JP2002312445A - Management device and method for warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance efficiency of cargo handling work of a workman in a physical distribution warehouse and to provide flexible correspondence to a change or the like of a shipping schedule or a cargo receiving schedule. SOLUTION: A work unit to be used as a work assignment unit is defined every work process, and work assignment is carried out in work units. In the assignment, accumulation of articles is prevented by assigning at least one workman to a work process not necessarily busy but with cargo work and not by assigning cargo work only to work units where cargo work concentrates.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to management of workers in a distribution warehouse. The present invention relates to a scheduling device and a method for allocating a task to a worker who is particularly involved in a loading operation. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a technique for scheduling workers involved in loading operations such as storage, inspection, picking, sorting, and packing of loads performed in a distribution warehouse.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a loading operation in a distribution warehouse that picks, sorts, and sorts incoming goods for each delivery destination and then ships the goods, there is a method in which storage, picking, sorting, and sorting of loads are performed in an automatic warehouse. . The management by this automatic warehouse,
When standardized individual articles or standardized article groups are handled in pallet units, there is an advantage that labor can be saved. However, a distribution warehouse handles not only articles of standardized size but also articles of various sizes and types at the same time. For example, various articles must be handled according to the purpose of delivering the articles. For this reason, loading operations such as picking, moving, packing, and packing of articles by a person are performed together with the operations of the automatic warehouse. In particular, in some cases, all the work of picking loose articles that are not packed, moving them as a group of articles, and arranging the goods must be performed manually. There are also cases where there are laws and regulations, such as dangerous goods, which need to be managed by hand, in parallel with other goods.

[0003]

Various algorithms and management methods have been proposed for an article management technique in an automatic warehouse. However, for manual loading,
Only an empirical management method is being executed, and a proposal for a rational work management method in a distribution warehouse that handles various kinds of articles simultaneously in parallel is desired.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a management apparatus and method capable of rationally managing the work of a worker and efficiently managing the work of a load. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a management apparatus and a management method that can reasonably schedule workers in a distribution warehouse. Further, the present invention provides a management device and a method capable of appropriately distributing workers along a flow of goods in a warehouse, performing a smooth loading operation, and reducing stagnation of goods. With the goal.

[0005]

According to the present invention, work steps are divided along a flow of goods in a warehouse, and a work unit is defined as a target of a work instruction. For example, the operation of taking out a specified number of designated articles from the storage means in which loose articles are stored, placing them on a cart (cart), and moving them to a place where a load on the same floor is delivered is defined as one work unit. Loading in the warehouse
Such a unit of work is understood as a linked flow,
The work management is performed by assigning a work unit identification number to each work unit. A higher-level management device that performs work management allocates workers in units of work in work assignment (scheduling). In the assignment of workers, a person is assigned to a process where work is performed in the loading process, and a worker is assigned to a portion where work is performed even if there is a process with a small workload (not busy). I do. Thus, it is possible to prevent the articles to be processed from staying between the work processes and causing a bottleneck.

[0006] Further, since there is a work or a work that the worker is better at, or a product or work that can be handled only by a specific worker, a load work that can be performed by each worker is determined for each work unit, and work assignment is performed. Priority is given in. When performing work assignment, work assignment is performed based on this priority information. This ensures that the right people are assigned the right job,
Workers can be arranged so that efficient work can be performed.

The work assignment is calculated at predetermined time intervals, for example, at intervals of 5 minutes or 15 minutes.
Alternatively, the work assignment may be calculated in response to an input indicating that the worker has completed one designated work unit, and the assignment may be recalculated frequently. Thus, it is possible to allocate workers in real time in accordance with the flow of articles. Even if there is an interruption, work can be assigned at any time, and it is possible to flexibly cope with a change in the shipping plan.

[0008] That is, the present invention is a management device for managing the loading work of workers in a warehouse, and this management device allocates a group of loading operations that can be performed by one worker for each work process division. Defined as a unit of work,
Allocating means for allocating a worker for each work unit, wherein the allocating means allocates at least one worker to a process in which a load work exists in allocating a worker according to a work load and a work constraint for each work process. It includes means for assigning workers, and means for repeatedly performing the calculation of the work assignment at predetermined time intervals.

[0009] The assigning means assigns the work that can be performed by the worker to be assigned to the work based on the priority data in which the work assignment rank is provided for the work division or the work place for each worker. Can be included.

[0010] Further, means for recalculating the work assignment each time a load work occurs can be included.

Further, the management device may include means for recalculating the work assignment every time the start and completion of the work are input.

