JPH06239422A - Automated warehouse controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten time taken from shipping schedule to shipping completion by controlling shelves keeping articles in an automated warehouse and a schedule for stocking and shipping to utilize vacant hours in stocking and shipping and transfer articles to be shifted to a shelf near a shipping station. CONSTITUTION:A shipping station 3 is provided with a time-to-spare detecting function 21 for detecting a time-to-spare zone in which articles in the automated warehouse are not shipped and stocked and a memory section 22 for storing data scheduled of actecles to be shipped and a shelf position on-which the articles are kept. An empty condition of shelves in shipping and stocking is judged by a judging section 23 from the stored shipping date and shelf position of kept articles and an optimum shelf position for keeping articles is calculated by a calculating section 24 from the judged empty condition for stocking and shipping and the sequence of shelves capable of shipping in the predetermened shortest distance. A transfer command for transferring articles kept at an optimum keeping shelf position is outputted from an output section 25 on the basis of the calcutated result in the calculating section 24 and a crane capable of travelling along the shelves of the automated warehouse according to the transfer command is controllably driven to transfer the kept articles.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse management apparatus for shortening the shipping time by moving a shelf for storing goods scheduled to be shipped in an automated warehouse in advance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an article is stored in an automated warehouse, it is stored on a shelf when it is received, and when the article is taken out, a crane goes to the shelf to take out the article.

[0003]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Items in the automated warehouse are stored on the shelves when they are received, and do not move the shelves for delivery, and when the delivery request is made, the crane requires the required items. However, if the shelf is far from the shipping station, it takes time for the crane to move, and it took time to complete the shipping after requesting the shipping.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention utilizes the idle time of entry and exit, and moves the shelf closer to the delivery station to the one with the earlier scheduled delivery date and time to complete the time from the delivery request to the delivery completion. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic warehouse delivery shortening system that can shorten the time.

[0005]

An automatic warehouse management apparatus according to the present invention has a surplus time detecting function for detecting a surplus time zone in which articles are not taken in and out of an automatic warehouse, and a storage article stored in the automatic warehouse. A storage unit that stores a scheduled delivery date and time and a stored shelf position where stored items are stored,
Storage based on the scheduled storage date and time stored in this storage unit and the storage / delivery shelving position for determining the storage / unloading empty state, and the storage / empty storage state determined by this determination unit and a predetermined shortest storageable shelf order. The storage unit is moved to the optimum storage rack position obtained based on the calculation result from the calculation unit by using the calculation unit that calculates the optimum storage rack position of the product and the spare time period detected by the spare time detection function. And an output unit for outputting a movement command. Further, in the automatic warehouse management apparatus according to claim 2, the automatic warehouse management apparatus that monitors and controls the operation of the two cranes provided in one rack row of the automatic warehouse carries out the loading and unloading of articles in the automatic warehouse. An extra time detection function for detecting a non-existing extra time zone, a storage section for storing the scheduled delivery date and time of the storage article stored in the automated warehouse, and a stored shelf position where the storage article is stored, and the two units. Control unit for monitoring and controlling the operation of the crane, a judgment unit for judging a vacant storage state based on the scheduled delivery date and time and the stored shelf position stored in the storage unit, and the input unit determined by this determination unit. Using a computing unit that computes the optimal storage shelf position for the stored items from the empty shipping state and a predetermined shortest shelf shelf order, and the spare time zone detected by the spare time detection function. Characterized by comprising an output unit for outputting a movement command for moving the article storage to the optimum storage shelf position obtained based on the calculation result from the arithmetic unit.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the spare time zone during which articles are not taken in and out of the automatic warehouse is detected, and the scheduled delivery date and time of the stored article stored in the automatic warehouse and the position of the stored shelf where the stored article is stored. The storage / storage status is determined based on the scheduled storage date / time and the stored shelf position stored in the storage unit, and the storage / storage status is determined by the determination storage unit and the predetermined shortest storageable shelf order. Calculates the optimum storage rack position of and outputs the movement command to move the stored article to the optimum storage rack position obtained based on the calculation result from the calculation unit by using the margin time zone detected by the margin detection function. To do. Further, in the invention of claim 2, the spare time zone in which articles are not taken in and out of the automatic warehouse is detected,
It stores the scheduled delivery date and time of the stored items stored in the own warehouse and the stored shelf position where the stored items are stored,
The operation of the two cranes is monitored and controlled, the vacant storage status is determined from the scheduled shipping date and time and the stored shelf position stored in the storage unit, and the vacant storage status determined by the determination unit and the predetermined shortest unloading time. Calculate the optimal storage shelf position of the stored items based on the available shelf order, and use the spare time zone detected by the spare time detection function to store the stored items at the optimum storage shelf position obtained based on the calculation result from the calculation unit. A movement command to move is output.

