Warehouse Robot Reassignment for Bottleneck Workload Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing warehouse work control systems fail to dynamically adjust robot assignments to alleviate bottlenecks caused by varying workloads and external factors such as seasonal changes, weather, and worker skill levels, leading to inefficiencies and delays.
Innovation Solution
A warehouse work control system that includes autonomously movable information processing devices, a processing time calculation unit, a movement path calculation unit, and a movement determination unit, which together assess and adjust the movement of robots between work processes based on operation situations and processing times to optimize workload distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If works are equally distributed to groups, then workload balance is improved, but bottleneck portions cannot be eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes group arrangements based on real-time operation situations. The determination unit adjusts which robots are assigned to which work processes according to current workload, processing speeds, and bottleneck conditions, rather than using fixed equal distribution. This dynamic reassignment eliminates bottlenecks while maintaining overall productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of group composition by determining different group arrangements based on operation situations. Instead of keeping groups fixed with equal work distribution, the system varies the assignment of robots to work processes based on processing times, current workload, and identified bottleneck portions, thereby adapting to changing conditions.
2Ease of operation
If fixed group arrangements are used, then management simplicity is improved, but adaptability to changing workloads is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines optimal group arrangements based on operation situations without requiring manual intervention. The determination unit autonomously analyzes processing times, current workloads, and bottleneck conditions to reassign robots between groups, providing adaptive management while maintaining simplicity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from operation situations (processing times, current workload, bottleneck identification) to continuously adjust group arrangements. This closed-loop control allows the system to adapt to changing conditions automatically, maintaining both simplicity and adaptability through real-time monitoring and adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure is to eliminate a load on a portion as a bottleneck portion between work processes in a warehouse work control system. The invention includes: a work delay detection unit configured to detect a work delay of each of work subjects; a group configuration change unit configured to change a configuration of a work group when it is determined that the work delay is hindersome to execution of a work; a shift determination unit configured to determine a shift of the work subject when it is determined that the work subject whose work group is changed is present; and an on-movement-path work determination unit configured to determine the work to be performed on a movement path by the work subject.