Multi-Method Approaches for Simulation Modelling of Warehouse Processes

Pietro De Vito, Umberto Battista, Anna Bolognesi, Stefano Sanfilippo

2024

Abstract

Efficient warehouse management is essential for business-to-business (B2B) operations, ensuring timely delivery, cost minimization, and operational efficiency. To meet these challenges, advanced modelling and simulation techniques are increasingly adopted. This paper shows the application of multi-method simulation approaches, specifically agent-based and discrete event simulation, applied to optimize warehouse processes and resource allocation for a leading sport brand retailer in the B2B sector. By combining these approaches, we aimed to capture the complexity of warehouse operations and identify opportunities for improvement. The simulation model developed using AnyLogic software, integrated agent-based modelling to represent entities such as packages, articles, orders, warehousemen, and trucks, along with discrete event simulation to model key events like order arrival and truck departure. The developed model has been used to optimize the resource allocation ensuring order fulfilment. Scenario analyses revealed varying resource requirements across different demand scenarios, highlighting the challenges posed by increasing demanded volumes. The study underscores the importance of strategic resource planning and proactive measures to address capacity limitations and ensure warehouse efficiency in meeting future demand. Our findings contribute to informed decision-making in warehouse management, guiding strategies for optimization and adaptation to evolving market demands.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

De Vito P., Battista U., Bolognesi A. and Sanfilippo S. (2024). Multi-Method Approaches for Simulation Modelling of Warehouse Processes. In Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications - Volume 1: SIMULTECH; ISBN 978-989-758-708-5, SciTePress, pages 305-312. DOI: 10.5220/0012771700003758

in Bibtex Style

@conference{simultech24,
author={Pietro De Vito and Umberto Battista and Anna Bolognesi and Stefano Sanfilippo},
title={Multi-Method Approaches for Simulation Modelling of Warehouse Processes},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications - Volume 1: SIMULTECH},
year={2024},
pages={305-312},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0012771700003758},
isbn={978-989-758-708-5},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications - Volume 1: SIMULTECH
TI - Multi-Method Approaches for Simulation Modelling of Warehouse Processes
SN - 978-989-758-708-5
AU - De Vito P.
AU - Battista U.
AU - Bolognesi A.
AU - Sanfilippo S.
PY - 2024
SP - 305
EP - 312
DO - 10.5220/0012771700003758
PB - SciTePress