Design and research of automated

warehouse simulation platform based on

virtual visualization framework
Huajun Di
Department of Finance and Economics, Shanxi Engineering Vocational College, Taiyuan,
Shanxi, China

ABSTRACT
The automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) has been developed rapidly and
has been widely used in various fields. To achieve the ultimate goal of improving the
efficiency of warehouse operation, this article studies the problem of goods location-
allocation on the premise of a comprehensive analysis of the efficiency of automated
warehouses and the overall stability of shelves. The mathematical model is
established. Traditional Tabu search algorithms depend on Tabu table construction
to avoid multiple continuous cycles that may occur in the direct search process. In
this article, the improved algorithm can directly search and store in the Tabu table to
prevent the algorithm from infinite search. A complete solution in that Tabu list
continues to be passed to act as a point solution to replace the iteratively update
product until a set iteration interval of the product is completed. The machine
learning system can get the optimal solution. The improved algorithm is applied to
solve the model, and the running results and the performance of the algorithm itself
are obtained. The improved Tabu Search algorithm has more advantages in the
process of solving the model because it reduces the size of the whole problem. The
algorithm also uses the penalty optimization function as a measure of each solution.
The greater the penalty is, the worse the solution is, and the smaller the penalty is, the
better the solution is. The operation process of the material in and out of the
warehouse in one day is studied, and the validity of the optimization scheme of goods
location allocation is verified by substituting specific data for the solution. Finally, the
case of goods in and out of the warehouse is simulated by using simulation software,
Submitted 12 May 2023 and the running state and efficiency of the stacker are displayed according to the data.
Accepted 18 December 2023 The Tabu direct search table is combined with the structure and function of the
Published 22 January 2024
principle of amnesty direct search to achieve the goal of direct search and decision-
Corresponding author
making. The equilibrium coefficient of its operation is calculated by using the data,
Huajun Di, [email protected]
which proves that the scheme is feasible and has practical significance and research
Academic editor
Xiangjie Kong
value.
Additional Information and
Declarations can be found on Subjects Algorithms and Analysis of Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Systems,
page 18 Robotics, Neural Networks
DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 Keywords Automated warehouse, Warehouse management system, Virtual platform, Simulation
Copyright test, System control
2024 Di
Distributed under INTRODUCTION
Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0
With the rapid progress of information technology and the proposal of the concept of
Industry 4.0, the automated warehousing system is about to enter the era of intelligence,

How to cite this article Di H. 2024. Design and research of automated warehouse simulation platform based on virtual visualization
framework. PeerJ Comput. Sci. 10:e1809 DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809
 which gives new requirements to the automated warehousing system, that is, we should
not only upgrade the hardware equipment iteratively but also pay more attention to the
research of supporting software and algorithms (Yang, Wu & Ma, 2021). In the past, the
software system supporting the automated warehouse was often developed by foreign
companies. As more and more domestic companies began to notice the importance of the
software systems, they began to develop their supporting systems, such as warehouse
management systems (WMS), warehouse control systems (WCS), etc., (Rosa, 2022). There
are many hidden dangers and low efficiency in the daily operation of logistics warehousing,
but the increasing production demand makes the warehousing capacity unable to keep up
with the production demand. In view of the existing problems in the warehouse, this article
combines the advantages of modern logistics technology and automated warehouse. From
the point of view of computers and software, continuous research and development of
computer systems and core decision-making algorithms of the automated warehouses,
replacing manpower with a computer, will liberate more labor force, reduce human
accidents and improve the efficiency of the warehouse. In today’s advocacy of energy
conservation and industrial upgrading, it is of practical significance to study the software
system and algorithm of intelligent warehouses (Liu & Yang, 2022).
In recent years, the automated warehousing system has shown a trend of diversification.
In addition to the traditional stacker warehouse, many new high-density warehouses have
emerged, such as the high-density warehouse using shuttle cars, the automated warehouse
using artificial intelligence AGV cars, and so on. As the design of warehouse shelves and
the equipment used are different, many different warehousing solutions are derived. The
software systems and algorithms used in different warehousing solutions are not the same,
which requires researchers to conduct targeted research (Lei et al., 2020).
Sadiq, Landers & Don Taylor (1996) introduced the storage strategy-dynamic location
planning to solve the problem of more and more miscellaneous goods in the warehouse,
and this strategy is also relatively applicable to products with shorter life cycles (Yuxin
et al., 2023). Van den Berg & Zijm (1999) used time parameters and dynamic programming
methods to study the problems related to goods warehousing. At the same time, because
the warehousing cost of each link is different, different cost expenses are combined with
the operation process for systematic analysis (Zhou et al., 2020); Rouwenhorst et al. (2000)
found through research that the warehousing efficiency will reach the highest level for
warehousing goods less than or equal to 10 categories (Tripicchio, D’Avella & Unetti,
2022). Hsieh & Tsai (2001) proposed the location-allocation scheme of parts and
components related to the product BOM information table. Muppani & Adil (2008)
constructed a dynamic programming model to analyze all the goods on the automated
shelves and determine the relationship between them in this way. However, this method is
not suitable for automated warehouses with a large number of raw materials. At the same
time, it also takes into account the cost of picking operations and storage space (Truong,
Dang & Nguyen, 2020). In 2016, Miguel Horta used mathematical optimization technology
(based on the least square method) to plan the layout of the warehouse, so that the
automated warehouse can complete the distribution work in real-time (Truong, Dang &
Nguyen, 2017).

