An Analysis of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems in Manufacturing Assembly Lines

Abstract

An automated storage/retrieval system is a material handling system that can be used to pick and to deliver materials in a direct access fashion. An M/G/1 queueing model is used to study the system performance under a first-come-first-served dispatching rule. More detailed studies for different dispatching rules have been done by simulation. A number of cases with different hardware characteristics and workloads have been investigated. Conclusion is drawn based upon the results obtained from analysis as well as numerical experiments.