Hybrid Warehouse Picking with Tote Space Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing order processing methods face challenges in efficiently and cost-effectively collecting and assembling items from a warehouse for orders, particularly when items are infrequently located at various locations, leading to high costs and risks of item damage during automated picking.
Innovation Solution
A combination of an automated pick cell and robotic carts is used, where the automated pick cell loads some items into totes, leaving space for human pickers to add remaining items, optimizing tote capacity to prevent item loss and damage, and segregating human and automated picking areas for safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If automated picking machinery is used to collect items from various warehouse locations, then picking accuracy and consistency are improved, but implementation costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the order fulfillment process into two distinct phases: automated picking for frequently ordered items using an automated pick cell, and manual picking for infrequently ordered items using a robotic cart with human operator. This segmentation allows the expensive automated system to handle only the high-volume, high-frequency items while the flexible manual system handles the remainder, thereby reducing overall implementation costs while maintaining picking accuracy for the automated portion.
2Quantity of substance
If automated devices load totes to maximum capacity, then storage efficiency is improved, but item stability and safety deteriorate due to items falling out or getting damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The automated pick cell intentionally loads totes to only 80-90% of maximum capacity rather than filling them completely. This partial loading approach prevents items from being crushed or falling out during handling and transport, thereby maintaining item stability and safety. The remaining space in the tote is then utilized by the human operator during the manual picking phase to add remaining items, thus achieving both tote capacity optimization and item protection.
3Productivity
If heavy items are placed in automated picking areas, then picking efficiency is improved, but risk of damaging lighter items increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary sorting by item weight and assigns heavy items to be picked first during the automated picking phase, before lighter items are added during manual picking. This preliminary action ensures that heavy items are placed in the tote bottom first, creating a stable base, and then lighter items are carefully placed on top by the human operator who can see and adjust the placement, thereby preventing damage while maintaining picking efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for efficiently fulfilling product orders corresponding are described. Order items are divided into those which are to be automatically picked using an automated pick cell including a loader, such as a robotic arm, storage buffers and an apparatus for transferring the automatically picked items onto a robotic cart. The manually picked items are picked by a human picker guided by the robotic cart. The manual pick can occur before or after the automatic pick of items. In some embodiments whether items are to be automatically picked before or after the manual pick portion of an order depends on which ordering will allow for packing of the items corresponding to an order into the least number of receptacles, e.g., totes which are transported by the robotic pick carts.