Simulation and analysis of non-automated distribution warehouses

The distribution warehouse is located between manufacturers and customers. Storage facilities are designed around four primary functions: holding, consolidation, break-bulk and mixing. In addition, materials handling within a storage-handling system reduces to three primary activities: loading and unloading, movement to and from storage, and order filling. Generally, it is more difficult to build a simulation model for a non-automated warehouse than for AS/RS, because materials handling is much more complicated. In this study, a procedure to build simulation models for move-store activities of complicated and non-automated distribution warehouses is proposed. The simulation model is designed to execute together with the program for generating parameters of materials handling. Then, simulation analysis is performed, using a simulation model built by the proposed procedure.