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 2/20

 At present, there is little research on virtual and visual intelligent warehouses. The
intelligent warehouse studied in reference (Truong, Dang & Nguyen, 2018) is similar to the
content of this article. The proposed model for allocating multi-objective warehouse
storage has the characteristics of simplicity and efficiency. However, there are still some
shortcomings in the above research literature: most of them are based on the high physical
straight-line distance between the warehouse storage and the entrance of the channel, and
whether the warehouse storage must be evenly distributed between the layers. However,
for deeper optimization objectives, such as the height of the warehouse storage layer, how
to distribute evenly when multiple orders are completed, and how to calculate the
workload of equipment requirements still need to be researched. A more balanced
distribution of tasks and objectives needs to be established.
Due to the limitation of a single algorithm, in recent years, there are more and more
applications of hybrid algorithms with complementary optimization ability, and its design
and analysis is also an important topic of algorithm research. Based on the multi-channel
block layout environment in the logistics warehouse, it is necessary to provide a scientific
decision for the order batching optimization under this warehouse layout (Xuejiao &
Wennan, 2019). In this article, a mixed integer programming model is established to solve
the material storage management problem under multi-block warehouse layout, which
combines the characteristics of multi-channel and multi-block, and takes the minimization
of the total picking distance as the objective. In this article, a mixed integer programming
(MIP) model based on MVC (model-view-controller) is proposed to solve the material
storage management problem under multi-block warehouse layout, which combines the
characteristics of multi-channel and multi-block and minimizes the total picking distance.
The hybrid strategy of improving the population by Tabu Search is to perform a global
search first. To improve the quality of the individuals in the population, the individuals in
the population have a larger distribution range in the solution space area, and a Tabu
Search is performed on the individuals in this population (Liu et al., 2023). According to
the above problems, this article uses the virtual scene to restore the structure of the
automated warehouse and simulates the entire workflow of the automated warehouse,
designs a three-dimensional virtual simulation platform for the automated warehouse,
uses an improved Tabu Search algorithm to solve, and obtains the location-allocation
scheme. The effectiveness and superiority of the improved Tabu Search algorithm are
verified by comparing the results, which proves the effectiveness of the research content in
this article.

RELATED WORK
Warehouse conveying control system
The warehouse transportation control system uses a scheduling mode, which will detect
the movement of the equipment in real-time and constantly feed back the movement in the
process of transportation. The system adopts an automatic control mode. In this way, the
virtual host computer sends instructions to the controller of the equipment. After receiving
the instructions, the controller automatically controls the equipment to complete the
operation and feeds back the motion state of the equipment to the virtual host computer.

