JPS62191302A - Management and control method for automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent any quantitative miss of picking or input from occurring, by checking weight of an article to be restocked and an article housing member automatically, and comparing it with the article data checked by an operator at the time of his ware-housing work, then getting rid of the incongruity, if any. CONSTITUTION:In this automatic warehouse 1, inventory management and control are carried out by a computer. When articles 8 housed in a container 5 are picked, this container 5 is delivered to a warehousing conveyor 4 by means of computer control, and a certain amount of articles 8 is picked as far as the indicated quantity with a screen indication of a CRT terminal 16 by an operator 7. Afterward, when picking completion is inputted into the computer by an attached keyboard of the CRT terminal 6, the container 6 is measured of its gross weight by a weigher 9. And, whether the picking quantity is proper or not is checked and then they are restocked in the automatic warehouse 1 by a stacker crane 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a management control method for an automatic warehouse for storing, loading and unloading articles.

(Prior Art) In automated warehouses that store and store goods by type on pallets, containers, etc., loop-shaped loading/unloading conveyors are usually used for loading and unloading items. That is, when goods are to be unloaded, the target pallet or container is carried out from the automated warehouse to the loading/unloading conveyor section, and the required quantity of goods on the pallet or in the container is manually taken out. The pallet or container is then re-entered by the loop conveyor and stored in the warehouse. In addition, in the case of warehousing, the target pallet or container is delivered to the incoming/outgoing conveyor section, the required quantity of goods is placed on the pallet or into the container,
Restock.

Such automated warehouses generally perform online inventory management, warehousing/output control, and warehousing/output scheduling. Conventional technology regarding online controlled automated warehouses will be explained.

When shipping goods, the type, quantity, order of shipping, etc. are scheduled in advance by a computer, and based on this scheduling data, the target pallet or container is transported from the automated warehouse to the loading/unloading conveyor section.

On the other hand, CRT terminals are installed near the loading and unloading conveyors to give picking instructions, and the picking information includes product types,
The picked quantity, remaining amount, etc. are displayed. An operator picks articles on a pallet or in a container based on this CRT information.

When the picking is completed, the user inputs picking completion from the keyboard, etc., and re-enters the pallet or container into the automated warehouse. At this time, the quantity on the computer's inventory file is rewritten as the remaining quantity minus the picked quantity.

Furthermore, if it is found at the time of picking that the remaining amount on the CRT and the number of articles do not match, the operator inputs the remaining amount of articles from the keyboard and corrects the inventory file.

On the other hand, the quantity of the inventory file is periodically checked, and a stocking request is made for items whose stock quantity is below a certain level. Purchasing procedures are performed in response to this warehousing request, and the goods are replenished in the automated warehouse.

At the time of replenishment, the operator replenishes the goods on the pallet or into the container according to instruction data such as the type, replenishment amount, and remaining amount on the CRT, similar to when restocking.

When the completion of replenishment is input from the keyboard, the pallet or container is re-stocked in the automated warehouse, and the quantity on the inventory file is updated to add the replenishment quantity.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) According to the above-mentioned conventional technology, the accuracy of the quantity in the computer inventory file depends on the operator who performs stocking and shipping, and the operator picks or puts the stock according to the instructions on the CRT. If this is not done, there will be a discrepancy between the actual quantity and the quantity on the inventory file, and proper warehousing procedures and
In this case, when the purchase is not made, the necessary number of items cannot be picked when the item is shipped, resulting in a serious problem of shipping delays.

The present invention has been developed in consideration of the above points, and its purpose is to automatically check the picking or input quantity by the operator and eliminate discrepancies between the quantity on the inventory file and the actual quantity. .

[Structure of the invention]

(Means to solve the problem) The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic concept of this invention.

The automated warehouse 1 is managed and controlled by a separate computer, and when picking items 8 stored in the containers 5, the containers 5 are controlled by the computer.
is delivered to the incoming/outgoing conveyor 4, and the operator 7
The specified quantity of articles 8 is picked according to the screen instruction of T-end 6. Thereafter, when the completion of picking is input from the attached keyboard of the CRT terminal 6, the total weight of the container 5 is measured by a scale 9, it is checked whether the picked quantity is appropriate, and the container 5 is re-stocked into the automated warehouse 1 by the stacker crane 3.

