物流英语Text6.ppt

Key Terms warehousing design 仓储设计 warehouse layout 仓库布局 fixed slot location system 固定货位系统 variable slot location system 流动货位系统 labor-intensive 劳动力密集的 mechanization 机械化 automation 自动化 Every user of warehousing facility wants it to operate with highest efficiency possible. But to achieve this goal, we need to take serious considerations with the warehousing design. One common-sense piece of advice is that prior to designing a warehouse, the quantity and character of goods to be handled must be known. Besides, the frequency with which it is picked and whether it is fast or slow moving comparing to other items also need to be considered. For example, the fast moving product has to be placed closed to where order selectors go to pick them, in an effort to reduce walking time. A second common-sense piece of advice is that is important for an organization to know the purpose to be served by the facility, because relative emphasis placed on the storage and distribution functions affects warehouse layout. A storage facility with low rate of product turnover should be laid out in a way that maximize the utilization of the capacity of the storage facility. A distribution-oriented facility attempts to maximize throughput rather than storage. Trade-offs must be made among space, labor, and mechanization with respect to warehousing design. ? Fixed vs. Variable slot locations With fixed slot location, each SKU(stock keeping unit) has permanent slots assigned to it, so the pickers always know where a certain SKU is located. A variable slot location system involves empty slots being assigned to incoming products based on space availability. Although it can achieve more efficient space utilization, it requires advanced information system to keep track of the product location. A general rule of thumb is that it is cheaper to build up than build out, particularly in certain location where land is expensive. However, a higher warehouse needs spec