Abstract: To improve the picking efficiency of Array automated picking device system,an items assignment method based on item correlations was proposed.Under the mode of serial order accumulation,the total order picking time of this system's orders was equal to the summation of working time in the zone.The model of items assignment model in array automated picking device was established by taking minimum summation of working time in the zone as the objective.To solve this model,a heuristic clustering algorithm was proposed based on similarity coefficient which expressed by saving single channel picking time due to deferent items parallelly picked.The main idea of this algorithm was assigned items with closer relationship into the same zone to increase the number of items parallelly picked in each zone and reduce the total number of zones participating in picking each order.Simulation experiments of array automated picking devices in the pharmaceuticals distributions centre showed that the algorithm could reduce the total order picking time by 8%.

Key words: automated picking, zone picking, serial order accumulation, item assignment, clustering algorithm

摘要： 为提高阵列式自动拣选系统的拣选效率,提出基于品项相关性的品项分配方法。在串行合流模式下,设备订单拣选总时间等于拣货区拣选时间总和,以最小化拣货区拣选时间总和为目标建立品项分配模型。为求解该模型,将品项并行分拣节省的独立拣选时间作为品项相似系数,提出一种启发式聚类算法。该算法的核心思想是通过将相关性强的品项分配至同一拣货区,增加各拣货区内的并行拣货量,同时减少各订单内参与拣选的拣货区个数,提高系统分拣效率。某医药物流配送中心阵列式自动拣选机的实例分析表明,采用启发式聚类算法可使订单拣选总时间减少约8%。

关键词: 自动化拣选, 分区拣选, 串行合流, 品项分配, 聚类算法