Further, the worker carries a terminal to which a work instruction is given, and the management device provides means for giving a work instruction to the worker through the portable terminal and inputting start and completion of each work process. Can be included.

Further, according to the present invention, in a work management method for a distribution warehouse, in which a cargo operation performed in a distribution warehouse is divided into a plurality of processes and an operator is assigned to each of the processes, one operation is performed for each of the loading processes. A group of cargo work that can be performed by a worker is defined as a work unit, which is a unit of assignment, a work instruction is given to the worker for each work unit, and at least one worker is assigned to a process in which this work exists,
It is characterized in that the calculation of the assignment of the worker is performed every predetermined time.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the general flow of goods in a warehouse and the operation thereof. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow of storing and storing in the warehouse. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flow of shipping an article to a delivery destination in packing units, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a work flow of picking loose articles and shipping the delivery destination, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating movement of the article. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a higher-level management system that controls the loading operation in this warehouse. FIG. 7 shows an example of a configuration of a management system for assigning work (work management CPU and data input / output to / from the work management CPU). FIG.
It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the work assignment performed by the work management CPU.

First, a description will be given of the flow of goods in a warehouse and the operation thereof according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, articles received from a factory or the like are first inspected for arrival and stored in a predetermined storage location based on the inspection. The storage places include an automatic warehouse, a dangerous goods warehouse, an SA frontage, each floor frontage, and the like, and are transported to and stored in the respective storage places by the received articles. In the stored articles, necessary articles are picked based on a shipping plan, sorted for each delivery destination, inspected, and then packed.
The finished goods are loaded on each delivery vehicle and delivered to the destination store or terminal. It should be noted that the work of shipping inspection does not necessarily have to be performed after sorting, and can be performed at the same time as or after loading, and sorting, shipping inspection, and packing can be grasped as simultaneous operations.

Next, the flow of storing and receiving goods in the warehouse will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the part where the number is given to N indicates the identification number of the work unit instructed to the worker.

First, when an article-laden vehicle arrives from a factory or the like, arrival arrival arrival registration is performed (N00). Inspection is performed based on the arrival schedule, and a label indicating the storage location is attached (N10). In addition, the expiration date-managed products and the lot-managed products that are specially handled are temporarily placed in stock, and a storage destination label is affixed according to a separate storage instruction (N10). Further, unscheduled items such as excess quantities are returned (N10).

The storage locations in the warehouse include an automatic warehouse, an SA frontage, a dangerous goods warehouse, each floor frontage, and a separate warehouse. N50, N60, N7
0, N20). When stored in a car, a car cart label is attached to each car. Also, no storage destination label is issued for articles stored in the automatic warehouse.

The frontage means a place where articles are laid flat, and at the second to fourth floor frontage, the articles are stored in a cart or in a palletized state. Articles to be stored at each floor entrance are stored in pallets or carts and transported to each floor entrance by vertical transport equipment, where they are temporarily placed at each floor entrance and stored at each frontage (N29, N39, N4).
9). The SA frontage is a place where articles are stored in units of pallets, and a forklift is used for the work at this time.

Next, the operation of picking and sorting the stored articles, sorting the packages, and shipping them will be described with reference to FIG. The work shown in FIG. 3 is an example of a work flow in the case where shipment is performed in a packing unit for each delivery destination.

The articles stored in each frontage are picked according to a work instruction. As this picking,
The operation of picking articles according to the total number of sorts in units of varieties (K20, K30, K40), and the operation of picking articles specified for each sort destination by the indicated amount (K21, K31, K41). Transported to a temporary delivery place with a vertical transport facility. Separately from this, according to a shipping plan, articles designated respectively from the automatic warehouse, the SA frontage, and the dangerous goods warehouse are picked (K50, K10, K60, and K).
70).

The sorting is expressed as "seed sowing" in FIG. 3, and the picked articles are sorted and put together. At the time of seeding, shipment inspection is performed at the same time (work units here are K90, K80, K60, K50, and K10). Here, if the packing is completed for each packing location, the packing completion label is attached to the article. The articles that are packed and delivered directly to each store are sorted by the direct delivery car unit by pseudo shop, attached to the direct delivery car and loaded (E90). In addition, items to be delivered to a terminal or the like are packed in units of bases for relays, tied to relay vehicles and loaded (E90).

