JPS61295902A - Automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve both the working efficiency and energy saving in the captioned warehouse constituted of a threee-dimensional stocking shelf by making both the rank order of a shelf on the basis of transferring time or the like and the rank order of stocked articles on the basis of access frequence or the like, and thereby making rearrangement thereof. CONSTITUTION:On each shelf position 1, an evaluation value is obtained on the basis of access time from a home position 4 and consumed energy etc. by means of a computer so as to make the rank order each shelf position and further is clustered. next, the access frequency of each stocked article at sampling time is measured and thereby the rank order of the stocked article is to be made. And, the rearrangement plan of the stocked article subjected to the rank order on the basis of the clustering at each shelf position, is formed so as to optimize the plan under the consideration of the excution efficiency at each cluster of this plan. Owing to this constitution, it is possible to improve both the working efficiency and the energy saving.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse using a three-dimensional storage rack consisting of a cargo conveyance truck and a storage rack provided with conveyor equipment.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

In traditional combined cycle operations, input rfIL
The shelf position 1 and the output shelf position can be arbitrarily determined, but recently there has been a tendency for both the receiving shelf position and the output shelf position to be fixed, and the stored items at the shelf position that is quick from the home position are ti1.
When items are frequently put in and taken out of the warehouse, there is no way to automatically change the storage location, so fundamental improvements cannot be made in terms of work time, energy consumption, etc.

[Purpose of the invention]

In view of the above circumstances, the purpose of the present invention is to propose a method for implementing an appropriate relocation plan for the storage shelf positions of stored items based on the frequency of loading and unloading operations, and equipment that enables the implementation. be.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a plurality of storage shelves arranged two-dimensionally in the horizontal and vertical directions, an elevating carriage provided in a movable capacity for replacing stored items on these storage shelves, and In an automated warehouse equipped with a computer that controls the movement of the carriages, the computer has means for ranking each of a plurality of storage shelves based on the moving time of the lifting and lowering carriages, and a means for providing access to the items stored in each storage shelf. The present invention is equipped with means for ranking based on frequency, etc., and means for determining stored items and storage shelves to be replaced based on the ranking of stored items and storage axes ranked by these means. Features O [Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the working time required for loading and unloading work, and it is expected that effects such as saving energy consumption required for carrying out the work can be expected.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the misfire i will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a three-dimensional shelf facility and a cargo transport vehicle that enable the present invention to be carried out. In Fig. 1, 1 is a three-dimensional storage shelf, 2 is a crane, and 3 is a plurality of cargo delivery means. This is an elevating carriage equipped with a 4 is the home position. Reference numeral 5 denotes conveyor equipment provided in each storage shelf to allow stored items to be transferred intermittently to adjacent storage shelves. The operations of these conveyors are controlled by a computer (not shown).

The work of changing the storage shelf position of the stored items stored in the three-dimensional storage shelf 1 is carried out by the cooperative operation of the crane 2, the elevating carriage 3, and the conveyor 5, or only by the crane and the elevating carriage.

First, a method for determining clustering (touch order) for each storage shelf position shown in FIG. 1 and a method for selecting stored items for converting the storage shelf positions will be explained using the flows shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The combination unit (not shown in Fig. 1) calculates evaluation values for each shelf position 1 of the three-dimensional storage shelf based on the access time from the home position 4, energy consumption, etc., and then assigns each shelf based on these evaluation values. A total order of positions is generated (AJ ranking) (41st fi41). Then, for each ranked shelf position, a partial order is generated (clustering) using predetermined values (Fig. 4).
2). In this way, as shown in FIG. 2, each shelf position is clustered (ranked) according to the distance from the home position, etc., and the computer stores this information in advance.

Next, the computer determines the access frequency of each stored item (the phase t1 of stored items is ~11 in Fig. 551) at a statistically significant sampling time during automatic warehouse operation, and based on this access frequency. Then, each stored item is ranked (total order) (Fig. 5, 52). Then, for each ranked stored item, a stored item relocation plan is created based on the clustering of each shelf position stored in advance (Figure 2).
Figure 5 53). Specifically, the clustering of stored items corresponding to each class of storage shelf positions is performed so that stored items with high frequency of storage/output requests are stored in storage shelf positions with a high rank. Next, each class of the rewritten plan is optimized in consideration of execution efficiency (FIG. 54).

