JP2005255390A - Physical distribution control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information delivery system capable of efficiently performing accurate picking work. <P>SOLUTION: A terminal 10 of a person in charge of work downloads a picking list from a physical distribution control server 20 via a radiocommunication network. The person in charge of the work performs the picking work while confirming the picking list displayed on an image screen of the terminal 10 of the person in charge of the work. The terminal 10 of the person in charge of the work transmits information for indicating the starting and finishing timing of the picking work to the physical distribution control server 20. The physical distribution control server 20 sets a target value of work time and non-work time of the person in charge of the work on the basis of its work starting timing and the work finishing timing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a physical distribution management system, and more particularly, to a physical distribution management system that achieves efficiency and accuracy improvement of picking work using a computer system.

Conventionally, a logistics company has inspected received products and then stored the products by type in a storage location such as a storage shelf in a warehouse. When receiving an order for delivery of a product from a delivery destination, the logistics company picks up (collects) the ordered product from its storage location, loads it in a package, and sends it to the delivery destination.
In doing so, the person in charge of picking picks the corresponding product while looking at the list of shipped products printed on paper, and manually checks the picked product on the list. It was.

One of the prior arts related to the picking operation as described above is a physical distribution management method disclosed in Patent Document 1.
In this patent document 1, a worker in charge prints a shipping instruction for instructing shipment of goods from a warehouse to a delivery destination by a printer, and performs a picking operation based on the contents of the shipping instruction.
JP2002-2924

However, the conventional picking method described above has the following problems.
(1) Since the person in charge of picking performed the picking work while checking the list printed on the paper, there is a possibility that the type and number of products to be picked may be mistaken.
(2) Further, the person in charge of the work needs to visit the work manager before picking work and receive a list of products to be picked, which has been an obstacle to improving the efficiency of the picking work.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a physical distribution management system that can perform picking work accurately and efficiently.

  In order to achieve such an object, the present invention has a work person terminal operated by a work person who performs collection work of collection objects, and a logistics management server that can communicate with the work person terminal. This is a logistics management system that is configured to send collection work list information handled by the worker in charge to the worker staff terminal from the logistics management server. The collection information is displayed by displaying the list information on the worker terminal, and the collection information is transmitted to the distribution management server.

  In the physical distribution management system according to the present invention, the physical distribution management server transmits collection work list information to the worker terminal in response to an acquisition request from the worker terminal.

  In the physical distribution management system according to the present invention, the work person in charge terminal code information indicating the collection object every time one collection object is collected based on the displayed collection work list information. And the number of collected objects collected is counted.

  In the physical distribution management system according to the present invention, the collection information is a progress status of the collection work.

  In the physical distribution management system according to the present invention, the collection information is information indicating the start time and end time of the collection work, and the distribution management server collects the goods based on the information indicating the start time and the end time. An average value of work time of work is calculated.

  Further, in the physical distribution management system according to the present invention, the physical distribution management server determines each non-collection work time between collection work continuously performed by the same worker based on information indicating the start time and the end time. An average value is calculated for each combination of work places of continuous collection work.

  Further, in the physical distribution management system according to the present invention, the physical distribution management server extracts and extracts a combination of two or more collection objects whose frequency is higher than a predetermined value when the same person in charge performs the collection work at the same opportunity. The storage location is set such that the distance between the storage locations of the two or more collected objects is within a certain distance.

  The present invention is a physical distribution management system configured to include an operator terminal operated by an operator who performs an operation of collecting an object to be collected, and a distribution management server that can communicate with the operator terminal. The distribution management server has a collection information transmitting means for transmitting the collection work list information that the work person is in charge to the work person terminal in response to an acquisition request from the work person terminal. Efficient picking work can be performed.

<Configuration>
(Configuration of the entire logistics management system)
The configuration of the physical distribution management system in the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a physical distribution management system according to the present invention.
As shown in the figure, this physical distribution management system includes a work person side device 1 operated and managed by a work person, and a work manager side device 2 operated and managed by the work manager.
Among them, the work person side device 1 includes a work person terminal 10 possessed by each picking work person, and a label printer 11 that is carried by the work person together with the work person terminal 10 and prints a label for product attachment described later. And is configured.
Further, the work manager side device 2 wirelessly transfers the data in the logistics management server 20 and the logistics management server 20 that manages the allocation of the picking work to each worker and the progress of the picking work by each worker. , A wireless communication device 21 that transmits the wireless data received from the worker terminal 10 to the logistics management server 20, collection work data, person list data, work assignment data, and label printing Information storage device 22 for storing various data such as data, and management for requesting the distribution management server 20 to acquire information such as a collection schedule and collection progress, and receiving the information from the distribution management server 20 Person terminal 30.

