JP2021099737A - Warehouse management system - Google Patents

Abstract

To create a picking list according to operator information on every operator to reduce a physical burden on the operator.SOLUTION: A warehouse management system comprises: operator information storage means that stores operator information including physical information on operators; commodity arrangement information storage means that stores arrangement information on commodities in a warehouse; and picking list creation means that creates a picking list for the operators by using the operator information and the arrangement information. The warehouse management system has information terminals operated by the operators, and distribution means that distributes the picking list created by the picking list creation means to the information terminals.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a warehouse management system that manages products using an information terminal or the like that reads an information code represented by a barcode or the like.

Conventionally, information codes such as barcodes and two-dimensional codes are read using an information terminal equipped with a dedicated optical information reader such as a barcode scanner, and the read data is received, shipped, and inventoried. WMS (Warehouse Management System: Warehouse Management System) used for warehouse management such as is widely used.

In WMS, there is a work called picking, and in this work, the worker refers to the picking list (ordered product list, etc.) delivered from the WMS management server via wireless LAN, etc., and from each shelf in the warehouse. While reading the information code such as the barcode attached to the product on the picking list, put it in the box or cart prepared for each shipping destination.

In the picking work, for the purpose of improving work efficiency, the movement route of the worker in the warehouse is calculated by using the accelerometer provided in the information terminal, the pedometer, and the information code including the position information in the warehouse. , The technology to evaluate the movement line of workers is open to the public.

Japanese Patent No. 6179260

However, in Patent Document 1, the position information of the worker that changes with the passage of time in the warehouse is acquired by using the position information acquisition means provided in the information terminal and the information code in the warehouse. , The position of the shelves on which the products to be picked are placed and the working posture of the picking operator are not taken into consideration. However, for example, when a short worker picks a product placed on a shelf in a high place, the worker uses a stepping stone to pick up the product to be picked or information to read an information code. You need to lift the terminal high. Furthermore, at that time, there is a possibility that the product may be damaged due to the failure to remove the product, or the worker may fall from the stepping stone, which may be dangerous to the worker. In addition, when a tall worker picks a product placed in a low position, the worker often has to bend his / her waist to perform the work, so he / she has to perform the picking work and read the information code. There was a case where it was a burden.

In view of the above problems, the warehouse management system according to the present invention is
A warehouse management system including an information code and a portable information terminal for reading the information code. The information terminal includes an imaging means for reading the information code and a decoding means for decoding the captured information code, and is a warehouse management system. Is a worker information management means that manages physical information and health information of each worker, a product placement information management means that manages product placement information in a warehouse, a worker information management means and a product placement information management means. It has a picking list creation means for creating an optimal picking list for an operator.

According to the present invention, in the work in the warehouse, it is possible to create an optimum picking list for each worker in consideration of the physical information and the health condition of each worker.

The block diagram of the information terminal used in the warehouse management system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The external view of the information terminal used in the warehouse management system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The operation flowchart in the picking work of the warehouse management system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. An example of the main screen of an information terminal used in the warehouse management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. A conceptual diagram showing an example of the optimum product position for a picking worker. An example of a maintenance menu screen of an information terminal used in the warehouse management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the information terminal 201 used in the warehouse management system according to the present embodiment. Specifically, all information terminals having a function of reading an information code, such as a barcode scanner, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, and a handy terminal, are targeted. The CPU (central arithmetic processing device) 101 is built in the information terminal 201 of the present invention, and controls the overall operation of the information terminal 201 such as execution of a program on the information terminal 201 for operation in the warehouse management system of the present invention.

The RAM (random access memory) 102 is used as a work area of software operating on the information terminal 201, such as the warehouse management system program of the present invention. The external storage area 103 stores the warehouse management system program, the OS (operating system), the application program, and the data used in the present invention. As the external storage area, the format of the storage medium does not matter as long as it is a non-volatile storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a flash ROM.

The LCDC (Liquid Crystal Display Controller) 104 controls the LCD panel 106 used as a display device, such as displaying the read information code and each warehouse work instruction, and the display source data for displaying on the LCD panel 106 is displayed by the CPU 101. When stored in the memory 105, display source data for display on the LCD panel 106 is generated.