Specifically, as the stored item to be replaced, the one with the largest difference between the class of the current storage shelf position of the stored item and the class in the rewriting ψ plan is selected.

For i & him, we will replace the stored items (storage shelves) from combinations that have a large replacement effect to similar types. (Fig. 555) 0
In other words, the improvement rate in overall operating costs and access time is high after performing replacement work for each shelf position in the class of relocation plan n'' as the storage shelf location for storage destinations. choose something.

Once the employee decides to rearrange the stored items, the computer actually rearranges them accordingly.

This operation of replacing the stored items will be explained by referring to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3, 6, and 7.

FIG. 3(a) is a diagram showing an example of moving stored items to storage shelves in the horizontal direction, and FIG. 6 is the processing flow.

In FIG. 3(a), when changing the storage location of the stored item 8 from the storage position 6 to the storage shelf position 7 in the horizontal direction, the elevating carriage 3 jumps the stored item 8 and moves to the shelf position 7.
Move to. (Fig. 6 61) The computer controlling the conveyor controls the conveyor provided in the storage shelves from shelf position 7 to shelf position 6 so that the items 9 stored in those storage shelves 7 are stored in the storage shelves. It is operated so that it is transferred sequentially in the direction of position 6. (Fig. 6 62) When the reloading of the stored items is completed and the lower position @ 7 is in a state where it can be bent, the unloading carriage moves the stored items 8 that have been moved with surprise to the storage shelf position 7.
(FIG. 6, 63) Next, FIG. 3(b) is a diagram showing an example of a work in which stored items are moved to a vertical storage shelf, and FIG. 7 is a process flow thereof.

In FIG. 3(b), the stored items 12 are placed at storage shelf position 1.
When changing from 0 to the shelf position 11 in the vertical direction, the outer carriage 3 lifts the stored item 12 from the storage shelf position 10, moves it to the storage shelf position 11 (7th (2) 7), and The load transfer means provided at the storage position 11111, which is provided with no load at that time, surprises the stored object 13 stored in the storage position 11111 (Fig. 7, 72), and stores the stored object 12 in the storage shelf position 11 instead. . (Fig. 7
3) Next, the elevating carriage returns to the storage phase [10] and stores the stored items 13 in the storage shelf position 10. (Fig. 7 74) In the case of this work example, the storage phase 1110 and the storage phase &1
The 1 digit 1 carp relationship is not limited to the vertical direction. However, if the two are too far apart, efficiency will decrease.

The work shown above based on FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) will be more efficient if it is performed when the stored items 8 or 2 are put into storage.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the efficiency of loading and unloading work in a three-dimensional storage shelf, and also to reduce operating costs by reducing the energy consumption required for the work. You can expect it.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

For example, in the work example based on Fig. 3 (a), the conveyor installed on each storage shelf is used to transfer the material to a horizontally adjacent storage shelf, but the direction of transfer using the conveyor equipment is It is not limited to the direction.

Furthermore, if the number of cargo transfer means provided in the elevating carriage is n, then it is possible to change the storage shelf positions at n locations.

Furthermore, although this embodiment assumes replacement, it also includes relocating the stored items to unassigned storage shelf positions at that time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional shelving facility according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a diagram showing clustering of each storage shelf position on a three-dimensional storage shelf, Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of work for moving stored items in the horizontal and vertical directions, and Figure 4 is a diagram showing clustering for storage shelf positions. Figure 5 is a flow diagram of how to determine stored items when converting the storage shelf position. Figures 6 and 7 are processing flows for moving stored items horizontally and vertically. It is a diagram. 1.6.7. l O, 11... Storage shelf position on the three-dimensional storage shelf, 2... Crane, 3... Lifting carriage,
4... Home position, 5... Conveyor equipment,
8.9.12.13...Storage Agent Patent Attorney Noriyuki Chika (and 1 other person) Figure 2 (a) Figure 3 (b) Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of storage shelves arranged two-dimensionally in the horizontal and vertical directions, a movable elevating carriage for replacing stored items on these storage shelves, and controlling the movement of the elevating and lowering carriage. In an automated warehouse equipped with a calculator, the computer has means for ranking each of a plurality of storage shelves based on the travel time of the elevating and lowering carriages, etc., and means for ranking each of the storage shelves based on the frequency of access to the items stored in each storage shelf. An automated warehouse comprising means for ranking, and means for determining which items and storage shelves should be replaced based on the ranking of the items and storage shelves ranked by these means. .