Abstract
We study an end-of-aisle order picking system with inbound and outbound buffer positions. The system is referred to as a miniload system with a horse-shoe front-end configuration, and is modeled as a two-stage cyclic queueing system with limited capacity. We analyze the system by utilizing known queueing results. Closed form expressions are developed for system performance measures, including the steady-state probability and system throughput. To provide some decision criteria in the design of buffer capacity, we examine the effect of the buffer size on system throughput. We give examples to illustrate how the results developed can be applied to solving real world problems. It is also shown that under heavy retrieval system demand, the system naturally achieves its optimal operating condition in the long run and it always performs dual command cycles.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Foley, R.D. and Frazelle, E.H. (1991) Analytical results for miniload throughput and the distribution of dual command travel time. IIE Transactions, 23(3), 273–281.
Raghunath, S., Perry, R. and Cullinane, T. (1986) Interactive simulation modeling of automated storage retrieval systems, in Proceedings of the 1986 Winter Simulation Conference (Wilson, J., Hendriksen, J. and Roberts, S., eds) Society for Computer Simulation, Washington, DC. 613–620.
Medeiros, D.J., Enscore, E.E. and Smith, A. (1986) Performance analysis of miniload system, in Proceedings of the 1986 Winter Simulation Conference (Wilson, J., Hendriksen, J. and Roberts, S., eds) Society for Computer Simulation, Washington, DC. 602–612.
Pulat, P.S. and Pulat, B.M. (1989) Throughput analysis in an automated material handling system. Simulation, 52(5), 195–198.
Perry, R.F., Hoover, S.V. and Freeman, D.R. (1984) An opti-mum-seeking approach to the design of automated storage/retrieval systems, in Proceedings of the 1984 Winter Simulation Conference (Sheppard, S., Pooch, U. and Pegden, D., eds) Society for Computer Simulation, Dallas, TX. 349–354.
Bozer, Y.A. and White, J.A. (1990) Design and performance models for end-of-aisle order picking systems. Management Science, 36(7), 852–866.
Bozer, Y.A. and White, J.A. (1991) A generalized design and performance analysis model for end-of-aisle order picking systems, in Progress in Material Handling and Logistics, 2 (White, J.A., Pence, I.W., Graves, R.J., McGinnis, L.F., Wilhelm, M.R. and Ward, R.E., eds). Springer-Verlag, Berlin. pp. 205–243.
Foley, R.D. and Frazelle, E.H. (1990) Throughput expressions and bounds for end-of-aisle order picking with activity based storage. Working paper, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.
Scharfstein, D.O. (1990) Analytical performance measures for the miniload automated storage/retrieval system. Unpublished M.S. thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.
Gelenbe, E. (1975) On approximate computer system models. Journal of ACM, 22(2), 261–269.
Foley, R.D. and Park, B.C. (1995) Optimal allocation of bu.ers and customers in a two-node cyclic network with multiple servers. Working Paper, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.
Gross, D. and Harris, C. (1985) Fundamentals of Queueing Theory, 2nd ed, John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Park, B.C., Frazelle, E.H. & White, J.A. Buffer sizing models for end-of-aisle order picking systems. IIE Transactions 31, 31–38 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007520600713
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007520600713