Warehouse Robot Assignment for Low-Cost Material Box Transport
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Warehousing systems face inefficiencies in ex-warehouse tasks due to complexities in selecting material boxes, workstations, and robots, leading to suboptimal transportation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A control method that determines the target workstation, material box, and robot by calculating assignment efficiency values and transportation costs based on cargo information, position information, and task requirements, optimizing the selection process to minimize transportation costs and time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a transport robot is used to automatically transport material boxes, then automation is improved, but transportation efficiency deteriorates due to difficulty in selecting material boxes, workstations, and robots
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters of material box selection by using cargo information matching and transportation cost calculation. Instead of random or simple FIFO selection, the system evaluates multiple parameters including cargo type, destination workstation, robot position, and transportation cost to dynamically select the optimal material box for each task.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by optimizing specific aspects of the transportation process independently. Different workstations have different cargo requirements, and different robots have different positions and capabilities. The system tailors the selection criteria to local conditions at each workstation and robot, rather than using a uniform approach throughout the entire system.
2Measurement precision
If multiple factors are considered in ex-warehouse task selection, then selection accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex selection process into distinct modular components: cargo information matching, workstation selection, material box selection, and robot assignment. Each component handles a specific aspect of the decision-making process independently, making the overall complex system manageable through division of functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary control system that acts as a mediator between the various components (cargo information, workstations, material boxes, and robots). This intermediary calculates transportation costs and makes optimal assignments based on multiple factors, simplifying the interaction between components while maintaining high selection accuracy.
3Reliability
If candidate material boxes are selected based on cargo information matching, then task completion accuracy is improved, but transportation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the selection parameters from purely cargo-matching based to a composite evaluation that includes transportation cost. Instead of selecting material boxes solely based on cargo information compatibility, the system also considers the position of material boxes, robot locations, and distance factors to minimize transportation cost while maintaining task completion accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different selection criteria to different material boxes based on their local conditions. Material boxes located closer to robots or in more accessible positions are prioritized when cargo information matches, reducing transportation cost. The selection adapts to local spatial conditions rather than applying a uniform standard to all material boxes.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a control method, apparatus, device and computer-readable storage medium of a warehousing system, where the method includes: determining a target workstation according to cargo information of a task to be assigned (S101); determining candidate material boxes according to cargo information of each of current material boxes and the cargo information of the task to be assigned, and selecting a candidate material box incurring a minimum transportation cost from the respective candidate material boxes as a target material box (S102); determining a target robot according to position information of the target material box (S103); and controlling the target robot to transport the target material box to the target workstation (S104). The method can improve the efficiency of ex-warehouse of cargoes.