Operations Research 2025
Abstract Submission

69. Collaborative Routing Problems in Automated Warehouses

Invited abstract in session TA-3: Intralogistics, stream Project Management and Scheduling.

Thursday, 8:45-10:15
Room: H5

Authors (first author is the speaker)

1. Lara Nehrke
Business Administration, Helmut Schmidt University
2. Julian Golak
University of Hamburg
3. Dominik Kress
Helmut Schmidt University
4. Malte Fliedner
Operations Management, University of Hamburg

Abstract

The pick-and-drive system is an innovative approach to warehouse automation for order picking, combining two types of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Storage and supply AMRs (S-AMRs) transport unit loads from a storage area to a disposition area, where picking AMRs (P-AMRs) move freely to retrieve items using robotic arms. We take an operational perspective within this setting and address the problem of determining meeting locations and sequences for the AMRs to ensure efficient fulfillment of all customer orders. To do so, we interpret the problem as a vehicle routing problem with collaboration under different objectives, namely the minimization of either the total distance traveled by the AMRs or the sum of the completion times of customer orders. We develop mathematical models and derive structural properties. Furthermore, we present different solution methods based on these insights. In a comprehensive numerical study, we compare the modeling approaches and the solution methods. All methods are evaluated to assess their performance and applicability in practice.

Keywords

Status: accepted


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