Cost and Throughput Modeling of Manual and Automated Order Fulfillment Systems

The e-commerce revolution has brought about the need for more efficient order fulfillment. Guidelines are needed to determine the order fulfillment system design, and whether a manual or automated system should be implemented. A spreadsheet-based descriptive model has been developed based on demand levels, labor rates, and order sizes. We propose to combine the descriptive model with simulation output to demonstrate reactions of the system to fluctuations in demand, labor rates, and order sizes. The ultimate research goal is to provide a design aid to companies engaged in order fulfillment systems, emphasizing the decision of whether or not to automate the sorting process.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Russell, Mardi L.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Meller, Russell D.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Koelling, C. Patrick
• Sullivan, William G.

• Distribution Centers
• Order Fulfillment
• Warehousing
• Sortation Systems

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05102001-152939

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/32476