Article
Engineering, Industrial
Bilin Yu, Hu Yu, Yugang Yu
Summary: This study focuses on two class-based storage policies in a multi-dock unit-load warehouse, aiming to determine the optimal class boundary and analyze the dominance situation of each policy. Results show that both policies can significantly improve performance compared to random storage policy, with the across-aisle policy performing better in specific scenarios.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Economics
Wanying (Amanda) Chen, Rene De Koster, Yeming Gong
Summary: This paper investigates different layouts for multi-deep rack climbing robotic systems and explores the relationship between system performance, particularly operational cost and energy consumption, with these layouts. It proposes a model to assist warehouse managers in choosing an optimal layout.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART E-LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Business
Benedict Jun Ma, Yong-Hong Kuo, Yishuo Jiang, George Q. Huang
Summary: As e-commerce becomes more prevalent and warehouse order picking becomes more complex, this article presents a new robotic storage and order picking system called RubikCell. It addresses challenges in human picking performance and robot mobility by leveraging existing warehouse systems and incorporating automatic dispensing, robot-to-goods picking, and pick-while-sort operations. The concept of cellular warehousing is also introduced to reduce robot traveling distances. Numerical experiments confirm the effectiveness of the system.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Management
Witold Bahr, Vasileios Mavrogenis, Edward Sweeney
Summary: This article explores the perspectives of warehouse managers in the UK on gamification of warehousing activities. The findings suggest potential benefits such as improved worker engagement and increased productivity, but also significant barriers to effective implementation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LOGISTICS-RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Management
Nils Boysen, Rene de Koster, David Fuessler
Summary: Warehouses play a vital role in supply chains and have been extensively studied. While much attention has been given to warehousing systems for online retailers catering to consumer needs, this paper focuses on the special requirements of warehouses serving traditional brick-and-mortar stores. The differences in order volume and mix between e-commerce and retail chains are highlighted, along with the need for tailored warehousing systems for each sector.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Thai Young Kim, Su-Han Woo, Stein W. Wallace
Summary: Warehouses in multi-channel retailing need to balance storage systems (block stacking and racking) in order to improve storage efficiency. This study proposes a two-stage stochastic programming model and the multi-dimensional knapsack problem to achieve an optimum balance between block stacking and racking and minimize space wastage. The research examines hypothetical directions for a balanced system and evaluates the effectiveness of redesigning and reshuffling methods in a real-life case study.
COMPUTERS & INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Operations Research & Management Science
Wanying Chen, Rene De Koster, Yeming Gong
Summary: This paper models and analyzes the application of autonomous rack-climbing robots in warehouses and investigates different robot assignment and storage location assignment strategies. The findings are significant for optimizing warehouse management and improving order processing efficiency.
TRANSPORTATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Banu Yetkin Ekren
Summary: This paper introduces a hierarchical solution approach for multi-objective optimization of AVS/RS warehouse design, highlighting the importance of considering conflicting performance measures such as average cycle time and average energy consumption per transaction. The aim is to attract practitioners to the significance of multi-objective performance optimization, presenting Pareto-optimal solutions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tomasz Rokicki, Piotr Borawski, Aneta Beldycka-Borawska, Andras Szeberenyi, Aleksandra Perkowska
Summary: The main objective of this article is to identify the direction of change in logistical activities and their critical segments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, an important logistical hub of Europe. The study finds that the pandemic has accelerated the digitalization and automation of logistics activities and resulted in opportunities for profitability in the industry.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Xuan Zhang, Tiantian Mo, Yougong Zhang
Summary: With the development of logistics, sustainable warehousing has become increasingly important. A storage location assignment optimization algorithm for non-traditional layout warehouses is proposed to improve the efficiency and sustainability of warehousing. By reducing picking distance and time, this algorithm boosts efficiency, saves energy, and has positive effects on the environment and economy.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Rong Wang, Peng Yang, Yeming Gong, Cheng Chen
Summary: This paper studies a novel robotic warehousing system that can free up floor space occupation at a low cost. By proposing a nested queuing network model and using reinforcement learning, the reshuffling efficiency of the system is improved. The study also finds that the storage policy affects the system's performance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Economics
