Martínez-Meléndez, Yeiram

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    Operational-level rule-based heuristics for receiving logistics
    (2017-05) Martínez-Meléndez, Yeiram; Carlo-Colón, Héctor J.; College of Engineering; Bartolomei Suárez, Sonia M.; Ramírez Beltrán, Nazario D.; Department of Industrial Engineering; Soto Rodríguez, Edgar
    This study is concerned with the receiving logistics problem (RLP) which consists of optimizing inbound operations at distribution centers (DCs), warehouses, and cross-docks (XDs) with staging areas. The objective of the RLP is to minimize the makespan required to move all unit loads from trailers to flow racks, and from flow racks to their respective storage (or delivery) locations. It is assumed that a set of inbound trailers with known composition have been assigned and sequenced to inbound dock doors. The following three inbound logistics decisions are simultaneously considered: i) unloaders’ assignment and scheduling, ii) loads-to-flow rack assignment, and iii) assignment and haulers’ scheduling. In this study we describe the relationship between the problem of minimizing makespan and balancing the unloader-hauler workload. A linear mixed integer formulation of the RLP is presented, and the problem is shown to be NP-hard. Hence, four rule-based heuristics are proposed and evaluated by replicating a variety of unloading scenarios and comparing results. It is concluded that a simple heuristic rule that does not require additional technology outperforms the other rules in terms of solution quality. This study also presents a proof of concept where a single Microsoft Kinect sensor is used for automated monitoring of a dock door in real-time. The proposed system will automatically and in real-time: i) detect when an object breaches the dock door perimeter, and its corresponding speed and direction, ii) count the number of pallets loaded/unloaded to/from a trailer, iii) record the loading/unloading time of each load, and iv) reconstruct an image of every loading/unloading trip at a dock door, irrespectively of the material handling travel speed and direction. Particular emphasis is given to discussing how to extend the proposed concept by using multiple Kinect sensors, the technological challenges for implementation, and the expected benefits of a real-time dock door monitoring system.