JP2019023145A - Picking system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a picking process with reduced idling time, satisfying efficient logistics with minimal inventory and a frequent distribution of the logistics.SOLUTION: The present invention provides: a picking process for inserting goods into a collection box without going through a temporary placing shelf from a storage shelf; a picking process for inserting goods from the storage shelf to the collection box via the temporary placing shelf; and a control unit capable of converting these processes according to circumstances.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a picking system in various distribution centers, for example, and in particular, a picking system that puts instructed items into a collection box that is conveyed by a belt conveyor or the like among various items stored in a storage shelf. About.

  In sorting, that is, in a picking system, for example, in an article distribution center, an operator can collect various kinds of articles stored in storage shelves into collection boxes placed along a conveying means such as a belt conveyor. Sort according to customer orders.

  The picking system has also progressed as the consumption forms have diversified and changed from mass production of the same conventional items to high-mix low-volume production in line with consumer preference. In order to satisfy the customer's requirement to obtain only the amount they want when they want, it is possible to secure profits even when logistics changes from small-quantity mass transportation to multi-variety small-lot transportation, and picking becomes complicated. Because it must be.

  As a result, for example, at an article distribution center, an operator responds to a customer order from a wide variety of articles stored in a storage shelf to a collection box placed along a conveying means such as a belt conveyor. A digital picking system was born that picks according to the display on the digital display installed for each item on the storage shelf.

  However, in recent years, it has been further spurred by diversification of goods and consumers to be handled, rapid increase in mail-order sales using the Internet and TV, etc., and reduction of logistics costs, etc., and efficient logistics and logistics with minimal inventory There has been an increasing demand for frequent small-scale use. Therefore, there is a need for a technique for picking a single article accurately and quickly with high work efficiency.

  Therefore, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-354704, there has been proposed a moving position display method that can easily recognize a collection box to be picked and an instruction device that can be picked accurately and quickly.

  However, in this type of system, depending on the situation of the preceding operator, an idling time in which the collection box to be thrown in does not arrive occurs, and the efficiency decreases. For this reason, a temporary placement system has been developed in which when a collection box to be thrown in does not arrive, picking and preparing in advance is performed (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-169502). Various improvements on the system have been added to this temporary placement system. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-165511, a system for arranging an operator who moves an article from a storage shelf to a temporary shelf and an operator who puts the article from the temporary shelf into a collection box on a conveyor is constructed. Therefore, it is intended to simplify and simplify the work, reduce the burden, reduce picking mistakes, and improve work efficiency. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-1203 is characterized by providing an order indicator light that makes clear completion of removal from the storage shelf to the temporary storage shelf by resetting the storage shelf extraction indicator. In addition to reducing the burden, the status of picking work can be grasped.

  On the other hand, in addition to the temporary placement method, improvement of means for conveying the collection box is also being studied. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-247554, a picking zone for storing articles is provided for each shipping frequency, and the collection box passes only a predetermined picking zone on the basis of picking information. Articles to be shipped do not need to pass through a picking zone that is shipped infrequently, thereby realizing efficient picking.

JP-A-4-354704 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-169502 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-165111 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-1203 JP 2005-247554 A

  In this way, the development of a picking system that can respond to the growing demand for efficient logistics with a minimum inventory and frequent frequent logistics is underway, but there are the following problems. In the picking system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-354704, the collection display target range is limited to the collection box within the defense range of the worker, and it is difficult to reduce the idling time. Therefore, by the temporary placement method (for example, the above-mentioned JP-A-7-165511, JP-A-2000-1203, etc.), the idling time generated in low load work with low picking frequency can be predicted with high picking frequency. Allocation is made to the preliminary temporary work to reduce the load of the work at the time of loading, and the efficiency is improved. However, it must be put in the collection box from the storage shelf via the temporary storage shelf, and the time loss is larger than the direct loading in the case of goods that are picked frequently or when working at high load. There is a problem of becoming. On the other hand, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-247554, it is effective for picking special articles to classify and store articles with different picking frequencies and to set a transport path for a collection box according to the articles. Although it is effective, it is difficult to satisfy the demand for digital picking systems, which is required in recent years, that is, efficient logistics with a minimum inventory and the frequent reduction of logistics.

  The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems in the prior art, and more accurately and quickly, and moreover, a picking system capable of efficient picking with reduced idling time. Specifically, it is an object to provide a picking system that can be directly loaded.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a guide lamp type digital picking system in which a picking process for directly putting articles from a storage shelf into a collection box without going through a temporary storage shelf, and a temporary storage shelf from the storage shelf. And a control system that can be converted according to the situation.