Yossi Bukchin, Tal Raviv
Summary: Puzzle-based storage (PBS) is a space-efficient storage system where loads can only move to adjacent empty cells. This paper focuses on minimizing the retrieval time and number of moves in PBS units, considering both service quality and energy saving. Different solution approaches, such as integer linear programming, dynamic programming, and heuristic algorithm, are proposed based on the technology used in the unit. Experiment results show that the proposed approaches can achieve optimal or near-optimal solutions for most benchmark instances.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART B-METHODOLOGICAL
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ziwei Liu, Yanyan Wang, Mingzhou Jin, Hao Wu, Wenquan Dong
Summary: This study explores environmentally friendly velocity and acceleration configurations of the SBS/RS under throughput requirement, and finds that increasing the accelerations of aisle and cross shuttles can moderately reduce travel times and improve storage efficiency. The research also identifies that lift velocity and acceleration are the leading factors influencing energy consumption.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Mathematics
Viswanath Jagadeesan, Thilagavathi Rajamanickam, Vladimira Schindlerova, Sreelakshmi Subbarayan, Robert Cep
Summary: This study develops two warehouse inventory systems with a production unit, aiming to optimize the total production cycle and its cost. It analyzes different states of the production unit and the priority of item storage in warehouses. An analytic optimization process is used to derive the total cost function and investigate the impact of deterioration, demand, and production parameters on the overall cost. The study also examines the influence of rental charges on the total cost as the system is used for multi-purpose storage.
Article
Management
Amir Gharehgozli, Chao Xu, Wenda Zhang
Summary: The study presents an algorithm for the high multiplicity asymmetric traveling salesman problem with feedback vertex set of size k, showing its potential for improving algorithms in automated storage and retrieval systems. The algorithm demonstrates efficient time complexity for minimizing total traveling time of the storage and retrieval machine under certain scenarios, outperforming previous approaches. The applicability and performance of the algorithm is further discussed and evaluated through extensive numerical experiments.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Wanying (Amanda) Chen, Yeming Gong, Rene B. M. de Koster
Summary: Storage and retrieval automation has made significant progress, and the use of a two-crane system can improve efficiency. We developed a queuing model to estimate system response time and throughput capacity, and validated the model through simulation. The study found that placing I/O points in the middle of the rack reduces expected travel time and increases relative throughput. A two-crane system can enhance system efficiency, particularly in large systems with high job arrival rates.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Management
T. Lamballais, M. Merschformann, D. Roy, M. B. M. de Koster, K. Azadeh, L. Suhl
Summary: A Robotic Mobile Fulfillment System (RMFS) is an automated material handling system suitable for e-commerce order fulfillment, which can reallocate resources based on demand fluctuations. The optimal policies derived from the system can optimize costs and wait times through continuous resource reallocation.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Masoud Mirzaei, Nima Zaerpour, Rene B. M. de Koster
Summary: This paper focuses on optimizing storage assignment in e-commerce fulfilment centres to improve order picking travel time. The study finds that correlated dispersed assignment leads to a shorter travel time and the impact of product correlation on model performance should be considered.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Management
Hamed Vafa Arani, Morteza Pourakbar, Erwin van der Laan, Rene de Koster
Summary: This study aims to find the best profit-maximizing pricing strategies in a servicizing business model that can also yield the highest consumer welfare with minimal environmental impact. By using a game-theoretic model, the study addresses the economic, environmental, and welfare implications of pay-per-use and pay-per-period pricing schemes.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Industrial
Thomas De Lombaert, Kris Braekers, Rene De Koster, Katrien Ramaekers
Summary: Efficient order picking system is crucial for high-performing warehouses and human operators will continue to play a significant role. However, current planning models only partly consider the specific skills, conduct, and perceptions of human operators. This review adopts a multimethod approach to identify and analyze how these phenomena are integrated into order picking planning problems and provides recommendations for refining human factors integration constructs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Operations Research & Management Science
Yuxuan Dong, Rene De Koster, Debjit Roy, Yugang Yu
Summary: In this study, a dynamic vehicle allocation policy is designed by modeling the system as a semi-open queuing network and using a Markov decision process model. Experiments show that the policy is near optimal in small-scale networks and outperforms benchmark policies in large-scale realistic scenarios. An interesting finding is that reserving idle vehicles to wait for future short-distance customer arrivals can be beneficial even when long-distance customers are waiting.
TRANSPORTATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Operations Research & Management Science
Wanying Chen, Rene De Koster, Yeming Gong
Summary: This paper models and analyzes the application of autonomous rack-climbing robots in warehouses and investigates different robot assignment and storage location assignment strategies. The findings are significant for optimizing warehouse management and improving order processing efficiency.
TRANSPORTATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Business
Xishu Li, Maarten Voorneveld, Rene de Koster
Summary: This study investigates the business transformation process of companies during the global pandemic, focusing on decision speed and structure in the decision & planning phase, implementation structure and monitoring in the implementation phase, and reinforcement after the implementation. Through case studies, the study explores how companies deal with critical factors and any differences from theory during business transformation, and provides suggestions for effective transformations during times of crisis.
TECHNOLOGICAL FORECASTING AND SOCIAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Management
Jingjing Yang, Rene B. M. de Koster, Xiaolong Guo, Yugang Yu
Summary: This paper focuses on the optimization of shuttle transfer and retrieval request sequences in deep-lane shuttle-based storage systems. A mathematical model and an efficient two-stage heuristic are proposed to minimize the makespan. Experimental results demonstrate that the two-stage heuristic can provide high-quality solutions in reasonable time and considerably reduce the makespan.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Xishu Li, Rob Zuidwijk, Rene de Koster, Suresh Sethi
Summary: An upward line extension refers to a new, improved product within an existing product category for the high-end market. There are risks associated with line-extension strategies, such as uncertain consumer taste, internal competition, and external competition. Using game theory, we determine when a firm should allocate production capacity for an upward line extension under competition and consumer taste uncertainty. By considering the correlation between average consumer taste and taste density, we measure consumer taste risk and demonstrate how competitive advantage amplifies exponentially in the face of such uncertainty. We provide practical guidelines for manufacturers to determine the right capacity timing for an upward line extension based on our research.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Alexandros Pasparakis, Jelle De Vries, Rene De Koster
Summary: Robotisation is becoming more common in warehouse operations, but human employment remains relevant. The traditional manual activities are being transformed into collaborative human-robot tasks, reflecting the shift towards a human-centric Industry 5.0. However, the recruitment and retention of human workers are becoming increasingly challenging. This research investigates the sustainable deployment of robotic technologies alongside human workers, examining the impact of autonomy levels on job satisfaction and core self-evaluations, which determine turnover intentions. The findings reveal that human-robot collaboration has a positive effect on job satisfaction, particularly when the human is following the robot, and it also enhances pickers' self-esteem and self-efficacy related to human-robot interaction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Operations Research & Management Science
Tal Raviv, Yossi Bukchin, Rene de Koster
Summary: This paper studies a puzzle-based storage system where loads are moved by autonomous mobile robots. An integer linear programming model is proposed to minimize retrieval time and the number of load and vehicle movements. Increasing the number of vehicles has diminishing returns on retrieval times.
TRANSPORTATION SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Arpan Rijal, Marco Bijvank, Rene de Koster
Summary: This paper examines the trade-offs between warehouse operations and transportation planning and investigates the impact of three managerial interventions: adopting an integrated planning approach, expanding staging space, and expanding delivery time windows. Results from case studies show that integrated planning outperforms the other interventions in terms of cost savings. Expanding delivery time windows by 15 minutes can lead to significant cost reductions in both transportation and warehousing. Expanding staging capacity only results in cost savings for warehouse operations.
PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Operations Research & Management Science
Lu Zhen, Zheyi Tan, Rene de Koster, Shuaian Wang
Summary: This paper proposes two decision methods to solve the scheduling problem in warehouses using robotic mobile fulfillment systems for e-commerce order fulfillment. The results show that making integrated decisions is more beneficial than sequential optimization, and positioning pick stations close together and grouping replenishment stations is efficient.
TRANSPORTATION SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Operations Research & Management Science
Ran Chen, Rene De Koster, Yugang Yu, Xiaolong Guo, Hu Yu
Summary: This study focuses on optimizing autonomous vehicle storage and retrieval systems by proposing a blocking mitigation protocol and a two-phase matheuristic. Computational experiments show that the proposed method can generate high-quality solutions within seconds, making it suitable for real-time decision-making.
NAVAL RESEARCH LOGISTICS
(2023)