FIG. 4 shows a work flow (herein referred to as total picking of loose pieces) for picking up articles in a cart type until the carts are full and transporting the articles to a cart sorting room for sorting by delivery destination unit. ing. In the cart sorting room, the second floor, the third floor, like B20, B30, B40,
Pick up the goods stored in the 4th floor frontage, take out the goods from the loaded cart, sort them into stores by cart, temporarily store them in the temporary storage place, and deliver them from the storage place in the order of delivery destination by delivery car unit. Pallet stacking (oricon stacking). Then, it is placed at a predetermined location in the cargo assortment area, loaded into a delivery vehicle together with the package shipment, and delivered. The work unit in this work flow is provided with an identification number in which a number is added to B, such as B20 and B30.

FIG. 5 shows a transport mode in which a movement instruction is given while focusing on the movement of an article. For example, an article stored in another warehouse is moved to each floor entrance, an automatic warehouse, an SA entrance, and a dangerous goods warehouse via vertical transport equipment. These are M29, M39, M49, M51, M61, M71
It is shown in the work unit. In addition, the respective work units are also shown for the return area, the frontage temporary storage, and the transfer from the automatic warehouse.

The above is an example of the work flow in the warehouse.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of a higher-level management system that manages cargo work in this warehouse. A picking CPU 61 for performing picking management of articles, a work management CPU 62 for performing work management by performing work instructions to workers and scheduling workers, and wirelessly outputting work instructions and other data to each worker; A wireless CPU 63 that performs data input processing from a user is connected by a bus 64. The wireless CPU 63 is connected to a wireless communication network 65 provided in the warehouse.
5 is connected to a wireless handy terminal (hereinafter referred to as a wireless HT) 66 held by the worker, and work instructions and data input / output are performed using a wireless line. Wireless HT
66 is provided with a display unit, a printing unit, and a barcode reading unit, and the display unit displays work instructions and the like from a higher-level management device. The printing unit prints a storage destination label, a cart label, a packing completion label, and the like. The bar code reading unit reads a bar code indicating the identification of various labels and the like attached to the article and the cart. This wireless HT 66 is carried by each worker, and work instructions and data are input / output for each worker.

The bus is connected as a separate system to a distribution CPU for managing the receipt / shipment plan and a CPU for managing the articles.

Next, the work assignment (scheduling) of the worker in the work management CPU will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 shows the flow of data in the management system for performing work assignment, and has a configuration corresponding to the work management CPU and picking CPU in FIG.

The work management CPU includes a scheduler 71 for calculating the assignment of workers. The work management CPU and the picking CPU share a worker input constraint master 73 in a storage device (shared disk). Workers are assigned using the shift-specific work schedule master 74, worker master 75, and work definition master 76. The picking CPU includes work unit data creating means 72 for creating picking data. The picking CPU uses the data from the physical distribution CPU separately connected by a bus, the work definition master 76, and the stock data 77 to perform the work. Create picking data for a unit of work for.

Here, the work definition master 76 is a file in which the work process is defined for each of the above work units, and for each work unit number, the work process name, the standard human productivity, the work process definition, the work unit, the wireless It has HT screen data. For example, the work unit N20 is such that the work process name is “each store floor on arrival”, the productivity at standard time is “388”, and the work process definition is “carry the carts for each floor of N10 and N11 at the inspection place to the elevator → each floor. , The work unit “each car”, and the wireless HT screen “stored each floor”. These data are set for each work unit.

The worker input constraint master 73 is a file having data such as the number of workers that can be input for each work place and the qualifications required for the workers, and these data are set for each work unit number. . For example, in the unit of work N20 in the receiving area on the first floor of the warehouse, “for each storage of the storage”,
Handling is "forklift", maximum number of people "10
The data includes "person", a minimum number of "one", and a fork qualification "need all". In addition, the work unit K90 in the packing area is "1B packing for 1st picking of the bundling frontage picking".
, Data is set such that the handling is "person", the maximum number is "20", the minimum number is "1", and the fork qualification is "no need".

The shift work schedule master 74 stores a shift work schedule for each worker, and assigns a shift number to a set of start time and end time.
The shift number is set for each working day of each person. For example, if the worker code A has a start time of 6:00 and an end time of 15:00 on X / Y and the shift number “1” is assigned to this shift, The shift number “1” is set to the data of the shift. These shift-by-shift masters are registered with the data of these shifts for each person for the monthly work.