[0007]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 21 denotes a surplus time detection function for detecting a surplus time zone in which articles are not taken in and out of the automatic warehouse, and 22 denotes a scheduled delivery date and time of the stored articles stored in the automatic warehouse and the storage of the stored articles. A storage unit that stores the stored shelf position, 23 is a determination unit that determines the warehousing / unloading state based on the scheduled delivery date and time and the stored shelf position that are described in the storage unit 22, and 24 is the warehousing / vacancy determined by the determination unit 23. A calculation unit for calculating the optimum storage rack position of the stored article from the state and a predetermined shortest possible shelf order, 25 is a calculation result from the calculation unit 24 using the margin time zone detected by the margin time detection function 21. Is an output unit that outputs a movement command to move the stored article to the optimum storage rack position obtained based on the
A storage unit 2 that stores the scheduled delivery date and time of the goods stored in the automated warehouse and the position of the shelf of the own warehouse where the goods are stored.
2, a judgment unit 23 for judging a vacant storage / receipt state, a calculation unit 24 for calculating a shelf capable of outputting a target product in the automated warehouse in a short time, and a calculation unit 23 based on the calculation result. An automatic warehouse delivery time reduction system characterized by comprising an output unit 25 for outputting a movement command to a shelf.
Completion of issuing from the issue request by managing the shelves where the items are stored in the automated warehouse and the schedule for loading and unloading, using the free time of loading and unloading, and moving the items scheduled to be shipped to the shelf near the shipping station. To reduce the time it takes.

That is, at the time of initial loading, when goods are to be stored, they are stored from the shelf 1 shown in FIG.

The warehouse manager inputs the latest entry / exit schedule into the computer in advance.

Since items having earlier scheduled delivery dates are stored on shelves that are closer to the shelves 1, the closer to the shelves 1, the more frequently the shelves become empty. When warehousing / unloading is not performed, that is, when the crane is not operating, based on the information stored in the computer, an item that is scheduled to be shipped is moved to an empty shelf closer to the shipping station.

If the time required for the crane to move from the position A to the exit station is m seconds and the time required to move one shelf is n seconds, the cranes are stored at the shelf positions 11, 12, and 13, respectively. Assuming that the crane originally waited at the positions A, B, and C, the time required to move the goods to the delivery station is m from the shelf position 11.
Seconds, from the shelf position 12 to (m + 4n) seconds, and from the shelf position 13 to (m + 8n) seconds.

In order to reduce the time required from the issue request to the completion of the issue, it is desirable that the crane should be waiting in advance near the shelf with the item for which the issue request has been issued. In addition, when goods are loaded into the shelves of the automated warehouse, the time from the receipt request to the completion of receipt is the shortest when the crane is waiting at the position A, and the one with the earliest shipping schedule is moved to the shelf position 11. By bringing it in, it is possible to shorten the time required for the crane to move in and out.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of this embodiment.

