Bin Purge Decision Logic for Retail Inventory Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In retail sales facilities, the process of finding and retrieving products from storage bins is time-consuming and inefficient, leading to increased operational costs due to the need for 'bin dumping' or 'bin purging', which involves removing all products to locate a specific item and then re-stocking them, causing inefficiencies in restocking shelves.
Innovation Solution
An electronic inventory management system that processes bin purge factors to determine whether to empty all products from a bin for picking, using a processor-based control unit to set threshold values and generate indications for workers on whether to purge the bin, thereby optimizing the picking process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If bin dumping or bin purging is performed to find products in storage bins, then product location accuracy is improved, but time consumption and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-sorting and pre-organizing products within bins before the picking process. Products are arranged in predetermined patterns or locations within bins, and the system pre-calculates optimal picking paths. This preliminary organization eliminates the need for time-consuming bin dumping while maintaining accurate product location, as workers can directly access products at known positions without removing other items.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy or virtual representation of the bin's contents and product locations. Using imaging systems, sensors, or database records, the system maintains an accurate digital twin of the physical bin state. This allows workers to view product locations on screens or mobile devices before approaching the bin, eliminating the need to physically empty the bin to locate items, thus reducing time consumption while maintaining location accuracy.
2Ease of operation
If bin dumping is performed to retrieve products, then product retrieval is enabled, but worker efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by providing workers with automated guidance tools such as mobile devices, wearables, or augmented reality headsets that display real-time product locations, bin positions, and picking sequences. The system autonomously directs workers to the correct bins and products without requiring manual searching or bin emptying. This self-guided approach simplifies the retrieval operation while dramatically improving worker efficiency by eliminating unnecessary physical handling and search time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer between the worker and the storage bins in the form of a computerized control system that mediates the retrieval process. This intermediary provides real-time information about product locations, bin contents, and optimal picking strategies through interfaces such as screens, audio cues, or automated vehicle guidance. By acting as an intermediary, the system enables easy product retrieval without requiring workers to physically empty bins, thus maintaining ease of operation while boosting overall productivity.
3Ease of operation
If all products are removed from bins for picking, then product picking is simplified, but operational costs and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies segmentation by dividing the bin's contents into distinct zones or sections, with each zone dedicated to specific products or product categories. Products are arranged in fixed positions within these segments, allowing workers to access only the specific segment containing the needed product without disturbing other segments. This segmented organization simplifies picking operations for individual products while eliminating the need to empty entire bins, thus reducing the time and cost associated with bin emptying and subsequent restocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-organizing products within bins according to predetermined schemes such as frequency of access, product size, or picking sequence. Products are positioned in advance at optimal locations within the bin, and the system pre-calculates the most efficient picking paths. This preliminary arrangement allows workers to perform simple picking operations without needing to empty bins, as all necessary products are already in accessible positions, thereby reducing both the time for picking and the subsequent restocking effort.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, methods and systems of determining whether to purge a bin in order to pick a product from the bin in a stock room of a retail sales facility include processing of bin purge factors associated with the bin and correlating the processed bin purge factors with bin purge threshold values associated with the bin. Based on whether the value of one or more of the bin purge factors meets or exceeds a threshold value that supports the purging of a bin, an indication to a worker at the retail sales facility is generated as to whether that bin is to be purged or not.