JP3768369B2 - Inventory management system for distribution warehouse - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inventory management system for a distribution warehouse for receiving, storing, sorting and shipping products.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a distribution center that accepts a wide variety of products from product factories, etc., the received multi-variety products are temporarily stored in a warehouse, and then a variety of products are picked up from the warehouse in small quantities and picked according to customer needs. Sorting and stacking into pallets called for shipment.
[0003]
At this time, a so-called “first-in first-out method” is employed in which the product that is received first is shipped first in order to minimize the period in which the received product is stored in the warehouse. The product entry / exit date, inventory quantity, product type, and the like are managed by a computer inventory management device, and the inventory product is picked and shipped according to customer needs.
[0004]
When the logistics flow in the logistics center is outlined, when a large number of products are received, the products are first unloaded at a temporary product storage place called a flat place. Here, the arrival date, product name, and quantity of the product are registered in the computer. Since the arrival is sequentially performed regardless of the downstream processing such as the product storage in the warehouse or picking in the flat place, the same product may have the same product but different arrival dates.
[0005]
The products in the flat place are received and stored in the automatic warehouse. In this case, the products having the old arrival date in the flat place are sequentially received in the warehouse according to the first-in first-out method. Then, according to customer needs, necessary products are taken out from the automatic warehouse in the order of arrival date , picked up, and shipped. In addition, the inventory management apparatus manages the product type and quantity of the stock products in the flat yard and warehouse, and the corresponding data is also transferred when the product is loaded / unloaded.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a distribution center, products that are shipped in small quantities at the same time as automatic picking may be performed manually by manual picking.
[0007]
This manual picking is usually carried out by hand directly from an incoming product in a flat place. In this manual picking, the first-in first-out method is adopted, and picking is performed in order from the product with the oldest arrival date in the flat yard, but it may be necessary to store the product for manual picking that is received further elsewhere. In such a case, it must be managed separately from the storage product for automatic picking, and after all, the inventory of flat storage products, the inventory of storage products for automatic picking and the inventory of storage products for manual picking must be manually re-registered. There was a problem that had to be done.
[0008]
The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and is a distribution warehouse capable of automatically carrying, storing, picking, and the like based on the first-in first-out principle for products that are automatically picked and manually picked. The purpose is to provide an inventory management system.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a logistics system for processing a second product first product and manual picking is automatic picking is, wherein the first product second product is in stock A storage area for storing the first product and the second product, a warehouse for storing the first product and the second product, a storage area for storing the first product, and the warehouse. The first product and the second product, a first picking means for picking up the first product from the warehouse and picking it at a different location from the storage, and from the storage a second picking means for performing picking removed second product, for the first product of the first products and second products that are in stock in the stock field registered with the respective arrival date, been the registered Based on the information, Of the first products temporarily stored, the products with the oldest arrival date are sequentially transported to the warehouse using the transfer device and stored, and the first arrival date among the first products stored in the warehouse is the oldest. From the products, the second picking means sequentially picks up the first picking means, and based on the registered information relating to the second product, the second product that is temporarily stored in the storage area is the first product that has the earliest arrival date. The picking means is used for picking , and the second product temporarily stored in the storage area is sequentially transported to the warehouse using the transport device from the product with the newest arrival date, and stored in the warehouse. has been a control to the control device to sequentially transport the transfer device to the shelter with the oldest product stock date of the second product, it is that with a.
[0010]
The second feature of the present invention is that when the second product at the storage site is exhausted, the control device sequentially transports the second product stored in the warehouse from the product with the oldest arrival date to the storage site using the transfer device. That is to be done.
[0011]
The third feature of the present invention is that, when the second product in the storage site is insufficient, the control device sequentially transports the second product stored in the warehouse from the oldest product on the arrival date to the storage site using the transport device. That is to be done.
[0012]
According to a fourth feature of the present invention, when the placement space is free, the control device sequentially transports the second products stored in the warehouse from the products with the oldest arrival date to the placement using the transportation device. That is what is done.
[0013]
According to a fifth feature of the present invention, when there is no space for placing a second product in the storage site, the control device sequentially uses the transfer device from the product with the newest arrival date among the second products received in the storage site. And transported to a warehouse for storage.
