APPLICATION OF MODIFIED COMBINED HEURISTIC TO REDUCE ORDER PICKING TOUR LENGTH IN CEVA XNZ WAREHOUSE

Abstract

This study focuses on the improvement of order sequencing to reduce length of picking tour in CEVA XNZ warehouse. The current sequencing method forces the picker to make a lot of backtracking and take longer paths when picking from the warehouse during order extraction. This author identifies that backtracking movement to occur in 43.281% of all order fulfillment cases in April 2013. To improve on the order sequencing method in CEVA XNZ, this author proposes application of a modified block heuristic that suits the warehouse configuration. Upon running the proposed method on all order picking completion cases in April 2013, it is found that the new method performs better in that it produces shorter picking tour length compared to the current method. The proposed method succeeds in reducing total picking tour length by 36.64%. On average the proposed method reduces length of an order picking case tour by 36.04%. Implementation of this method requires CEVA XNZ to take 3 measures: incorporate instruction in their issued order list and introduce 2 new location concepts to the pickers. It also has to integrate an order sequencing program in order list generation process.