In the above configuration, the worker terminal 10 is a portable information processing apparatus, and preferably has an OS (Operating System). The person-in-charge terminal 10 may be, for example, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System), or a notebook PC (Personal Computer).
The operator terminal 10 includes a reading unit for reading code information printed or attached to the picked-up package. The reading unit may be, for example, an optical code reader provided with a CCD (Charge Coupled Device).

Further, as described above, data indicating the print contents of the product attachment label is stored in the worker terminal 10. When the operator in charge operates the operator terminal 10 and transmits the print data to the label printer 11, the label printer 11 prints the received print data on the label sheet, and attaches the label for attaching the product. create. The label printer 11 is preferably a portable printer and is carried by a worker in charge together with the worker terminal 10.
The work manager passes the work person terminal 10 to each work person, and each work person moves to the storage place of the product (product, etc.) and uses the handed work person terminal 10 to perform work. Pick as many items as specified by the administrator.

  The distribution management server 20 is an information processing apparatus managed by a work manager, and is a high-end PC such as a workstation. One or more wireless communication devices 21 are connected to the physical distribution management server 20. The wireless communication device 21 is a device managed by a work manager, and may function as an access point of a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), for example.

In addition, an information storage device 22 such as a hard disk is connected to the physical distribution management server 20. As described above, the information storage device 22 is managed by the work manager and stores various data such as collection work data, person-in-charge list data, work assignment data, and label print data. Hereinafter, these various data will be described.
Collection work data: Data indicating the progress of picking work.
Person in charge list data: Data in which a list of names of persons in charge of picking work is associated with each unique work person in charge ID (Identification).
Work assignment data: data indicating to which work person each picking work is assigned.
Label printing data: Character / image data to be printed on labels (price tags, barcodes, cautions on broken objects, upside down, etc.) attached to products.
Data in these information storage devices 22 is appropriately rewritten by the physical distribution management server 20.

  An administrator terminal 30 is connected to the physical distribution management server 20. The manager terminal 30 is an information processing apparatus operated by a work manager, and may be a mobile communication terminal such as a PDA, a mobile phone, or a PHS (Personal Handyphone System), or a desktop, tower, or notebook. Each type of PC such as a book may be used.

Here, collection work data stored in the information storage device 22 in the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the collection work data.
As shown in the drawing, the collection work data is configured by associating a plurality of data items with each other for each picking work. Each of these data items will be described below.
-Shipment number (shipment No.): One or more picking operations for products that are ordered from the same delivery destination and shipped at the same time are grouped in units of shipment work and collected with the same shipment number (shipment No.). It is managed in product work data.
-Delivery destination: Indicates the delivery destination of the picked product.
-Work date: Indicates the time when picking work was performed.
Worker ID: Indicates identification information for identifying the worker in charge of picking work.
Terminal ID: Indicates identification information for identifying the worker terminal 10 used for the picking work.
-Work start time: Indicates the start time of picking work.
-Work end time: Indicates the end time of picking work.
-Work time: Indicates the time required to complete the picking work from the work start time to the work end time.
-Completion flag: a flag indicating whether or not the picking work has been completed. "1" indicates work completion and "0" indicates work incomplete.
Location code: code information indicating the location where the product to be picked is stored.
Product code: Code information indicating a product for picking work.

When the distribution management server 20 receives a screen information acquisition request from the administrator terminal 30, the distribution management server 20 extracts various data including the collection work data from the information storage device 22 and transmits it to the administrator terminal 30.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen display of the administrator terminal 30.
When the administrator terminal 30 receives various data from the physical distribution management server 20, it displays screen information as shown in the figure.
In the work assignment data in the figure, a picking work to which a person in charge has not yet been assigned is blank. The work manager selects from one or more work staffs indicated in the staff list data on the screen of the manager terminal 30, and picks the selected work staffs that have not yet been assigned on the work assignment data. Assign to the person in charge of the work.
The work manager visually checks the collection work data and confirms the progress status of the picking work.

