Print Email Facebook Twitter Multi-robot parcel sorting systems Title Multi-robot parcel sorting systems: Allocation and path finding Author van den Heuvel, Bram (TU Delft Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science) Contributor van Iersel, Leo (mentor) Degree granting institution Delft University of Technology Programme Applied Mathematics Date 2018-07-26 Abstract The logistics industry is being modernized using information technology and robots. This change encompasses a new set of challenges in warehouses. Recently, some companies have started using robot fleets to sort products and parcels. This thesis studies those systems, and researches the combinatorial problems that arise within them. Three main optimization problems are identified: 1. Finding an optimal layout of the sorting system on the warehouse floor; 2. Allocating products or parcels to be sorted to robots; 3. Finding paths that all robots can follow concurrently, without colliding. These problems are considered one by one. The first problem is understood on an intuitive level, while the other two are considered more closely. For both problems, several algorithms are considered. Some utilize greedy heuristics while others model the problem at hand precisely using integer linear programming methods. The algorithm’s real world performance is then assessed using a simulation. Slow, ILP-based algorithms are found to produce optimal solutions for small instances. However, they don’t scale well, and are unable to solve large instances. Greedy approximation algorithms solve all problem instance sizes tested, but produce solutions of lower quality. Subject optimizationsortingplanningallocationpathcollisionILPmakespanheuristicgreedydisjointparcelrobothamiltoniantree-widthdynamicprogrammingmulticommodityflowconservationa-starrustintegralitygapbenchmarktest To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e129aa53-1cca-469e-bf09-80142d4b879c Part of collection Student theses Document type bachelor thesis Rights © 2018 Bram van den Heuvel Files PDF thesis_bram_van_den_heuvel.pdf 1.41 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:e129aa53-1cca-469e-bf09-80142d4b879c/datastream/OBJ/view