roboKOM

Robotic mobile fulfillment systems (RMFS) are based on a new picking principle. In contrast to manual person-to-person picking and automatic goods-to-person picking, individual shelves are moved by the mobile robots and transported to a stationary picking base. This type of order picking increases productivity because, in contrast to manual order picking, there is no travel time for the pickers to move around. Furthermore, lower investment costs and better scalability are achieved than with fully automated goods-to-person systems. A further advantage over conventional picking systems is the possibility to easily convert existing picking warehouses. Although the first RMFS are already in use in practice, the question still arises as to how great the potential for use of such technology is. The roboKOM project aims at investigating the potential fields of application of RMFS and finds answers to the existing questions:

For which types of warehouse can RMFS lead to productivity increases?

How can the processes of picking systems with mobile robots be optimized?

In terms of content, an analysis of different production/distribution warehouses with different article assortments is carried out and a comparison of existing RMFS is planned, based on simulation. The project will be implemented in cooperation with the department “Management Science/Operations Research” of the TU Darmstadt. At the same time, interested companies participate in a project-accompanying committee to achieve this practically relevant project.