<Operation>
Hereinafter, the operation of the physical distribution management system will be described.

(Information registration operation during picking work)
FIG. 4 is a sequence chart showing an example of a flow of information registration operation at the time of picking work by the physical distribution management system.
As shown in the figure, first, the work manager uses the manager terminal 30 to perform assignment processing of the person in charge of the picking work (step S101).
In this assignment process, the work manager selects a work person to be assigned from the person-in-charge list displayed on the screen of the administrator terminal 30, and assigns a work person to each picking work. When the physical distribution management server 20 receives the information indicating that the person in charge is assigned from the administrator terminal 30, the distribution management server 20 updates the work assignment data in the information storage device 22 based on the work assignment contents.

  On the other hand, the worker in charge inputs his / her worker ID to the worker terminal 10 (step S102). For example, the worker may input the worker ID by causing the reading unit of the worker terminal 10 to read code information such as a barcode indicating his / her worker ID.

  Next, the work person uses the work person terminal 10 to send the entered work person ID to the physical distribution management server 20 via the wireless communication device 21, logs in, and makes a picking list acquisition request. (Step S103). The picking list is data indicating a list of products to be picked according to an order from a delivery destination.

When the logistics management server 20 receives the worker ID from the worker terminal 10, the distribution management server 20 extracts the picking work to which the worker in charge of the received ID is assigned from the work assignment data in the information storage device 22, The list is created as a picking list (step S104).
The physical distribution management server 20 downloads the created picking list to the worker terminal 10 via the wireless communication device 21 (step S105). The picking list includes print data for labels attached to each product.

  Next, the worker terminal 10 displays the downloaded picking list on the screen (step S106). The worker in charge confirms the storage location of the product to be picked shown in the picking list, and moves to that storage location.

  The worker in charge moves to the storage location and starts picking work. At this time, the worker in charge transmits information indicating that the picking work is started to the physical distribution management server 20 via the wireless communication device 21 using the worker person terminal 10 (step S107). The information indicating that the picking work is started includes information indicating the current time, that is, the picking work start time.

The worker in charge uses the administrator terminal 30 to pick a specified number of products specified by the picking list on the screen (step S108).
The person in charge of the work takes out the goods stored in the collection shelf and moves the picked-up goods to a collection container (such as a cart) and performs a picking operation. At this time, every time one person takes out a product, the worker in charge reads the code information printed or attached to the taken-out product with the reading unit of the administrator terminal 30 and counts the number of picked products. The number picked and the number designated for picking are displayed on the screen of the administrator terminal 30.

  The person in charge of the work repeats the picking work for the number specified in the picking list, and when the picking work is completed, information indicating that the picking work is finished is transmitted to the physical distribution management server 20 via the wireless communication device 21 (step). S109). Further, the information indicating that the picking work is to be ended includes information indicating the current time, that is, the picking work end time.

The physical distribution management server 20 calculates the time (work time) required for the picking work from the work start time and work end time received from the work staff terminal 10 (step S110).
In addition, the logistics management server 20 writes the calculated work time, the received work start time, and the received work end time as collection work data in the information storage device 22 and completes the corresponding picking work. The flag is set to “1” (step S111).
Thereafter, the person in charge of the work repeats the picking work (steps S106 to S111) until all the picking work on this day on the picking list is completed.

(Example of picking list display)
Here, a display example of the picking list on the screen of the worker terminal 10 will be described with reference to the drawings.

5 to 7 are diagrams showing picking lists displayed on the worker terminal 10.
When the person-in-charge terminal 10 downloads the picking list from the physical distribution management server 20, the picking list as shown in FIG. 5 can be displayed. As shown in FIG. 5, in the picking list, the work in charge of the work person using the work person in charge terminal 10 is indicated by the shipment work unit (shipment No.). In addition, the picking list indicates whether or not the picking work in each shipping work has been completed.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the ID of the worker in charge currently used, the ID of the worker person terminal 10 itself, the current time, etc. may be displayed on the screen.

