of a storage and picking system (10) which is set up for unit load picking and which is designed in particular according to one of claims 1-11, comprising: Providing (S102) a multitude of customer orders (34), wherein the orders (34) include at least one multi-line order (38) and a multitude of comprise single-line orders (36), wherein each order line (40) of each of the orders (34) corresponds to an item type, each of which is stored in a source container (20); Bundling (S104) the single-line orders (36) into a bundle order (48), which represents a further multi-line order (38); and Generating (S106) the source container sequence (44), which represents a sequence in which the source containers (20) defined by the order lines (40) are to be provided for the successive processing of the orders (34) at a goods-to-person, WzP, station (12) by means of a transport system (22), whereby the single-line orders (36) are replaced by the bundle order (48).

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the control device (24) further transmits the generated source container sequence (44) to the transport system (22), and the transport system (22) implements a material flow of the source containers (20) according to the transmitted source container sequence (44), in particular by the transport system (22) generating corresponding source container-specific transport commands which are transmitted to components of the transport system (22) for implementation by the components.

14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein each of the single-line orders (36) that are bundled to form the bundle order (48) requires the provision of exactly one of the source containers (20).

15. Method according to one of claims 12-14, wherein the orders (34) correspond to an order structure with an average number of order lines (40) per order (34) that is less than or equal to two.

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