ASSIGNMENT HELP | What are some factors to consider when choosing a warehouse layout?

In a two-to-three page paper (not including the title and reference pages), compare and contrast through-flow warehouse layout vs U-flow warehouse layout. What are some factors to consider when choosing a warehouse layout? What determines the amount of storage space needed? How wide should aisles be? What determines the aisle sizes? Your paper must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide and should cite at least two scholarly sources in addition to the textbook.

MODEL ANSWER

Warehouse Layout

            Today, numerous warehouses are high-tech and automated. However, Zhou et al. (2020) argue that even the best technology is of little use if warehouse operations are not designed for the right type of product flow. How products flow in the warehouse can make a significant difference in terms of safety and | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | warehouse systems today have been designed for either a U-flow of products or a through-flow strategy. There are distinct differences between U-flow and through flow warehouse layout.

           U-flow, also known as U-shaped, warehouse layout is commonly used. One end of the warehouse facility can accommodate both the receiving and shipping of | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | can flow from receiving to storage to | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | a U-flow warehouse layout, products/goods flow from receiving to storage, and then to shipping, while following an orderly and smooth | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | being one of the warehouse layout facilitating a flow of products/goods distinctly, through flow layout of the warehouse is different from the U-flow | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | a U-flow layout, shipping is located at one end of the warehouse facility and, at the same time, receives products on the other end. Accordingly, products/goods travel or move from one end of the facility to the other, while there is a distinct separation of shipping and receiving.

           Both through flow and U-flow warehouse layouts are distinct and are associated with respective advantages and disadvantages. The differences in layout influence how products/goods are received, stored and | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | when there are interference or confusion risks between goods going in and those coming | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | design facilitates the smooth utilization of dock resources since there is a sharing of shipping and receiving | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | is determined by how products are received in the warehouse, moved in for storage, and the size of the picking area before they are marshaled and dispatched.

           There are various factors for consideration when choosing a | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | a major factor as the warehouse should be designed to allow for free movement of goods or products. Accessibility is another factor as it is important to design and construct a warehouse that facilitates easy access to every product while taking advantage of every space in the | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | critical, and it should be at the center of the design. Storage and processing space are of importance as it also allows for other minor activities to be conducted within the warehouse. Other factors for consideration include throughput, local authority plans, site details, building factors, financial consideration, cube design, and movement of equipment and people.

           While designing a warehouse, a lot of emphases are placed on the storage and | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | Kembro et al. (2018), the allocation of space for storage and processing activities should be more in comparison to the space left for other | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | designing a warehouse, current trends of warehousing determine the amount of storage space | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | of the current trends in | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | that technology provides warehousing equipment that can stand alone, and may not require wall | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | that durable walls may not be necessary, thus the storage space significantly influenced.

           It is important to note that that warehouses can be beneficial from various widths of aisles as well as the | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | is that the aisle width should be reduced to maximize space in the warehouse. Professional designers of warehouses believe once warehouses attain between 80 and 85% of filled floor space, maximum efficiency is already | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | above 85% becomes counterproductive, especially when the area is not enough to smoothly and safely pick and place goods. The recommended width of markings on aisles varies between 2 and 6 inches, which means any width above 2 inches is recommended or termed acceptable.

The recommended aisles’ width is at least 3 feet wide than the recommend equipment for utilization or at least 4 feet. Based on the above-recommended aisle widths, it makes a lot of sense to reduce the size of aisles to free up more usable area in the warehouse, including the vertical space. In this case, their aisle concepts often applied to include the wide aisle design, narrow aisle design, and narrower aisle design | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | aisle sizes are determined by such factors as the size and space of the warehouse, and the number of equipment available. Determining aisle sizes are also based on the limitations of mobile equipment available before considering fixed materials, and how to handle products in place (Kembro et al., 2018). Lastly, aisle sizes depend on the functionality of equipment, as well as the storage space.

References

Bortolini, M., Faccio, M., Ferrari, E., Gamberi, M., & Pilati, F. (2019). Design of diagonal cross-aisle warehouses with class-based storage assignment strategy. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 100, 2521-2536.

Cakmak, E., Gunay, N. S., Aybakan, G., & Tanyas, M. (2012). Determining the size and design of flow type and U-type warehouses. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, 1425-1433.

Kembro, J. H., Norrman, A., & Eriksson, E. (2018). Adapting warehouse operations and design to omni-channel logistics: A literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 48(9), 890-912.

Zhou, L., Fan, X., Wang, J., Wang, S., Cao, N., & Wu, M. (2020). A Random Classified-Storage Picking Path Model for V-Type Storage Layout. Complexity, 2020, 1-12.