Example of Warehouse System Design Based on the Principle of Logistics

Abstract

The warehouse process, as one of many logistics processes, currently holds an irreplaceable position in logistics systems in companies and in the supply chain. The proper function of warehouse operations depends on, among other things, the type of the used technology and their utilization. The research in this article is focused on the design of a warehouse system. The selection of a suitable warehouse system is a current research topic as the warehouse system has an impact on warehouse capacity and utilization and on the speed of storage activities. The paper presents warehouse system design methodology that was designed applying the logistics principle-systematic (system) approach. The starting point for designing a warehouse system represents of the process of design logistics systems. The design process consists of several phases: project identification, design process paradigm selection, system analysis, synthesis, and project evaluation. This article’s contribution is the proposed methodology and design of the warehouse system for the specified conditions. The methodology was implemented for the design of a warehouse system in a cold box, which is a part of a distribution warehouse. The technology of pallet racking was chosen in the warehouse to store pallets. Pallets will be stored and removed by forklifts. For the specified conditions, the warehouse system was designed for two alternatives of racking assemblies, which are served by forklifts. Alternative 1—Standard pallet rack with wide aisles and Alternative 2—Pallet dynamic flow rack. The proposed systems were compared on the basis of selected indicators: Capacity—the number of pallet places in the system, Percentage ratio of storage area from the box area, Percentage ratio of handling aisles from the box area, Access to individual pallets by forklift, Investment costs for 1 pallet space in EUR. Based on the multicriteria evaluation, the Alternative 2 was chosen as the acceptable design of the warehouse system with storage capacity 720 pallet units. The system needs only two handling aisles. Loading and unloading processes are separate from each other, which means that there are no collisions with forklifts. The pallets with the goods are operated on the principle of FIFO (first in, first out), which will facilitate the control of the shelf life of batches or series of products. The methodology is a suitable tool for decision-making in selecting and designing a warehouse system.