Warehouse Layout Method Based on Ant Colony and Backtracking Algorithm

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel warehouse layout method combining ant colony and backtracking algorithms to efficiently generate and optimize storage arrangements, improving warehouse management system performance.

Contribution

It introduces a hybrid algorithm approach for warehouse layout optimization, integrating backtracking and ant colony algorithms for better efficiency and solution quality.

Findings

Tree construction time ranges from 0.294 to 33.15 seconds.

Warehouse filling time varies from 3.23 seconds to 61.41 minutes.

Proven as an effective alternative for warehouse layout planning.

Abstract

Warehouse is one of the important aspects of a company. Therefore, it is necessary to improve Warehouse Management System (WMS) to have a simple function that can determine the layout of the storage goods. In this paper we propose an improved warehouse layout method based on ant colony algorithm and backtracking algorithm. The method works on two steps. First, it generates a solutions parameter tree from backtracking algorithm. Then second, it deducts the solutions parameter by using a combination of ant colony algorithm and backtracking algorithm. This method was tested by measuring the time needed to build the tree and to fill up the space using two scenarios. The method needs 0.294 to 33.15 seconds to construct the tree and 3.23 seconds (best case) to 61.41 minutes (worst case) to fill up the warehouse. This method is proved to be an attractive alternative solution for warehouse layout system.