Method and system for order picking
OwnerAbdessamad OUZIDAN, Bérenger DAVIDinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for picking orders which comprises a calculation step for determining an optimized order for picking the orders and a step of picking the orders using the results of the calculation step. The calculation step including consulting a list of orders pending picking, verifying the availability of one or more empty locations at the order-picking station selecting the next order (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) to be placed in each available location at the order-picking station, taking out containers comprising products of a priority order corresponding to the order having the fewest different products, and when the priority order is complete, it is discharged to a delivery zone.
Claims19
A method for picking a set of orders (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) using a system for picking orders comprising:
- a product storage zone in which products (A, B, C) are placed in storage containers, each storage container comprising a single type of product (A, B, C),
- an order-picking station comprising one or more locations for placing order containers, in each location, products (A, B, C) requested by an order are transferred into an order container from one or more storage containers,
- transport means for moving storage containers between the storage zone and the order-picking station, and
- computerized control means,
- the method being implemented by the computerized control means and comprises a first calculation step and a second step of picking the orders (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) by applying the results of the first step,
- in the first step, the computerized control means determine an optimized order for picking the orders (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) and an optimized order for transferring the products (A, B, C) between the storage zone and the order-picking station by executing the following sub-steps:
- (a) consulting the list of orders (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) pending picking,
- (b) verifying the presence of at least one order (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) at the order-picking station,
- (c) verifying the availability of location(s) at the order-picking station,
- (d) selecting an order (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) pending picking to be placed in an available location, the selected order being the best correlated with the orders being picked, this step being repeated successively for each available location at the order-picking station,
- (e) when each picking location is occupied by an order (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) to be picked or when there are no more orders pending picking:
- selecting a priority order (O5) to be picked from said orders at the picking station, corresponding to the order requiring the fewest different products,
- selecting an order of storage containers comprising products (A, B, C) requested by said priority order, to be taken one by one from the storage zone and transferred to the order-picking station, each storage container comprising a single product type (A, B, C) being intended to serve all orders pending picking requiring said product (A, B, C) before being returned to stock,
- (f) when said priority order no longer requires products, it is considered complete and discharged to free up at location at the order-picking station,
- sub-steps (a) to (f) being repeated until a picking order is obtained for all the orders (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) in the list and a transfer order is obtained for the products (A, B, C) between the storage zone and the order-picking station,
- in the second step, the computerized control means control the product storage zone, the order-picking station and the transport means to pick the orders (O1, O2, O3, O4, O5) according to the picking order and the order for transferring the products (A, B, C) between the storage zone and the order-picking station, resulting from the calculation in the first step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.