Tackling the storage problem through genetic algorithms

Abstract

The capability of a company to implement an automated warehouse in an optimized way might be nowadays a crucial leverage in order to gain competitive advantage to satisfy the demand. The order picking is a warehouse function that needs to deal with the retrieval of articles from their storage locations. Merging several single customer orders into one, a picking order can increase efficiency of warehouse operations. The aim of this paper is to define throughout the use of ad-hoc genetic algorithm (GA) how better a warehouse can be set up. The paper deals with order batching, which has a major effect on efficiency of warehouse operations to avoid wastes of resources in terms of processes and to control possibility of unexpected costs in advance.

Keywords

Genetic algorithms (GA) / Warehouse management / Order batching / Optimization