Rack Sheet Report Generation for Shipping Logistics

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Solution Overview

Problem

In growing operations, such as nurseries and farms, efficiently loading inventory items onto shipping racks is challenging due to the dynamic geometry of live plants, leading to excessive shipping space and increased costs, as traditional methods fail to optimize the placement of items effectively.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses an order collection module and optimization module to determine the number of racks and quantity of items per shelf, generating rack sheet reports to facilitate efficient loading and reduce surplus space, by considering item dimensions and preferences for minimizing air space and grouping common items together.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional ad hoc loading methods are used by workers at the loading dock, then flexibility in loading decisions is maintained, but shipping space utilization deteriorates leading to substantial surplus space and increased costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveloading decision flexibilityVSAvoidshipping space utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary optimization calculations before the loading process begins. The optimization module pre-determines the optimal placement of inventory items on racks based on item dimensions, rack geometry, and shipping requirements, generating loading instructions in advance rather than making ad hoc decisions during loading.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an optimization module as an intermediary between the inventory management system and the physical loading process. This module acts as a mediator that processes item data, calculates optimal configurations, and generates loading instructions, bridging the gap between flexible decision-making and efficient space utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If multiple inventory items are distributively disposed throughout a field for customer requests, then item availability is maintained, but worker time and energy for collecting items deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveitem availabilityVSAvoidworker collection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the collection process by generating optimized picking lists that group items by location, rack, and shelf. This segmentation allows workers to systematically collect items in efficient sequences rather than traveling throughout the field for each individual item request.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The optimization module performs preliminary routing and grouping calculations to determine the most efficient collection sequence before workers begin harvesting. By pre-organizing pickup sequences and grouping items by location, the system reduces worker travel time and energy expenditure while maintaining item availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If live plants with dynamically variable geometry are loaded onto vehicles, then product freshness is maintained, but loading efficiency deteriorates due to difficulty in economical loading

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct freshnessVSAvoidloading efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system accounts for the dynamically variable geometry of live plants by using adjustable parameter ranges for item dimensions. The optimization module accepts minimum and maximum dimension values for each plant type, allowing it to calculate optimal loading configurations that adapt to the actual size variations of live inventory while maintaining loading efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Loss of energy

If rack configuration is optimized to minimize air space, then shipping cost efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple parameters to account for

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshipping cost efficiencyVSAvoidoptimization system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optimization module handles multiple parameters (item dimensions, rack geometry, grouping preferences, air space minimization targets) by accepting them as configurable inputs. The system processes these parameters through optimization algorithms to generate loading instructions that minimize air space and shipping costs without requiring manual configuration of complex relationships between parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10089597B2Shipping rack item configuration

Publication Date: 2018.10.02 FLOWVISION LLC

AI summary

Utilities that allow for configuring rack space in a growing operation. In one aspect, a utility for generating a rack sheet report is disclosed that indicates a determined quantity of a plurality of inventory items to be disposed on each shelf of a rack for use in loading a vehicle with the plurality of inventory items in an economically efficient manner. Additionally, the present disclosure includes embodiments that relate to generating a maser pull report that includes total quantities of each identified common instance of the plurality of inventory item objects in a master pull group object for use in harvesting or otherwise collecting the plurality of inventory items from the growing operation and loading the plurality of inventory items into a vehicle in a coordinated manner (e.g., based on a priority value).