[0014]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the control device is provided in each of the products, and the product identification means for identifying the product, and the arrival date of the product at the arrival place by recognizing the product identification means. And first product registration means for registering the identified product information as placement inventory data, and recognizing the product identification means, thereby obtaining the product arrival date and the product information from the placement stock data. The first product and the second product are transported and stored according to the first-in first-out principle based on the arrival date based on the data registered by the second product registration means to be transferred and registered by the product registration means. And an inventory management device that controls the picking.
[0015]
With this configuration, it is possible to perform unified inventory management based on the arrival date for automatic picking storage products and manual picking storage products, and by the product inventory operator when the products are transferred from the storage location to the warehouse. Inventory management confirmation and re-registration are not required.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0017]
For products managed by this logistics system and inventory management device, respond to customer needs, and the product name and picking classification (whether the product is picked in a flat place) as information on the product in the inventory management device in advance. , A classification regarding whether the work is performed at a place other than the flat place.) Product identification content indicating the product is registered. Whether the first product is picked at a place other than the flat place or the second product is picked manually at the flat place is determined by the type of the product. Generally, the small quantity shipment type is the second product. It is said that.
[0018]
1 and 2 show a flow in the physical distribution system of the present invention. A product 13 that arrives at the arrival place 11 is registered in the inventory management device 19 as a flat place inventory 17 after unloading / inspection 15, and then temporarily stored as a product inventory 23 in the flat place 21.
[0019]
Since the first product that is picked at a place other than the flat place is received in the automatic warehouse 25 regardless of the arrival of the product in the flat place 21, the same product in the flat place 21 has a different arrival date . May exist. In this case, with respect to the first product picked at a place other than the flat place, in order to comply with the first-in first-out method, the product having the old arrival date is received into the warehouse 25 by the arrival conveyor 22 and becomes the product stock 27. In the inventory management device 19, the inventory data of the product with the old arrival date is transferred from the flat place to the warehouse. At this time, data transfer is performed by directly reading the ITF code printed on the product with the product identification device 29 when the operator enters the product into the warehouse. Thereafter, the oldest product among the products stored in the warehouse 25 is delivered to the picking place 31 and picking 33 is performed. Then, the picked product is shipped 37 from the shipping place 35.
[0020]
On the other hand, also in manual picking, picking 39 is performed sequentially from the product with the old arrival date in the flat yard 21 in order to comply with the first-in first-out method. Furthermore, it may be necessary to store the second product for manual picking to be received in another place. In such a case, a new product on the date of arrival is stored as a manual picking storage product via the receiving conveyor 22. The warehouse 25 is received. Then, when there is a shortage of products with an old arrival date in the flat yard 21, the products having been received from the warehouse 25 as new products with the arrival date are discharged from the products with the old arrival date by the shipping conveyor 26, and then the picking 39 is performed. Done. Then, the picked product is shipped 37 from the shipping place 35. If inventory management is performed in this way, the first-in first-out method is observed even in manual picking, and all products can be managed centrally only by the arrival date . Further, when a new product on the arrival date is received in the warehouse 25, data transfer is performed by directly reading the ITF code printed on the product with the product identification device 29.
[0021]
Actually, the warehouse that receives the first product to be picked at a place other than the flat yard and the warehouse that receives the second product for manual picking are the same warehouse 25 from the viewpoint of effective utilization of the warehouse. However, it can be a different warehouse.
[0022]
Next, based on the data registered in the inventory management apparatus in advance, the first product picked at a place other than the flat storage place that has been received from the date when the arrival date is earlier is delivered from the warehouse 25 that stores the product. The case depalletizer 41 divides the case unit, and the case sorting facility 43 temporarily stores the case unit. In the embodiment, the mixed palletizer 45 is shown as the picking device, but other picking methods may be used. Necessary products are transferred to the mixed palletizer 45 from the case sorting equipment 43 via the case joining conveyor 47 in accordance with the order of loading.
[0023]
The pallet is loaded on the pallet unit by the mixed palletizer 45 and is transported to the shipping standby place 51 by the forklift 49 and shipped.
[0024]
On the other hand, in the case of manual picking 39 performed at the flat yard 21, products stored in the warehouse 25 for manual picking before the new arrival date are delivered based on data registered in the inventory management device in advance. , Transferred to the flat place 21. The operator performs picking 39 on the pallet unit between the product and the product in the flat place directly by hand. The picked product is transported to the shipping standby place 51 by a forklift and shipped.