Next, another embodiment will be described. Fig. 3 shows that the goods in the automated warehouse are stored on the shelves when they are received and do not move the shelves for shipping, and when a shipping request is made, the crane moves to the place where the requested goods are. However, if the shelf is far from the delivery station, it will take longer for the crane to move, and if the crane is in operation for loading and unloading, the next request will be in a waiting state, which means that loading and unloading processing took a long time. Free time to leave the warehouse and one more crane even if one crane is in operation.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a surplus time detecting function for detecting a surplus time zone in which articles are not taken in and out of the automatic warehouse. A storage unit that stores the shelf position, 22a is a control unit that monitors and controls the operation of the two cranes, and 23 is a determination that determines the vacant storage state based on the scheduled delivery date and time and the stored shelf position stored in the storage unit 22. The calculation unit 25 calculates the optimum storage rack position of the stored article based on the warehousing / unloading empty state determined by the determination unit 23 and the predetermined shortest shelf storage shelf sequence determined by the determination unit 23.
1 is an output unit that outputs a movement command for moving the stored article to the optimum storage rack position obtained based on the calculation result from the calculation unit 24 using the margin time zone detected by the calculation unit 24. In an automatic warehouse having a non-existing time zone, a storage unit 22 that stores a scheduled delivery date and time of an item stored in the automatic warehouse and a position of a shelf in the automatic warehouse where the item is stored,
A control unit 22a that monitors and controls the two cranes, a determination unit 23 that determines the vacant state of loading and unloading, and a computation unit 24 that computes a shelf that can output the target items in the automated warehouse in a short time as a result of the determination. And an output section 25 for outputting a movement command to a shelf obtained based on the calculation result, which is an automatic warehouse delivery time shortening system, and a shelf in which articles of an automatic warehouse are stored, It manages the loading and unloading schedule, monitors and controls two cranes, uses the vacant time of loading and unloading, and moves the items that are scheduled to be shipped to the shelves near the shipping station. Save time.

That is, when goods are loaded at the time of initial loading, it is assumed that the goods are loaded from the shelf 1 shown in FIG.

The warehouse manager inputs the latest entry / exit schedule into the computer in advance.

Since items having an earlier scheduled delivery date are stored in the racks other than the rack 11, the closer to the rack 1, the more frequently the rack becomes empty. When the goods are not put in or taken out, based on the information stored in the computer, the goods that are scheduled to go out are moved to an empty shelf closer to the exit station.

Further, when one crane is in operation, the other crane is efficiently operated by the computer in accordance with the operation of the crane. If the crane 2A is in the process of moving out (the crane is moving from the shelf to the shipping station), the other crane 2B goes from the shipping station to the shelf containing the item to be moved, and the crane 2A in the shipping arrives at the shipping station. Then, when the next storage request is made to move to the existing shelf, the crane 2B is moved from the original shelf to the optimum storage shelf to reduce the operation time of the automated warehouse. In this way, the operation of the automated warehouse causes the computing machine to make the operation of the crane a rule and control it.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the flow of FIG.

[0021]

According to the present invention, the time from the delivery request to the delivery completion can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an automatic warehouse leaving time shortening system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart explanatory diagram showing an operation example of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart explanatory view showing an operation example of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Shelf 2 Crane 3 Departure Station 22 Storage Section 22a Control Section 23 Judgment Section 24 Calculation Section 25 Output Section

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A surplus time detection function for detecting a surplus time zone during which articles are not taken in and out of an automatic warehouse, a scheduled delivery date and time of a stored article stored in the automatic warehouse, and the storage of the stored article. A storage unit that stores a stored shelf position, a determination unit that determines a storage / unloading empty state based on the scheduled delivery date and time and the stored shelf position stored in this storage unit, and the storage / reception determined by this determination unit Using a computing unit that computes the optimal storage shelf position of the stored articles from the empty state and a predetermined shortest shelf shelf order, and the margin time zone detected by the margin time detection function, An automatic warehouse management device comprising: an output unit that outputs a movement command to move the stored article to the optimum storage rack position obtained based on a calculation result. 2. An automatic warehouse management device for monitoring and controlling the operation of two cranes provided in one row of shelves in an automatic warehouse, a spare time for detecting a spare time zone during which articles are not taken in and out of the automatic warehouse. A detection function, a storage unit that stores a scheduled delivery date and time of a stored item stored in the automated warehouse, and a stored shelf position where the stored item is stored, and a control that monitors and controls the operation of the two cranes. Section, a determination section for determining a vacant storage state from the scheduled delivery date and time and the stored shelf position stored in the storage section, and the vacant storage state determined by this determination section and the shortest warehousing determined in advance. Based on the calculation result from the calculation unit, the calculation unit that calculates the optimum storage rack position of the stored article based on the available shelf order and the margin time zone detected by the margin time detection function are used. And an output unit that outputs a movement command to move the stored article to the optimum storage rack position obtained as described above.