The system bus 110 is used for data communication between the CPU 101 and each peripheral module. The I / O control unit 109 controls input devices such as the touch panel 108 and the keyboard 107.

The communication control unit 111 is used for wireless communication such as communication via a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) controller, communication via Bluetooth (registered trademark), and communication on a public line via a modem. The communication control unit 111 enables the information terminal 201 of the present invention to perform data communication with another computer via a network. In the warehouse management system according to the present embodiment, the exchange of information between the information terminal 201 and the server computer, which is a management server that centrally manages warehousing / delivery / ordering / inventory management, etc./warehouse management system, is wireless communication. Is done by.

The RTC (real-time clock) 112 records date and time information. The power controller 113 controls the power supplied from the power supply 114, and controls the power off, on, power saving setting, charging, and the like of the information terminal 201.

The imaging unit 115 has a configuration having an imaging function including a lens for reading an information code (bar code), illumination light, aiming light, etc., and a configuration in which reflected light is read by a light receiving element by laser scanning. By reading the code, the information held by the information code is acquired.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the appearance of the information terminal 201 used in the warehouse management system according to the present embodiment. The information terminal 201 of the present invention has the configuration as shown in FIG. 2, and as described above, the operator reads the information code attached to the product from the image pickup unit 115 of the terminal during the picking operation, and the product is picked. The fact that the product has been shipped is transmitted to the management server of the warehouse management system of the present invention by using the communication control unit 111. In addition, information related to each work is received from the management server.

Next, the actual flow of processing of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The left side of the flowchart of FIG. 3 shows the flow of the information terminal 201 of the present invention, and the right side shows the flow of the management server of the present invention. In the warehouse management system of the present invention, the information terminal 201 and the management server as shown in FIG. 2 used by the warehouse worker by hand perform wireless communication, and each warehouse work is executed in cooperation with them.

When starting to use this system, a login operation for identifying a worker is first performed (step S301). In this operation, for example, the user ID is input by key input on the information terminal 201, and the information code in which the worker-specific ID printed on the name card such as the employee ID card distributed to each worker is held is used. The operation may be read by the information terminal 201, and any method may be used as long as the worker can be identified. In this embodiment, when the worker starts the login process in step S301, the login information is transmitted to the management server, collated with the worker ID list registered in the management server, and the login determination is performed (step). S302).

When the worker who uses the information terminal 201 is permitted in step S302 and it is determined that the information terminal 201 can be used, each warehouse management operation can be started (step S303). In step S303, the main screen of the warehouse management system of the present invention as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the screen of the information terminal 201, and the operator selects a work item to be performed from the main screen and starts the work. To do.

In the warehouse management system according to the present embodiment, especially for picking work, a picking list tailored to the worker is created by associating the physical information and health condition of the worker with the position information of the products placed in the warehouse. It is characterized by doing. The picking list is a collection of picking targets in the picking work for each predetermined unit such as each worker, and is used as a work instruction sheet.

In step S303, when the picking operation shown in "3. Picking" is selected from the main screen 401 of the information terminal 201 as shown in FIG. 4, the management server is notified of the picking list creation instruction (step S304). The management server starts creating a picking list (step S305), but first confirms the physical information and health information of the logged-in user as described later. For example, it is assumed that the worker A is tall and has low back pain. In that case, if the product picked by the worker A is in a position where the worker A can pick the product while standing on the shelf in the warehouse, the work efficiency is high and the physical burden on the worker is reduced. FIG. 5 shows an example of a product arrangement state that is efficient for picking in the case of worker A. When the worker A performs the work, if the picking product is arranged at the position 502 of the broken line in FIG. 5, the worker A does not have to take a burdensome posture such as bending down or bending the waist, and the work is performed. Can be done efficiently and can prevent the worsening of back pain.

In the creation of the picking list performed in S305, the information on the physical information and health condition of each worker referred to in this system is stored in advance in the worker information database that can be referred to by the management server as the worker information storage means. You can easily refer to it. Even when a new worker is added or the worker information is changed, the administrator of the management server can update the work information database at an arbitrary timing, and can respond flexibly.