[0025]
As described above, in the above embodiment, based on the registered information about the first product, the products with the earliest arrival date among the first products temporarily stored in the flat yard 21 sequentially. It is transported to and stored in the warehouse 25 using the arrival conveyor 22, and the first products stored in the warehouse 25 are picked in order from the products with the oldest arrival date, and based on the information on the registered second product , along with the most arrival day of the second product that has been temporarily stored in flat yard 21 is sequentially manual picking from older products, sequentially from the new products of the most arrival day of the second product that has been temporarily stored in flat yard 21 If the second product in the flat yard 21 is insufficient, the shipment conveyor 26 sequentially receives the second product stored in the warehouse 25 from the oldest product on the arrival date. Since used is controlled to be conveyed to the flat Area 21, for products that are automatically picked and manual picking, based on the first-in-first-out principle based on arrival day, automatically transport can be carried out storage, picking, and the like.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, based on the information related to the registered first product, the transfer device is sequentially arranged from the product with the oldest arrival date among the first products temporarily stored in the storage area. The first picking means sequentially picks the first product from the oldest received product among the first products stored in the warehouse, and stores the information on the registered second product. In addition, the second products temporarily stored in the storage area are picked in order from the product having the oldest arrival date using the second picking means, and the second arrival product among the second products temporarily stored in the storage area. New products are sequentially transported and stored in the warehouse using the transport device, and when the second product in the storage space is insufficient, the transport device sequentially starts from the oldest product among the second products stored in the warehouse. To the storage using Since and are controlled such that, about the products that are automatic picking and manual picking, unified inventory management becomes possible based on the arrival day, based on the first-in-first-out principle, automatically transport, storage, carrying out the picking, etc. Can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an inventory management system for a distribution warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a specific product flow in the physical distribution system shown in FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
19 Inventory Management Device 21 Flat Place 22 Incoming Conveyor 25 Automatic Warehouse 26 Shipping Conveyor 45 Mixed Palletizer

Claims (6)

In distribution system for processing and second product first product manual picking automatic picking is is,
An arrival place where the first product and the second product are received;
A storage area for temporarily storing the first product and the second product received;
A warehouse for storing the first product and the second product;
A transport device for transporting the first product and the second product between the storage and the warehouse;
A first picking means for picking up the first product from the warehouse and picking it at a location different from the storage;
Second picking means for picking out the second product from the storage and picking;
The first product and the second product that have arrived at the arrival place are registered together with their arrival dates, and the first product that is temporarily stored at the place based on the information about the registered first product. Among the first products stored in the warehouse are sequentially transported to the warehouse using the transport device, and the first picking is sequentially performed from the product with the oldest arrival date. Based on the information related to the registered second product, the second product temporarily stored in the storage area is picked in order from the product with the oldest arrival date using the second picking means. In addition, among the second products temporarily stored in the storage area, the products having the newest arrival date are sequentially transported to the warehouse using the transport device and stored, and the second products stored in the warehouse The date of arrival A control device for controlling to convey to the yard using successively the conveying device from the old product,
An inventory management system for a distribution warehouse characterized by   When there is no second product in the storage site, the control device sequentially transports the second product stored in the warehouse from the oldest product on the arrival date to the storage site using the transport device. The inventory management system for a distribution warehouse according to claim 1.   When the second product in the storage area is insufficient, the control device sequentially transports the second product stored in the warehouse from the product with the oldest arrival date to the storage site using the transport device. The inventory management system for a distribution warehouse according to claim 1.   When the placement space of the storage space is vacant, the control device sequentially transports the second product stored in the warehouse from the product with the oldest arrival date to the storage location using the transport device. The inventory management system for a distribution warehouse according to claim 1, wherein:   When there is no space for the second product in the storage area, the control device sequentially uses the transfer device from the product with the newest arrival date among the second products received in the storage area to the warehouse. The inventory management system for a distribution warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the inventory management system is configured to be transported and stored. The control device is provided in each of the products, and identifies a product identifying means for identifying the product, an arrival date of the product to the arrival place by recognizing the product identifying means, and identified product information A first product registration means for registering as product inventory data, and a second product registration means for recognizing the product identification means and transferring the product arrival date and the product information from the storage inventory data to warehouse inventory data. Based on product registration means and data registered by the product registration means, the first product and the second product are controlled to be transported, stored and picked according to the first-in first-out principle based on the arrival date. The inventory management system for a distribution warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising a management device.

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