In the worker master 75, data on the qualification, the category of the worker, the priority of the work place, and the priority of each work category are set for each worker. The priority data registered in the work master is data indicating which place and which work is to be preferentially assigned to each worker, and is set in advance according to the qualification and work efficiency of the worker. For example, regarding the code A of the worker, the worker category 1F worker 6, forklift qualified,
With the automatic warehouse operation qualification, priority 1 according to the work place, order 1 “arrival”, order 2 “automatic warehouse”, order 3 “dangerous goods warehouse”, order 4 “SA frontage” are set. As the order, "order storage 1", order 2 "batch shipping", and order 3 "total amount of roses" are set. For workers,
In principle, priority for each work place and priority for work division shall be set.

Here, a description will be given of an example of a work instruction to the worker A for K20 (package picking (total type) at the second floor entrance). Worker A enters his / her name code at the start of work, registers the worker or notifies the completion of the work, and obtains the work unit number (K20) of worker A already set in the work / work process data for each worker. I do. As a work instruction of this work unit, the display section of the wireless HT of the worker A includes:
A work instruction of "performing package picking (total type) at the second floor entrance" is displayed. Once you get this work unit number,
This time, the specific work content for each work unit set in the work unit data of the picking CPU is acquired. Since the work unit data is created by the work unit data creation means 72 based on the data received from the physical distribution CPU, the specific contents of the work unit K20 for the worker A are displayed on the wireless HT.

The scheduler 71 allocates (schedules) workers based on the data of the worker input constraint master 73, shift-by-shift master 74, worker master 75, and work definition master 76. This will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operations of the scheduler 71 and the work unit data creating means 72 for creating work instruction data.

The scheduling by the scheduler 71 starts when the scheduler is started at a predetermined timing (S8).
1) First, work man-hours are calculated, and workers are assigned based on the work man-hours (S82, S83). The calculation result of the work assignment is corrected if the work time is short (S84), instruction data for the worker is created based on the correction result, and a work instruction is given (S84).
85, S86).

Further, each step will be described.

First, the person who is going to work is grasped from the data of the person who intends to work by shift. It should be noted that even those who are not going to work, those who have registered workers from the wireless HT are also treated as workers. Further, from the data on the amount of incoming and outgoing goods received from the physical distribution CPU and the data on the amount of shipped goods, the amount of goods to be worked on is grasped, and the number of work steps is calculated. Thereby, it is possible to know who can put in and the amount of articles to be processed. Here, as the grasp of the article quantity, the article quantity to be handled for each work unit (each work number) is grasped from the work batch data. At this time, the relationship between the pre-process and the post-process is considered. For example, K90
There are K20, K21, K30, and K31 as pre-processes, and articles in the pre-process will be handled as post-processes. Then, the number of work steps is calculated for each work unit. Work man-hours are calculated based on the quantity of goods and productivity at man hour. The calculation formula is represented by (work article quantity for each work unit) / (human productivity for each work unit). Then, the work man-hours are calculated for each floor, and the work man-hours for each flow are calculated by consolidating the floor units.

Next, workers are assigned based on this data.

First, the number of workers for each floor is calculated based on the number of persons to be assigned work, and the number of workers is assigned for each work process. At this time, the maximum number of persons in the worker input constraint condition master 73 is considered. Then, the worker is assigned at the work place and the work division.

The assignment of the workers is performed so that the following condition is satisfied. 1) Calculate the number of man-hours for each work process based on the data of "standard man-hour productivity" of the work definition master. At this time, workers are assigned to all work processes in which there is work. However,
The condition of the maximum number of persons for each floor in the worker input constraint condition master is satisfied. This means that workers are allocated as long as there is work even in work processes other than the busiest process, and workers are not allocated only to places where the amount of work is large. 2) Allocate the required number of people according to the number of work steps for each work process. 3) The worker is determined in consideration of the constraint of the worker input constraint master for each work process, the qualification of the worker master for each worker, and the priority order. 4) Assign the same worker continuously to the same work. 5) Assign the maximum number of people who can be input to the priority batch part. 6) For workers with a small number of work steps, the next work process is determined so as not to be in a standby state. However, in this case, the assignment is performed so that the movement between floors is minimized. 7) At the time of batch convergence, if the number of man-hours is reduced, do not assign an excessive number of people.
A tidy and cleaning (3S) instruction is issued.

In addition, as a short-time work correction, when the assignment work is small, the assignment is corrected so that the work up to 30 minutes ahead is prepared. In this method, work that is completed within 30 minutes is extracted and combined, and the qualifications of workers and the order of movement (first in the same work place, then in the same floor, then in other floors) Therefore, the assignment of the workers is performed by combining the works.