Here, the worker in charge uses the worker-in-charge terminal 10 to set the shipping number shown in the picking list. When one of them is selected, the selected shipment number as shown in FIG. A list of all picking operations in the shipping operation is displayed. As shown in the figure, the location code of the product storage location, the name of the product to be picked, the product code, and the number are displayed on the screen for each picking operation.
Further, as shown in FIG. The delivery destination, the name of the storage location where the picking operation being selected is performed, the location code, etc. may be displayed on the screen.

Furthermore, when the worker in charge selects one of the picking operations shown in the picking list using the worker officer terminal 10, the selection is made on the screen of the worker officer terminal 10 as shown in FIG. Detailed information of the picking work that has been performed is displayed. As shown in FIG. 7, the shipping number is displayed on the screen at this time. The storage location of the product, its location code, the name of the delivery destination, the number to pick, the product code, the product name, etc. are displayed.
The person in charge of the work performs the picking work while confirming the picking list displayed as described above.

(Label creation operation)
In addition, the worker can use the worker terminal 10 and the label printer 11 to appropriately create a label to be attached to the product or the package of the product.
First, the worker in charge displays a picking list on the screen of the worker-in-charge terminal 10, and selects a label creation target product from the picking list. The worker terminal 10 transmits the label print data attached to the selected product to the label printer 11 wirelessly.
When the label printer 11 receives information indicating the contents of the label, the label printer 11 prints and outputs the designated label contents on a label sheet. The worker in charge attaches the output label to the product or the package of the product.
In this way, since the character / image information indicating the contents of the label attached to each product is included in the picking list in advance, the person in charge of the work performs a complicated operation of comparing the product with the label to be attached. Therefore, it is possible to easily attach a label to a product or the like.

(Information management operation)
Hereinafter, an information management operation by the physical distribution management system will be described.

(1) Calculation of work time The physical distribution management server 20 refers to the collection work data in the information storage device 22 and calculates an average value of the work time. For example, the average value of the working time is as follows.
・ Average value of work time of picking work unit ・ Average value of work time of shipping work unit ・ Average value of collection work time for each type of product The work manager determines the average value of the calculated work time and each By comparing the work time by the worker, it becomes possible to objectively evaluate the ability and work efficiency of each worker. In addition, the work manager can make each work person himself / herself strongly aware of the improvement of work efficiency by setting the average value of the work time as a target value of the work time for the work person.
The distribution management server 20 may calculate the average value of the collection work time per piece of all products. In this case, the physical distribution management server 20 can calculate a reference value for evaluating the worker in charge by multiplying the average value per piece by the number of workers in charge of picking. Further, the distribution management server 20 may calculate the average value of the collection work time per piece for each type of product.

(2) Calculation of non-working time In addition, in order to improve work efficiency, it is necessary to shorten the work time and reduce the non-working time such as the travel time between the work times and the work preparation time. Become.
Here, the distribution management server 20 refers to the collection work data in the information storage device 22 and averages the time (non-work time) that has elapsed from the end of the picking work to the start of the next picking work. A value is calculated for each combination of work places where the two picking operations were performed.
The work manager compares each calculated non-work time average value with the non-work time by each work person for each combination of work places before and after the non-work time. It becomes possible to objectively evaluate the attendance consciousness. In addition, the work manager can set a target value for the non-work time for the worker in charge, and can make each worker himself / herself strongly aware of the improvement in work efficiency.

(3) Setting of product storage location Further, in order to improve the work efficiency, it is necessary to appropriately determine the storage location of the product and reduce the travel time between picking operations.
Here, the physical distribution management server 20 refers to the collection work data in the information storage device 22 and extracts a combination of products when picking work is continued. For example, when a worker in charge performs picking work in the order of product A → product B → product C → product D, the logistics management server 20 sets “product A and B”, “product B and C”, “ A combination such as “product C and D” is extracted.
The information management server 20 lists a combination of products whose number of extractions is equal to or greater than a preset number, and transmits a message to the administrator terminal 30 prompting a change in the storage location of the product. At this time, the logistics management server 20 creates a recommended layout diagram in which the storage location of each product is changed so that the products that are frequently combined (or frequently extracted) are stored within a certain distance. Then, it may be transmitted to the administrator terminal 30.
Work managers can reduce the travel time during picking work by storing products that are frequently used (or frequently extracted) in a close storage location. It is possible to increase the efficiency of the process.
In the above-described example, the logistics management server 20 extracts a combination of products for continuous picking work. All combinations of picking operations may be extracted.

