Tour Planning System Optimizes Delivery Routes via Cargo Zone Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for distributing goods shipments face inefficiencies due to minor changes in order situations requiring major changes in distribution patterns, leading to increased logistical time and effort, especially in the allocation of orders to different tour routes or vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A shipment distribution system that includes a tour planning system integrated with navigation in each delivery vehicle, which divides the cargo area into loading zones, optimizes tour routes based on shipment positions and destination addresses, and adjusts routes in real-time according to traffic and external influences, using algorithms to minimize delivery time and automate the loading and unloading process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tour routes are broken down and allocated just before the start to adapt to minor changes, then adaptability to order situation changes is improved, but loss of time in the allocation process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing multiple alternative tour routes and their associated loading zone assignments before the delivery task begins. When order situations change, the system can quickly select from pre-prepared alternatives rather than recalculating from scratch, thus maintaining adaptability while reducing the time loss associated with real-time reoptimization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If minor changes in order situation require major changes in distribution pattern, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and logistical effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the delivery task into independent components: multiple alternative tour routes, loading zone assignments, and vehicle allocations are all pre-calculated as separate modules. This segmentation allows the system to make localized adjustments to specific segments without requiring major changes to the entire distribution pattern, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining adaptability.
3Productivity
If tour routes are optimized based on shipment positions in cargo area, then productivity of delivery process is improved, but ease of operation decreases due to automation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically calculating optimal tour routes and loading zone assignments based on shipment positions without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by using its own stored data about cargo area volumes and shipment locations to generate optimized delivery plans, thereby improving productivity while the automated nature reduces the need for complex manual operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A shipment distribution system and method are presented. The system includes a plurality of goods shipments, one or more delivery vehicles, a tour planning system and a navigation system operating in each delivery vehicle and communicatively linked to the tour planning system. Each goods shipment has a destination address for delivery. Each of the delivery vehicles has a cargo area divided into loading zones. The tour planning system stores a volume of the cargo area of each delivery vehicle. The tour planning system transmits to the navigation system calculated tour routes to deliver each of the goods shipments to corresponding destination addresses according to the positions of the goods shipments in the cargo area and the destination address. Upon arrival at the destination address for each goods shipment, the tour planning system indicates the loading zone in the cargo area storing the goods shipment for delivery.