Warehouse Order Splitting Across Dual Storage Workstations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing warehouse management systems face inefficiencies due to conflicts between shelf handling robots and tote handling robots, leading to queuing and reduced processing capacity as they often target the same inventory, necessitating improved management techniques.
Innovation Solution
A warehouse management system that includes a control server, multiple storage areas, and corresponding inventory receptacle handling devices, which splits order tasks into sub-orders and dispatches them to specific workstations, allowing robots to transport inventory receptacles between areas efficiently, thereby avoiding conflicts and enhancing management efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single workstation is used to handle orders from multiple storage areas, then device complexity is reduced, but conflicts occur between shelf handling robots and tote handling robots causing queuing and reduced productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the workspace by setting up different workstations in different storage areas (first storage area with first workstation, second storage area with second workstation). This allows shelf handling robots and tote handling robots to operate independently in their respective areas without conflicts, eliminating queuing while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular workstation distribution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If robots transport inventory receptacles between storage areas, then adaptability improves for handling diverse order requirements, but route complexity increases and processing time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-positioning inventory receptacles in their respective storage areas (first inventory receptacle in first storage area, second inventory receptacle in second storage area) before order processing begins. When an order requires products from multiple storage areas, the system can simultaneously dispatch different robots to their respective storage areas without waiting for inter-area transport, thereby maintaining high adaptability while eliminating transport delays and queuing time.
Data Source
AI summary
A warehouse management system includes: a control server, a first storage area, a second storage area, a first inventory receptacle handling device, a second inventory receptacle handling device and an order receptacle handling device. A first inventory receptacle and a first workstation are arranged in the first storage area, a second inventory receptacle and a second workstation are arranged in the second storage area, and the first inventory receptacle handling device and the second inventory receptacle handling device are communicatively connected to the control server. The control server is configured to split the order task into a first sub-order and a second sub-order according to the order task, when it is determined that order products in an order task are to be selected from both the first inventory receptacle in the first storage area and the second inventory receptacle in the second storage area.