Operational strategies for cross docking systems

Abstract

Cross docking is a warehouse management concept in which items delivered to a warehouse by delivery trucks are immediately sorted out and reorganized based on customer demands and are routed and loaded into shipping trucks for delivery to customers without actually being held in inventory in the warehouse. If any item is to be held in storage, it is only for a brief period of time that is generally less than twenty-four hours. This way, the turnaround times for customer orders, inventory management cost, and warehouse space requirements are reduced. Because accuracy in material management is required in such operations, a cross docking operation is heavily dependent on accurate flow of information. Depending on the facility and operating conditions or strategies employed, it is possible to generate various cross docking scenarios or models. In this research, thirty-two different models are identified based on the number of docks available at the site, the dock holding pattern for trucks, and the existence of temporary storage. Of the thirty-two models identified, this research is focused on three. All three models assume there is a separate truck receiving dock and a separate truck shipping dock. It is also assumed that the items contained in a receiving truck and the items needed for a shipping truck are known in advance. Receiving Yard Receiving Area: Unloading Scanning

Scheduling trucks in cross docking systems with temporary storage and dock repeat truck holding pattern using GRASP method

“…The proposed GRASP algorithm first generates three heuristic solutions proposed by Yu (2002) GRASP method is that the proposed GRASP method has only two parameters including the value of  and termination criteria and the implementation of this algorithm chooses 0.2.…”

“…This way, the turnaround times for customer orders, inventory management cost, and warehouse space requirements are reduced. Yu (2002) in his dissertation discussed cross docking problem under various assumptions. Yu and Egbelu (2008) determined the most suitable cross docking or scheduling sequence for both inbound and outbound trucks by minimizing total operation time when a temporary storage buffer is considered at shipping dock.…”

“…1 shows a sample of cross docking system. Yu (2002) proposed a model by assuming that there is a temporary storage in cross docking system and each two groups of trucks of receiving and shipping of loaded can alternatively enter into cross-dock. The temporary storage allows trucks to deliver more cargos, which are storage for future shipments.…”

Scheduling trucks in cross docking systems with temporary storage and dock repeat truck holding pattern using genetic algorithm

“…Rohrer (1995) investigated cross docking problem and the implementation of simulation techniques to solve such problem. Yu (2002) studied cross docking problem under variety assumptions. Yu and Egbelu (2008) explained some forms of cross docking or scheduling sequence for both inbound and outbound trucks through minimization of total operation time when a temporary storage buffer was considered at shipping dock.…”

“…1 shows a sample of cross docking system. (Ghobadian et al, 2012) Yu (2002 presented another model by assuming that there was a temporary storage in cross docking system and each two groups of trucks of receiving and shipping of loaded could alternatively enter into cross-dock. The temporary storage permitted trucks to deliver more cargos, which are storage for future shipments.…”