(Operation) Next, the operation at this time will be explained using the check logic flow shown in FIG.

Type and quantity of containers stored.

All data such as unit weight and container weight is managed by computer, and the data of the target container is searched, the relationship between the total weight after picking and the picking instruction quantity is calculated and compared, and it is checked whether the picked quantity is correct. Update the inventory file.

(Example) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment showing the configuration of the present invention.

The stored articles 8 are stored in the container 5 and placed on the shelves 2 of the automated warehouse 1.
is stored in. Further, the person/delivery conveyor 4 is a loop conveyor on which the operator 7 picks or puts in the articles 8.

In the case of picking, the target container 5 is delivered from the shelf 2 to the loading/unloading conveyor 4 by the stacker crane 3 under the control of a separately installed computer, and is conveyed to the front of the operator 7.

At this time, the computer gives CR the instructions for the picking quantity.
This instruction is displayed on the screen of the T-end 6, and the operator 7 picks the article 8 stored in the container 5 according to this instruction.

When the picking is completed, the operator 7 notifies the computer of the completion through the attached keyboard of the CRT terminal 6. Thereafter, the total weight of the container 5 is measured using a weighing device 9, and the container 5 is again stored in the automated warehouse 1. 6 Similarly, in the case of loading, the operator 7 places the goods 8 into the target container 5 based on the screen instructions on the CRT terminal 6. After loading, the total weight of the container 5 is measured using a weighing machine 9.
It is measured and re-stocked in automated warehouse 1.

Next, the picking or input quantity check logic will be explained based on FIG. 2.

The storage number ft (N) is the data of the target container 5.

The article unit weight (wa), the container weight (We), and the measurement tolerance (±1Ile) for the article unit weight are registered in the computer in advance. Using this data, the picking or input quantity (Np), and the total weight (W) of the container 5 measured by the scale 9, the following calculation is performed in the calculation section.

Wj=(Wa-We)(N-Np)+11c ・++
Formula IWH= (VagIie) (N-Np)+VC”
Equation 2 Here, NP is pressure in the case of picking, and negative in the case of input. Equation 1 is container 5 after picking or loading
is the theoretical lower limit of the total weight of , and Equation 2 similarly represents the upper limit.

Next, the following comparison is performed in the comparison section.

IIL≦W≦WH Equation 3 If Equation 3 holds true, it means that picking or putting in has been performed accurately, so the quantity data on the inventory file is updated to (N-Np).

If this is not true, it means that picking or loading was not carried out as instructed by CRT terminal 6.

In this case, the mismatch processing unit, which is logic, will be explained. First, the following two logics are used regarding issuing a mismatch alarm to the operator 7 and updating the inventory file.

■ Update to assume that the picking or putting was done as directed. That is, the quantity data is updated to (N-Np).

■ Update based on the measured total weight data.

-We In other words, between □ and l1l-We 11a-W
e Update to an integer of 11a+We.

As described above, according to the present invention, if the measurement tolerance (±We) is set appropriately, it is possible to completely prevent picking or input quantity mistakes by the operator 7, and no discrepancy between the inventory file and the actual quantity will occur. .

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the weighing device 9 is arranged on the 4 parts of the loading/unloading conveyor, but the weighing may be carried out after picking or loading until it is re-entered into the shelf 2. A similar effect can be obtained by installing it above.

Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to the management control of any automated warehouse other than a stacker crane equipped with a picking or input conveyor.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, by adding a simple measuring device and simple check logic to a conventional automated warehouse, it is possible to completely prevent errors in picking or loading quantities, and furthermore, by adding a simple measuring device and simple check logic to a conventional automated warehouse, it is possible to completely prevent errors in picking or loading quantities. It is possible to provide an automated warehouse management control method that can prevent input errors.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the loading/unloading status of an automated warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a warehousing/unloading management control method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1...Automated warehouse 6...CRT end 2.
...I 7...Operator 3.
... Stacker crane 8 ... Goods 4 ... Input/output conveyor 9 ... Measuring instrument 5 ... Container agent Patent attorney Nori Chika Ken Yudo Hirofumi Mitsumata Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a management control method for an automated warehouse in which an operator inputs and takes out articles placed on an article storage member placed on a conveyance system, the operator A management control method for an automated warehouse that monitors the correctness of article data confirmed during warehouse loading and unloading operations and manages inventory.