  That is, according to the present invention, the temporary storage shelf is arranged in the guide lamp zone, and in a situation where the target collection boxes are continuously picked up within the picking range, the temporary storage shelf passes through the temporary storage shelf. In the situation where there is no target collection box within the picking range, the product is directly assigned to the temporary storage work to reduce the work load during high load. It is a control system that can be used properly.

  More specifically, in the equipment constituting the picking system of the present invention, a picking zone is set for each picking range of the worker along the conveyor that conveys the collection box into which the instructed article is to be placed. A space for performing a picking operation is disposed between a storage shelf for storing articles and the conveyor, and a temporary storage shelf for temporarily placing each article on the conveyor side is provided.

  In this facility, the storage shelves are partitioned into articles for each article, and on the article take-out surface on the front side, a take-out indicator is installed for each article corresponding to the set picking zone. This take-out indicator includes at least an indicator of the number of articles to be taken out, an indicator that indicates whether it is directly put into a collection box or a temporary storage on a temporary storage shelf, and a direct entry into the collection box or After the temporary placement is completed, a completion button for clearing each display is provided.

  On the other hand, the temporary storage shelf is also partitioned for each article, and a temporary display is installed on the article extraction surface in front of the shelf. The temporary display device includes at least a display device that indicates an article to be put into the collection box, a display device that indicates the number of articles to be taken out, and a display that is displayed after the input into the collection box is completed. It has a completion button to clear.

  Further, a guide lamp for indicating a collection box into which articles are to be placed is provided at the upper part of the conveyor.

  Based on the picking information of the article managed by the computer, the above equipment is in accordance with the instructions on the storage shelf take-out indicator when there is a target collection box into which the article is put in the area in charge of the worker in each picking zone. The display is controlled so that the indicated number of articles are directly put into the collection box. Conversely, if there is no target collection box into which items are to be placed within the scope of the worker in each of the above picking zones, the storage shelf take-out display instruction sent based on the picking information of the items managed by the computer Accordingly, the display is controlled so as to temporarily place the displayed number of articles on the temporary shelf. In this way, in situations where the target collection boxes are continuous within the area of charge of the workers in the picking zone and must be picked frequently, the storage shelf can be directly moved to the collection box without going through the temporary storage shelf. It is a system that can be used properly by temporarily placing an article during idling time when the article is loaded and picked less frequently.

  According to the present invention, at the time of high load with high picking frequency, it is possible to input directly from the storage shelf, there is no loss of work time, and the line stagnation of other picking zones with high picking frequency can be suppressed. When the load is low and the picking frequency is low, the idling time can be used for the temporary work for reducing the load at the high load and the picking frequency, which improves the productivity.

  Furthermore, the existing guide lamp type digital picking system in which a conventional temporary shelf is arranged can be modified and used, and productivity can be improved with a small capital investment.

It is a top view which shows the principal part structure of the picking apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the principal part structure of the temporary shelf based on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the principal part structure of the storage shelf which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part block diagram of the extraction display installed in the temporary shelf which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part block diagram of the temporary display installed in the storage shelf which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the picking system structure which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the picking system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

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

  As shown in FIG. 1, a picking device that constitutes a picking system according to an embodiment of the present invention stores a storage shelf 1 for storing various items and supplying them to a picking position, and for transporting a collection box 4. Conveyor 3 and at least a temporary storage shelf 5 for temporarily storing articles taken out of the storage box 1. The space between the storage shelf 1 and the conveyor 3 becomes a work space P where the worker 2 is picked. According to the transport direction C of the collection box, for example, the areas in charge of picking for each worker 2k, 2l, 2m, and 2n are Pk, Pl, Pm, and Pn, the picking zone is Zk, Zl, Zm, and Zn And the storage shelf 1 and the temporary storage shelf 5 corresponding thereto are arranged.

  Further, when the storage shelf 1 is viewed from the front, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, articles are stored divided into four rows and three stages of shelves for each picking zone, and a takeout display 6 is provided for each shelf. In addition, the shelf on which the article to be taken out is instructed, and according to the situation, the direct control and the direct input quantity instruction, and the temporary placement and the temporary placement quantity instruction (described later) display controller 6220 The completion of removal is displayed. Although not shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable to provide a centralized bay lamp only for indicating a shelf on which an article to be taken out exists for a quick operation.

