An Efficient Pallet Layout Planning of Conveyor-Like AGV System in the Omni-Channel Cross-Docking Operation

In a cross-docking of the omni-channel retailing distribution center, how to de-sign an intelligent goods staging and pallets layout strategy with multi-time window to make loaded trucks on-time delivery has become a mainstream in the omni-channel logistics system. In this study, a fuzzy-set-based method adopted to solve movable pallets layout problem in an onmi-channel cross-docking with conveyor-like AGV systems is developed. Three tasks of the layout design are presented. Firstly, the movable pallets zone formation in a cross-dock warehouse is generated based on the workload balance of inbound and outbound docks and the material flow configuration. Secondly, the flow ranking of movable pallets in zones is calculated to generate conveyor-AGV cross-dock transporting blocks. Thirdly, each of movable pallets within zones is ordered to explore the exact initial layout. An experimental example is to demonstrate and validate the proposed layout methods in improving the material flow and increasing cross-dock operations efficiency of an omni-channel distribution center with conveyor-like AGV systems.