<Summary of Embodiment>
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the worker in charge inputs the user's own ID using the worker person terminal 10 and downloads the picking list via the wireless LAN. The person can easily obtain a list of picking works that he / she is in charge of anywhere within the wireless communicable area, and the picking work can be made more efficient.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the worker terminal 10 transmits the start and end of the collection work to the physical distribution management server 20 in real time, so that the work manager performs the collection work by each work person. It becomes possible to easily grasp the progress.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the logistics management server 20 calculates the average value of the work time from the start time and the end time of the collection work transmitted from the work person in charge terminal 10, so that the calculated value is It can also be set as the target value of the work time of the worker, and the work manager can easily and objectively evaluate each worker.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the logistics management server 20 determines the non-working time including the travel time between work times from the start time and end time of the collection work transmitted from the work person in charge terminal 10. Since the average value is calculated, the calculated value can be set as a target value for the non-working time of the worker, and the work manager can easily and objectively evaluate each worker.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the logistics management server 20 sends a message to the administrator terminal 30 indicating that the storage location of the goods that are frequently picked by the same worker in the same period is placed within a certain distance. Therefore, the work manager can reduce the movement time of the person in charge at the time of the picking work, and can improve the efficiency of the picking work.

In the present embodiment, the code information attached to the product may be any code that can identify the product, for example, code information such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code, or a code written on an IC tag. It may be information.
In the present embodiment, the item to be picked is a “product”, but the picking target is not limited to an article for sale.

  The communication between the worker terminal 10 and the label printer 11 is preferably performed wirelessly, and may be performed, for example, via Bluetooth or wireless LAN.

  In this embodiment, the work manager uses the physical distribution management system to manage picking work at the time of picking up, but in addition, at the time of goods inspection at the time of receiving / shipping, sorting work after picking work In the same way, it is possible to manage the product management and the progress of the worker.

  The above processing is executed by a computer program included in the worker terminal 10, the information management server 20, or the manager terminal 30. The above program is an optical recording medium, a magnetic recording medium, or a magnetooptical recording medium. Alternatively, the program may be recorded on a recording medium such as a semiconductor and loaded from the above-described recording medium, or may be loaded from an external device connected via a predetermined network.

  The above-described embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Is possible.

It is a figure which shows the structure of a physical distribution management system. It is a figure which shows an example of collection work data. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen display of an administrator terminal. It is a sequence chart which shows the flow of operation | movement by a physical distribution management system. It is a figure which shows an example of a picking list | wrist. It is a figure which shows an example of a picking list | wrist. It is a figure which shows an example of a picking list | wrist.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Work person side apparatus 2 Work manager side apparatus 10 Work person side terminal 11 Label printer 20 Logistics management server 21 Wireless communication apparatus 22 Information storage apparatus 30 Administrator terminal

Claims (7)

A logistics management system comprising a worker person terminal operated by a worker person who performs collection work of a collection target object, and a logistics management server capable of communicating with the worker person terminal,
The collection work list information handled by the work person is transmitted from the logistics management server to the work person terminal, and the work person receives the collection work list information from the logistics management server as the work. A logistics management system characterized in that the collection work is displayed on a person-in-charge terminal and the collection information is transmitted to the logistics management server. The logistics management server
2. The physical distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein the collection work list information is transmitted to the work staff terminal in response to an acquisition request from the work staff terminal. The worker terminal is
Each time one collection object is collected based on the displayed collection work list information, code information indicating the collection object is input, and the collection object is collected. The physical distribution management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the number is counted. The collection information is
The distribution management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a progress status of the collection work. The collection information is
Information indicating the start time and end time of the collection work,
The logistics management server
The physical distribution management system according to claim 4, wherein an average value of work hours of the collection work is calculated based on information indicating the start time and end time. The logistics management server
Based on the information indicating the start time and the end time, the average value of each non-collection work time between collection work continuously performed by the same worker is calculated as each work place of the continuous collection work. 6. The physical distribution management system according to claim 5, wherein the distribution management system calculates each combination. The logistics management server
The combination of two or more collection objects whose frequency of collection work at the same opportunity by the same person in charge is higher than a predetermined value, and the distance between the storage locations of the two or more collection objects extracted The physical distribution management system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the storage location is set so that is within a certain distance.

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