Conveyor Line Order Assembly with Segmented Substock Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for assembling collections of ordered articles in distribution chains are costly and inefficient, requiring large warehouses, extensive movements, and specific storage conditions, especially for perishable items that need to follow a First In, First Out (FIFO) basis.
Innovation Solution
A method where articles are physically linked with identification means, allowing for compact storage and automated processing without needing to know the location or size of substocks, enabling efficient allocation and sorting based on order data, which can be implemented manually or automatically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional order picking from warehouse is used, then articles can be assembled into collections, but large warehouse space and extensive movements are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the stock into multiple substocks that can be independently processed. Each substock is handled separately through the conveyor line, allowing parallel processing and reducing the need for large centralized storage space. Articles are divided into groups based on order requirements and processed through dedicated conveyor paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the order picking process by using conveyor lines that continuously move articles through processing stages. Instead of static warehouse retrieval, articles flow dynamically through the system, allowing space-efficient stacking and processing in multiple layers and sequences.
2Ease of operation
If traditional warehouse method is used, then articles can be stored and retrieved, but frequent movements in and out make it difficult to maintain temperature conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the temperature control function from the main warehouse environment by creating a separate, dedicated conveyor line system. Articles are moved through this isolated pathway that maintains stable conditions, separating the retrieval operation from the storage environment to minimize temperature fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor line acts as an intermediary between the temperature-controlled storage area and the order assembly area. This intermediate system allows articles to be transported without direct exposure to external conditions, maintaining temperature stability while enabling continuous movement.
3Extent of automation
If automated devices are used for order picking, then labor costs are reduced, but investment costs become high
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor line system is designed to perform multiple functions: it transports articles, sorts them by destination, maintains temperature control, and enables FIFO processing. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple separate automated systems with a single integrated solution, reducing overall investment costs while maintaining high automation levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the conveyor lines dynamically based on order requirements. By adjusting flow rates, routing paths, and processing speeds, the same infrastructure handles varying volumes and types of orders, maximizing the return on investment through flexible utilization of existing automated capacity.
4Reliability
If FIFO system is implemented for fresh products, then freshness is maintained, but careful attention to each storage place is required
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor line system automatically enforces FIFO processing through its inherent design. Articles enter the system in a specific sequence and naturally exit in the same sequence without requiring active tracking or intervention. The physical flow characteristics of the conveyor ensure that first-in articles are first-out, making the system self-regulating for FIFO compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous flow of articles through the conveyor line maintains uninterrupted FIFO processing. Unlike batch systems that require resetting and re-tracking, the continuous conveyor maintains the temporal sequence of articles throughout operation, ensuring consistent FIFO compliance without additional tracking complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for putting together collections of ordered articles from a stock (8) that comprises substocks (8a-8l) of these articles, whereby substocks (8a-8l), irrespective of the order status of the articles in a substock (8a-8l), are handled in a selection step, whereby in this selection step articles from the substock (8a-8l), depending on their order status, are allocated to an order or are again placed in the stock (8), whereby the articles that have been allocated to a specific order are then brought together, whereby substocks (8a-8l) are handled in the selection step until all ordered articles have been allocated to all outstanding orders, or whereby all substocks (8a-8l) are handled in the selection step.