  On the other hand, when the temporary shelf 5 is viewed from the front, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a guide lamp 7 is disposed on the conveyor 3 that conveys the collection box 4 to indicate the collection box into which articles are to be placed. A temporary shelf 5 is provided thereon. A temporary display 8 is provided for each temporary storage shelf 5, and when temporary storage is instructed in the storage shelf 1, a temporary storage location is instructed by the display controller 6220 (described later), or temporary storage is performed. Along with the place where the articles to be put into the collection box 4 from the shelf 5 are temporarily placed, the quantity to be thrown is instructed by the display controller 6220 (described later), and the completion of throwing is further displayed. Further, the guide lamp 7 instructs the collection box 4 to be thrown in based on the control of the display controller 6220 (described later). Further, although not shown in FIG. 3, if there is a picking notice indicator in advance indicating where the collection box 4 into which the next article is to be placed is located in the vicinity of the guide lamp, more efficient work can be performed. .

  The above-described work instructions of the take-out display device 6 and the temporary display device 8 are performed by a display device as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example. The display operation of these displays is controlled by a display controller 6220 (described later).

  First, when there is a target collection box into which an article is to be put in the area in charge of the worker 2, the take-out display unit 6 directly instructs the direct-in / out-in display unit 63 to instruct direct input and the quantity to be directly input. When there is no input / collection quantity display 64 and a target collection box into which an article is to be input within the area in charge of the worker 2, temporary placement / indication display 61 for instructing temporary placement and temporary placement / outtake instructing the quantity to be temporarily placed A quantity indicator 62, a take-out place indicator (bay lamp) 65 indicating the place where the article to be taken out is placed, whether temporarily placed or placed directly, A storage shelf take-out completion reset button 66 that displays that the take-out has been completed can be provided.

  Next, the temporary placement indicator 8 is provided with a temporary placement location indicator (bay lamp) 81 for instructing which shelf of the temporary placement shelf 5 to place temporarily when an instruction for temporary placement is given by the take-out indicator 6. A temporary input indicator 82 for instructing input of articles from the temporary storage shelf 5 to the collection box 4; and a temporary input quantity indicator 83 for indicating the quantity to be input from the temporary storage shelf 5 to the collection box 4. And a temporary placement completion reset button 84 that displays that the placement of the temporarily placed article has been completed.

  A configuration of a picking system that supports the above-described picking work from the system aspect will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure as an example, the higher-level information system 6000 includes, for example, a data management computer 6100 and a data control computer 6200. The management computer 6100 includes an inventory management unit 6110, a warehousing management unit 6120, and a warehousing management unit 6130. The control computer 6200 includes a conveyor control unit 6210, a display control unit 6220, an article replenishment control unit 6230, and a collection control. Part 6240 is provided. The conveyor control unit 6210 controls the input line, and the display unit control unit 6220 controls the take-out display unit 6, the temporary display unit 8, and the guide lamp 7. When a centralized bay lamp, a picking notice indicator, or the like is provided, the display control unit 6220 also controls these. The article replenishment control unit 6230 controls the replenishment line and the storage, and the collection control unit 6240 controls the collection line and the storage. As described above, a known algorithm is controlled by a computer based on a huge amount of article information stored in the host information system, and the conveyor 3, each of the indicators 6 and 8, and the guide lamp 7 are functionally linked. Can be done by programming.

  The picking system described above is a guide lamp type digital picking system in which a picking process in which articles are directly fed from a storage shelf to a collection box without going through a temporary storage shelf, and a collection from the storage shelf via a temporary storage shelf. This is an example of realizing a control system capable of converting the picking process of putting an article into a box according to the situation, and is not limited to this.

  An example of the instructions of the respective indicators 6 and 8 and the operation of the worker 2 when picking using the above-described embodiment is centered on the worker 2k in the work space Pk of the Zk picking zone in FIG. A series of picking operations will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the picking system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, prior to picking, the worker 2k looks at the direction of the storage shelf 1 in the work space Pk and starts after confirming that the take-out display 6 is not operating (step S700).

