Warehouse Workstation Container Exchange for Order Picking Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual scattering of cargo boxes bound to orders in warehouses leads to a large manual workload and increased labor costs in logistics enterprises.
Innovation Solution
A warehousing system with movable holders, a mobile holder parking area, a workstation, and a control device that automatically transports and exchanges cargo containers based on cargo collection attributes to enhance consistency and reduce manual labor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual cargo collection is used, then flexibility in handling scattered cargo boxes is maintained, but labor cost and manual workload increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments cargo boxes by their cargo collection attributes (destination, delivery time, courier company) and groups them onto the same movable holders. This segmentation enables automated identification and grouping without requiring complex centralized control, reducing system complexity while improving automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-grouping cargo boxes with the same attributes on movable holders before collection. This advance organization eliminates the need for manual sorting during collection, reducing labor costs while the modular holder design keeps system complexity manageable.
2Productivity
If cargo boxes are scattered on different racks, then storage flexibility is improved, but cargo collection efficiency decreases due to manual workload
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges cargo boxes with the same cargo collection attributes onto the same movable holder. This combining strategy allows multiple boxes to be collected simultaneously in one movement, improving cargo collection efficiency and reducing the time lost in multiple separate collection trips.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses identification devices to automatically recognize and copy attribute information from cargo boxes, enabling rapid grouping without manual intervention. This information copying mechanism speeds up the collection process while maintaining storage flexibility.
3Stability of the object's composition
If containers with same attributes are regularly distributed, then cargo collection consistency is improved, but system complexity increases due to exchange operations
Solution Approach 1:
The workstation implements local quality by performing container exchange operations only at specific locations where movable holders are brought for cargo collection. This localized exchange mechanism improves cargo collection consistency without requiring system-wide complexity, as exchanges occur only at designated workstations rather than throughout the entire warehouse.
Data Source
AI summary
A warehousing system includes a plurality of movable holders, a movable carrier park area, a control device, a workstation and handling equipment. The control device is configured to obtain an order, and determine a bound container and a bound holder according to the order. The bound holder is a movable holder carrying the bound container. The handling equipment is configured to transport all the bound holders parked in the movable holder parking area to the workstation, and at least two bound holders are transported to the same workstation. The workstation is configured to exchange a container on a first bound holder and a bound container on a second bound holder according to the cargo collection attribute of the bound container, to improve the consistency of cargo collection attribute of the container on the first bound holder.