Sorting multi-bay block stacking storage systems

The research paper "Sorting multi-bay block stacking storage systems" was published in the journal Computers & Operations Research. Congratulations to the authors Thomas Bömer, Jakob Pfrommer, Daniyar Akizhanov and Anne Meyer!

The study deals with the efficient sorting of multi-bay block storage systems in intralogistics using autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The aim is to reorganize warehouse stocks during quiet operating times in such a way that future orders can be processed without blockages and with minimal time expenditure.

A novel three-stage approach is presented for this purpose:
First, optimal access directions are calculated for all stacks to minimize blocking units. Next, the minimum number of necessary rearrangements is determined using an extended A* search method or, alternatively, constraint programming. Finally, a mathematical routing model optimizes the deployment plans of several robots in terms of travel time or total duration (Makespan).

The extensive experiments with over 4,600 test instances show that the approach is scalable and practical even for very large warehouses with over 1,000 storage locations. The results make an important contribution to automating and increasing the efficiency of modern warehouse systems and provide a concrete basis for decision-making for industrial applications.
The full publication is available here: https: //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030505482500388