The worker assignment is performed so as to satisfy such conditions. In the worker assignment, recalculation is performed with a predetermined matter as an opportunity so as to correspond to the actual flow of the articles and the measures for them. . The timing for executing this recalculation is as follows. When new shipment data is received When the arrival of the arrival vehicle is registered A fixed period, for example, every 5 minutes or 10 minutes When the worker finishes his / her duties by wireless HT, he / she inputs the absence of the person who is going to work by shift. When arbitrarily started on the operation terminal according to the manager's judgment

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the worker assignment process from before the start of the work to when the worker inputs the end of work. First, a work schedule master for each shift is created (S91). You can register this one month before.

Prior to the daily work of the worker, the work scheduler calculates the worker assignment based on the data of the shift schedule master, the work definition master, the worker master, and the worker input constraint master, and performs the work in advance. An instruction is created (S92). When the worker performs the work start registration by wireless HT on the day (S93), the worker instructs the scheduled work. During the work, work is assigned to the registered worker based on the data of the work definition master, the worker master, and the worker input constraint master, and a work instruction is given (S94).
When the worker performs the work end registration by using the wireless HT, the worker is excluded from the targets of the work material (S95).

As described above, a work instruction is created in advance based on the schedule of the worker, and as described above, the work instruction is performed by recalculating the assignment at each opportunity.

When a worker who has been assigned work in the shift-by-shift work master is absent, he / she can enter absence and enter
The scheduled work is assigned to the rested worker to other workers registered by the wireless HT.

[0051]

According to the present invention, in the assignment of workers, the work load is not so concentrated that only busy places are busy. Workers are also assigned to processes where work exists. Thus, the flow of articles in a busy place may be slow in some parts, but the process can be controlled so that the articles flow as a whole. In addition, it is possible to reduce the movement of the worker between processes, and it is possible to rationalize the arrangement of personnel.

Further, since the worker assignment is calculated and performed at every predetermined time, the worker can be assigned according to the change of the plan of the incoming and outgoing shipment and the fluctuation of the incoming and outgoing shipment. Accordingly, it is possible to correspond the loading work in real time.

Priorities are set for the work to be assigned to each worker, and based on information such as qualifications necessary for the worker and the maximum number of work pieces that can be arranged for each work process, the workers are assigned to increase the work efficiency. Since the work is allocated, the work can be allocated so that the work is performed efficiently.

Further, work can be assigned directly to the worker via the wireless HT carried by the worker, and work start registration and work end registration from the worker can also be performed via the wireless HT. Can be given to the worker at any time without restriction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the flow of goods and the outline of work in a warehouse.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a work flow of storing goods;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a work flow of packing and shipping.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a work flow of bulk shipment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a work flow of movement.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a higher-level work management system.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the flow of data in work management.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flow of a worker assignment process.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a flow of a worker assignment process from before the worker's work to the end of the work.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 61 picking CPU 62 management CPU 63 wireless CPU 64 bus 65 wireless communication network 66 wireless HT 71 scheduler 72 work unit data creation means 73 worker input restriction condition master 74 shift work schedule master 75 worker master 76 work definition master 77 stock data

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Claims (6)

[Claims] The present invention relates to a management device that manages a cargo operation of a worker in a warehouse, and the management device assigns a group of cargo operations that can be performed by one worker for each work process division. An assignment unit is defined as a unit and assigns a worker for each work unit. The assignment unit assigns a worker according to a work load and a work constraint for each work process. A means for allocating at least one worker, and means for repeatedly calculating the work assignment at predetermined time intervals. 2. The assigning means assigns the work that can be performed by the worker to be assigned to the worker based on the priority data in which the work assignment order is set for each worker for each work category or work place. The management apparatus for a distribution warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The distribution warehouse management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said management apparatus includes means for recalculating a work assignment each time a load operation occurs. 4. The distribution warehouse management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said management apparatus includes means for recalculating the work assignment each time the start and completion of the work are input. 5. The worker carries a terminal to which a work instruction is given, and the management device provides means for giving a work instruction to the worker via the portable terminal and inputting start and completion of each work process. The management apparatus for a distribution warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising: 6. In a work management method of a distribution warehouse, in which a loading operation performed in a distribution warehouse is divided into a plurality of processes and an operator is assigned to each of the processes, one worker can perform one loading operation. A group of load work is defined as a work unit, which is the unit of assignment, and a work instruction is given to the worker for each work unit. At least one worker is assigned to the process in which this load work exists. A work management method for a distribution warehouse, wherein calculation of assignment is performed at predetermined time intervals.