  When the collection boxes 402 to 406 transported to the picking zone Zk in the area in charge of the worker 2k are target collection boxes into which articles are continuously put, the information slip (not shown) and the information slip are read (not shown). No) It is recognized by the sensor or the like that the direct insertion mode is selected (Yes in step S701), and the pick-up order is displayed as picking orders on the pick-up indicators 602 to 606 of the storage shelves 102 to 106 by the control of the display controller 6220. The container 65 and the storage shelf take-out completion reset button 66 are turned on, and the direct input / output indicator 63 for instructing direct input and the direct input / output quantity indicator 64 for instructing the quantity to be directly input are sequentially lit (step S720). ). According to the lighting, the guide lamps 7 are sequentially turned on under the control of the display controller 6220 (step S721), so that the worker 2k sequentially puts the articles on the storage shelves 102 to 106 into the collection boxes 402 to 406 in accordance with these instructions. Can be input directly.

  As described above, when the direct insertion of the articles 102 to 106 without passing through the temporary storage shelf 5 is completed, the storage shelf take-out completion reset button 66 is sequentially pressed by the worker 2k and recognized on the system side in the same manner as described above. (Step S722) and the system 6000 that recognizes this, under the control of the display controller 6220, the direct input / output indicator 63, the direct input / output quantity indicator 64, the output location indicator 65, and the storage shelf extraction The completion reset button 66 is sequentially turned off, and the completion of the loading operation of the articles 102 to 106 is recognized (step S723). The picking order has not ended (No in step S724), and the process proceeds to the next picking operation.

  Next, the collection boxes 407 to 409 conveyed to the picking zone Zk, which is the area in charge of the worker 2k, are not target collection boxes into which articles are to be placed (No in step S701), but the picking zones Zm and Zn Since there are target collection boxes 410 to 412 for the workers 2k to input the articles, picking orders are displayed on the pick-up displays 607 to 609 of the storage shelves 107 to 109 in which the articles to be input to the computers 6200 are stored. The take-out location indicator 65 and the storage shelf take-out completion reset button 66 are turned on, and the temporary control / removal indicator 61 that the display controller 6220 instructs temporary placement and the temporary placement / removal amount indicator 62 that instructs the temporary placement quantity are displayed. Are sequentially turned on at the same time (step S710).

  The worker 2k sequentially moves the articles from the storage shelves 107 to 109 to the temporary shelves 501 to 503 in accordance with the take-out indicators 607 to 609. For example, when these are confirmed on the system side by a sensor (not shown) (step S711), a temporary storage location indicator that indicates which shelf the temporary display devices 801 to 803 temporarily place under the control of the display controller 6220. 81 and the temporary placement completion reset button 84 are lit. Therefore, the worker 2k can be temporarily placed according to the instruction.

  When the temporary placement is completed, the worker 2k presses the storage shelf removal completion reset button 66 of the removal indicators 607 to 609 in the order of completion. When these are confirmed on the system side by, for example, a sensor (not shown) (step S711), the temporary take-out display 61, the temporary take-out quantity display 62, the take-out location display 65, and the like are controlled by the display controller 6220. The storage shelf removal completion reset button 66 is sequentially turned off, and the completion of the temporary placement work is recognized (step S712).

  While performing the temporary placement work, the collection boxes 410 to 412 for sequentially placing the articles on the temporary storage shelves 501 to 503 into the picking zone Zk, which is the area in charge of the worker 2k, are sequentially controlled by the conveyor control unit 6210. arrive. When this is recognized on the system side by a sensor (not shown) or the like (step S713), the guide lamps 7 are sequentially turned on under the control of the display controller 6220 (step S714). At the same time, under the control of the display controller 6220, the temporary storage indicator 82 for instructing the input of articles from the temporary storage shelves 501 to 503 to the collection boxes 410 to 412 and the collection boxes 410 to 410 from the temporary storage shelves 501 to 503. The temporary input quantity indicator 83 for instructing the quantity to be input in 412 is sequentially turned on. The worker 2k can complete the input of articles into the collection boxes 410 to 412 based on this instruction / display.

  The insertion of the articles 107 to 109 via the temporary shelves 501 to 503 is completed, and the temporary placement completion reset button 84 of the temporary placement indicators 801 to 803 is pressed by the worker 2k in that order. These are recognized on the system side in the same manner as described above (step S715), and the temporary placement indicator 81, the temporary insertion indicator 82, the temporary insertion quantity indicator 83, and the temporary insertion completion reset button 84 are displayed on the display. The lights are sequentially turned off under the control of the control unit 6220 (step S716), and the completion of the loading operation of the articles 107 to 109 is recognized on the system side by a sensor or the like (not shown), and the instructions for the next picking order are followed (steps S717 and S718).

