Simulation model used as design improvement decision tool for warehouse material flow

The basis for this thesis involved a six and a half month LFM internship at Efficient Storage, Shipping, and Selection. ES3, Efficient Storage, Shipping, and Selection, is a third party logistics firm that specializes in a vendor-neutral consolidation model for the food distribution industry. ES3 receives, stores, and ships multi-vendor products through a distribution center (DC) in York, Pennsylvania. The product is moved and stored by an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) which consists of a network of conveyors, vertical lifts, and Selection and Retrieval Machines (SRMs). The ASRS system is not performing to the designed put-away and shipping rates, thus limiting the DC's overall performance during peak operations. The warehouse operations and warehouse design teams had numerous design suggestions for improving the ASRS operations, but it was difficult to predict the enhancement or impact on performance. A simulation model for the inbound system was created to analyze the impact, prioritize, and develop new ideas for improving the system.

Department dc:contributor.department

Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Smith, Clifford A. (Clifford Allen), 1972-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jeremie Gallien and David Hardt.

• Mechanical Engineering.
• Sloan School of Management.
• Leaders for Manufacturing Program.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34830

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/34830