Exact algorithms for the order picking problem

2017/03/02 by Pansart, Lucie, Catusse, Nicolas, Cambazard, Hadrien
#Data Structures and Algorithms (cs.DS) #FOS: Computer and information sciences

paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1703.00699

Abstract

Order picking is the problem of collecting a set of products in a warehouse in a minimum amount of time. It is currently a major bottleneck in supply-chain because of its cost in time and labor force. This article presents two exact and effective algorithms for this problem. Firstly, a sparse formulation in mixed-integer programming is strengthened by preprocessing and valid inequalities. Secondly, a dynamic programming approach generalizing known algorithms for two or three cross-aisles is proposed and evaluated experimentally. Performances of these algorithms are reported and compared with the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) solver Concorde.

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