  A picking process for directly putting articles into the collection box 4 from the storage shelf 1 without going through the temporary storage shelf 5 in the order of the transported collection boxes 4, and the storage shelf 1 to the temporary storage rack 5. According to one aspect of the present invention in which the picking process of loading an article into the collection box 4 via the use is properly performed, there is a target collection box into which the article is to be loaded and a collection box into which the article is not to be loaded. When transported at a constant frequency, an efficient picking operation without idling time can be realized.

  In particular, when the target collection boxes to be loaded with articles are continuously conveyed, the load during direct loading becomes extremely high, so that the load is reduced and the load of the entire picking operation is made uniform. Regardless of the order of the collection boxes 4 that are transported, the vast articles stored in the host information system so that the conveyor 3, the indicators 6 and 8, and the guide lamp 7 are functionally linked. Information is preferably controlled and programmed with a computer.

  For example, the collection boxes 401 to 406 conveyed to the picking zone Zk, which is the area in charge of the worker 2k, are not target collection boxes into which articles are put, but the worker 2k extends over the picking zones Zl, Zm, and Zn. However, there are cases where the target collection box into which articles are to be placed continues for a long time of 407 to 413, and the picking frequency at the time of direct entry becomes extremely high. In this case, in order to reduce the direct loading load, the articles to be put into the target collection boxes 407 to 413 are not temporarily placed in the order of the transported collection boxes 4, but the target collection boxes 408, 410, In addition, a picking process in which articles to be put into 412 are temporarily placed, and articles are directly put into the collection box 4 from the storage shelf 1 without going through the temporary shelf 5, and from the storage shelf 1 through the temporary shelf 5. Thus, it is possible to use the picking process for putting articles into the collection box 4 and to make the picking work of workers uniform.

  As is clear from the above, the picking system of the present invention controls the enormous article information stored in the host information system with a computer and programs it, so that the conveyor 3, the above-mentioned indicators 6 and 8, and The guide lamp 7 is functionally linked. That is, a picking process in which articles are directly input from the storage shelf 1 to the collection box without going through the temporary storage shelf 5, and a picking process in which articles are input from the storage shelf 1 to the collection box 4 through the temporary storage shelf 5. Are properly used based on the article information. Therefore, a number of picking programs are controlled by a computer based on the article information, and are not particularly limited.

  Therefore, according to the picking system of the present invention, when the picking frequency is high and the load is high, it can be input directly from the storage shelf, there is no loss of work time, and the line stagnation of other picking zones with high picking frequency is suppressed. When the load is low and the picking frequency is low, the idling time can be used for the temporary work for reducing the load at the high load and the picking frequency.

C Transport direction 1 Storage shelves 101 to 112 Storage shelves 2 provided in the Zk picking zone 2 (2k2l2n2m ...)
3 Belt conveyor 4 Collection box (... 401-414 ...)
5 Temporary storage racks 501 to 504 Temporary storage rack Z provided in the Zk picking zone Worker picking zone (... ZkZlZmZn ...)
P Work space (... PkPlPmPn ...)
6 Take-out display 61 Temporary take-out display 62 Temporary take-out quantity display 63 Direct input / output indicator 64 Direct input / exit quantity display 65 Take-out location indicator (bay lamp)
66 Storage shelf take-out completion reset button 601-612 Take-out indicator 7 provided in Zk picking zone 7 Guide lamp 8 Temporary indicator 81 Temporary place indicator (bay lamp)
82 Temporary input indicator 83 Temporary input quantity indicator 84 Temporary input completion reset button 801-804 Temporary indicator provided in the Zk picking zone

Claims (3)

In a picking facility comprising a conveyor for transporting a collection box to put instructed articles, a storage shelf for storing various articles, and a temporary storage shelf for temporarily placing each article,
A first picking process for directly loading the article from the storage shelf into the collection box without going through the temporary storage shelf;
A second picking process for throwing the article into the collection box from the storage shelf via the temporary storage shelf;
And a control unit capable of converting the process according to a situation.   The picking system according to claim 1, wherein a space for performing a picking operation is provided between the storage shelf and the conveyor.   In the situation where the collection boxes for putting the articles into the picking range of the picking worker are continuous, the control unit transfers the articles from the storage shelf to the collection boxes without going through the temporary storage shelf. 2. The picking system according to claim 1, wherein, in a situation where the collection box is not within the picking range, the picking system is controlled so as to be assigned to the preceding temporary placement work.

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