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Sorting Process: Simulation and Optimization

Problem Statement
An important clothing industry aimed to reduce logistic costs reducing number of boxes used to ship ordered materials to the customers (shops). The company has a distribution center with a sorting plant object of the studio.

Improvement Approach
The solution it has been a real time software which optimises using genetic algorithm (GA). The algorithm and the plant performances have been verified by a simulation model of the plant.

Benefits
Main benefits it has been a reduction of handling and shipping costs. There was also a benefit for the warehouse downstream the sorter plant.

Contact information
ACT Solutions - Advanced Control Technology
ACT Solutions - Advanced Control Technology - via Roma 3/A 21040 Jerago con Orago (Italy)
Phone +39 0331.21.76.76 , Fax +39 0331.21.95.05
e-mail raffaele.maccioni@actsolutions.it
www.actsolutions.it

Sorting Process Animation in Arena

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The customer is an important Italian company in the clothing market. They
own a distribution center where, by means of a sorter, the goods are boxed
and delivered to the customers (shops all over the world) after a further
step in a warehouse.
The original aim of the customer was to minimize the number of boxes used to deliver the orders to the customers, keeping a good performing level in the sorting system.
Clothes arrive (in batches) at the distribution center where, through a sorter, are sorted by the customer. One batch consists of a number of items of the same kind (e.g : T-shirts of various colors and sizes).
The sorter is a loop conveyor with inlet lines (4-6) for material loading and chutes (some hundreds) where the goods required by a specific customer are sent and grouped before packing.
The sorting process occurs loading, from the inlet lines, the batches in a particular sequence.

Without going into further details, we can say the sequence affects both the number of boxes used to deliver the goods to the customers and the systems performance; in particular, the aim of reducing the number of boxes may weaken the system performance and vice versa.
The original aim of the work was finding an algorithm to sequence the
batches, thus balancing the two different and opposite aims: minimize boxes and maximize performances.

IMPROVEMENT APPROACH

A weakness of the conventional criteria in the sorting process managing is related to the high number of different possibilities in terms of batches sequence and chutes managing criteria(dynamic assignment to specific customers).
The system operators cannot take into account all the constraints and the relations that impact on the systems performances.

The solution is the simulation model combined with an optimization technique, based on a genetic algorithm (an ACT Solutions software for real time optimization of picking and sorting processes called Intelligent Handling System).

A simulation model with ARENA has been developed in order to represent the sorting system (conveyors, operators for loading and un-loading process).
The model has been used combined with a real time IHS algorithm in order to predict the benefits in terms of performance.
When the algorithm has been configured for the real use on the plant, also a simulator has been encapsulated in the application in order to predict the future plant state.

BENEFITS

The benefits are in terms of :
1. boxes, whose number is sensibly reduced (20%)
2. increased sorting performance (reduced recirculation of 30%)
3. improved use of the room into the warehouse, preventing its overloading
4. easy way for the plant director to manage the plant daily.


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