Dynamic Rack Movement for High-Density Warehouse Picking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The logistics and warehousing industry faces challenges in improving storage efficiency and maintaining picking efficiency in automated robot systems, particularly in high-rent warehouses, where traditional goods-to-person modes do not fully optimize space utilization.
Innovation Solution
A goods picking system with a sparse rack layout, where carrying robots and rack-moving robots dynamically adjust the arrangement of racks to convert blocked racks into unblocked ones, optimizing storage density and picking routes to enhance efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a sparse rack layout is adopted to ensure picking efficiency, then channels are created for robots to pass, but storage efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic rack arrangement where blocked racks are converted to unblocked racks through rack-moving robots. The system dynamically adjusts the rack layout by moving racks to create passages for carrying robots, transforming a static sparse layout into a dynamic configuration that maintains both storage density and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Rack-moving robots serve as intermediaries between the storage racks and carrying robots. These intermediary robots resolve the conflict by moving racks out of the way to create temporary passages for carrying robots, enabling both high storage density and efficient picking operations without requiring permanent aisle spaces.
2Ease of operation
If blocked racks are converted to unblocked racks to improve accessibility, then storage density decreases, but picking efficiency improves
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by using rack-moving robots to convert blocked racks to unblocked racks before carrying robots need to access them. This proactive transformation ensures that racks are accessible when needed without permanently reducing storage density, as racks can be moved back or repositioned after the picking operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state parameter of racks from 'blocked' to 'unblocked' dynamically. This parameter change is achieved by physically moving racks using rack-moving robots, allowing the system to transition between high-density storage configuration and high-accessibility picking configuration as needed.
3Speed
If more channels are created for robot passage, then robot mobility improves, but warehouse space utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating permanent channels that reduce storage space, the system dynamically creates temporary passages by moving racks. This dynamic approach allows carrying robots to move freely through the warehouse without requiring dedicated aisle spaces, maximizing warehouse space utilization while maintaining robot mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
Rack-moving robots act as intermediaries that temporarily relocate racks to create passages for carrying robots. This intermediary action enables robot mobility through densely packed storage areas without requiring permanent channel spaces, thus maintaining high warehouse space utilization while ensuring robot accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a goods picking system and a goods picking system method, the system includes: a plurality of carrying robots; a plurality of racks used for storing goods and being carried by the plurality of carrying robots, where in a rack area, the plurality of racks are arranged in a rack array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and empty rows or columns constitute channels for the plurality of carrying robots to pass; and at least some of the plurality of racks are blocked racks which are not adjacent to any channel instead of being surrounded by other racks and racks except the blocked racks are referred to as unblocked racks; rack-moving robots, which are operable based on instructions of a control system to move racks in the rack area so as to change a certain blocked rack into an unblocked rack; operating positions.