Further, the input of the worker information into the worker information database can also be performed by using the information terminal 201. For example, after logging in to this system, the worker can select the maintenance menu shown in "7. Maintenance" from the main screen 401 of the warehouse management system shown in FIG. 4 and input the worker information. FIG. 6 shows an example of the worker information input screen 601 of the maintenance menu. From the maintenance menu as shown in FIG. 6, the operator inputs information such as name, physical information, health condition, work experience, proficiency level, work style, etc. from the information terminal 201 using the keys and the touch panel of the information terminal 201. Can be done. When the input is completed, the information terminal 201 transmits the worker information to the management server, and the worker information database managed by the management server is updated to the latest state.

In addition to referring to the worker information database included in the warehouse management system of the present invention, the worker information refers to an external database such as an in-house personnel system managed separately from the warehouse management system, for example. It can also be configured.

As described above, in creating the picking list, the management server confirms the information of each worker individually (step S306) and compares it with the location information (product placement information) of each product held by the management server (step S306). Step S307), an optimum picking list is created according to the physical information, health condition, etc. of each worker (step S308). The location information of each product can be acquired by methods such as warehousing processing, warehousing processing, and inventory management, which are widely used in the past in warehouse management. The location information may be stored in the storage means owned by the management server itself, and like the worker information, the location information database that can be referred to by the management server is stored in the location information storage means (product placement information storage means). You may use it as.

When creating a picking list, it does not have to be optimal for each individual. Especially when creating a picking list for multiple workers, not only the ones that are considered to be optimal for each work are assigned, but the work of each worker is performed as a whole by using the worker information. The picking list created so that the appropriate work can be assigned on average is called the optimum picking list. In the present embodiment, the management server functions as a picking list creation means for creating a picking list, but the present invention is not limited to this, and another information processing device to which the management server can be connected is a picking list creation means. The management server may refer to it.

When the picking list creation is completed (step S308) by the above processing, the picking list is transmitted to the information terminal 201, and the information terminal 201 receives the picking list (step S309). According to the picking list, the worker takes the product into the shipping case or the like and performs the picking work until the picking of the product listed in the picking list is completed (step S310).

The warehouse management system of the present invention determines the work ability such as the picking speed of the worker from the proficiency level registered as the worker information, and is arranged in a low place even if the person is tall. For a worker who is good at picking the position of a product, a picking list can be created so as to pick a product placed at a low position even if the person is tall. In this way, how to create a picking list by using the information registered as worker information is not limited.

Further, the warehouse management system of the present invention may create a picking list in a complex manner by using a plurality of information included in the worker information. For example, by weighting each piece of information, a specific worker information parameter may be set to be prioritized for a specific work content.

Further, the warehouse management system of the present invention can also create a picking list for all workers or a plurality of workers by using the worker information registered as a database in advance. In this case, the timing of transmitting the picking list created in advance by the management server to the information terminal 201 is not limited to that described in the above embodiment.

Further, in this system, not only the picking list but also the inventory instruction sheet and the like can be used for reading the information code by using the information terminal 201 and using it for all the work in the warehouse.

In addition, the warehouse management system of the present invention also has a function of selecting the most suitable worker for the product to be picked from the registered workers based on the contents of the order.

According to the warehouse management system of the present invention described above, the efficiency of work in the warehouse is promoted, and it is also effective for safety measures such as physical burden on workers and prevention of accidents. Furthermore, by reducing the difficult work of each worker, it is effective in improving quality such as preventing the product from falling or being damaged.

101 CPU
106 LCD panel 111 Communication control unit 112 RTC (real-time clock)
115 Imaging unit 201 Information terminal 401 Main screen 501 Worker 502 Shelf in warehouse 601 Maintenance menu

Claims (3)

Worker information storage means for storing worker information including physical information of each worker,
Product placement information storage means for storing product placement information in the warehouse,
A warehouse management system including a picking list creation means for creating a picking list for each worker using the worker information and the arrangement information. Information terminals operated by each worker and
The warehouse management system according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission means for transmitting the picking list created by the picking list creation means to the information terminal. The warehouse management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the warehouse management system acquires the physical information from a system different from the warehouse management system.

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