关键词: 自动分拣系统, 订单合流, 订单排序优化, 最大最小蚁群算法

Abstract: The modern automated sorting systems widely adopt the strategy of zone picking and order accumulation, where the order arrangement optimization problem exists. A reasonable order accumulation method was first presented to solve this problem, which can bring forward the start time of each order picking and transform it to the compression of goods during order accumulation. This method not only can reduce the total picking time of orders, but also can avoid the conflict of goods during order accumulation. As the sequence of order picking influences the start time of each order picking and the total picking time, a model was established for an order arrangement optimization problem, which can be referred to a traveling salesman problem (TSP). These orders can be seen as the cities to travel in TSP, and each order’s picking time affected by order sequence can be seen as the distance between cities. The target is to find the least total picking time by means of optimizing the order sequence. A maxmin ant system algorithm was utilized to solve the model. The simulation result shows an obvious improvement of picking efficiency of the automated sorting system after order arrangement optimization.

Key words: automated sorting system, order accumulation, order arrangement optimization, max-min ant system