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 3/20

 stacker

robotic arm roadway

AGV car
conveyor

Figure 1 Overall planning of warehouse virtual simulation.

Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-1

This part of the system is the connecting bridge between the automated finished product
palletizing system and the automated warehouse system.
In this virtual simulation scenario, high-rise shelves will be used to allow goods to enter
and exit automatically and improve work efficiency. In this article, the stacker is used to
access the goods, and the warehouse area and the storage area are connected by the roller
conveyor line. The automated warehouse is mainly composed of a roller conveyor line,
stacker, shelf, mechanical arm, AGV car, and other parts. The working mode of the
automated warehouse is as follows: when entering the warehouse, a worker first places the
goods on a roller conveying line, and the roller conveying line sends the goods to a
warehouse area. Then, a stacker takes down the goods from the roller conveying line, and
finally, the stacker transports the goods and places the goods in a designated bin. When
going out of the warehouse, the stacker takes out the goods in the designated bin, then
places the goods on the roller conveyor line and sends them to the automatic sorting area.
The identification device of the automatic sorting system identifies which lane the goods
should belong to through the bar code, the conveyor will send the goods to the
corresponding lane. Then, the mechanical arm will put the goods neatly on the pallet.
Finally, the AGV car delivers the goods and pallets to the goods storage area (Yan, Himan
& Yangkun, 2020). The overall planning of the automated warehouse virtual simulation is
shown in Fig. 1.

Overall architecture of simulation system

The 3D models of shelves, stackers, conveyor belts, mechanical arms, pallets, automatic
sorting equipment, and AGV cars in the automated warehouse are built by 3DMAX. Then,
the 3D models of the automated warehouse are imported into the engine for rendering and
mapping. Actions are added to the stacker, cargo, AGV trolley, and mechanical arm in the
three-dimensional model of the automated warehouse to present the virtual simulation
design more perfectly. The overall framework is shown in Fig. 2.
By creating, accessing, reading, and writing the shared memory, the variables in the PLC
ladder diagram are analyzed and assigned to the three-dimensional model of the

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 4/20

 exhibit
3D model
User
movement
Enter write
information
read
PLC engine

write
import
read
Cache modeling

Figure 2 Overall framework diagram. Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-2

automated warehouse. The purpose is to control the access of the automated warehouse
through the PLC ladder diagram, which is more in line with the realistic operation mode
(Xin, Jinsong & Junlin, 2019).

OVERALL COMPOSITION OF STORAGE SYSTEM

In this article, through the three-dimensional simulation of the physical unit of the logistics
warehouse, the complete logistics system is shown. By the reliable visualization means for
the design and planning of the logistics system, the program is improved. A complex
multi-objective optimization system will run with the help of various parameters. Then the
output of statistical results for decision makers of reference is obtained.

Overall composition of the warehousing system

In this article, the composition of the automated warehouse is redesigned, which can make
the warehousing more rapid and accurate. The system mainly includes four aspects: the
automated warehouse system, the automated finished product palletizing system, the
conveying system, and the system controller. The warehousing system framework is shown
in Fig. 3.
In Fig. 3, two-way data communication can be realized between the automated
warehouse and each component to realize the timely feedback of data. For example, after
receiving the instructions from the conveying system, the conveyor can feed back the data
from the start to the completion of the goods conveying.

Overall scheme of control system

Whether the whole system runs smoothly and efficiently depends on the design of the
control system. The control system needs to be designed according to certain
characteristics of the goods and the frequency of goods access. It should conform to the
actual production operation, which not only realizes the required system as a whole but
also improves the overall work efficiency so that the system can be more in line with reality
(Longman Ryan et al., 2023). The control of the system mainly includes the control of the

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 5/20

 controller

Palletizing Conveyor Warehousing

system system system

Palletizing Stacking
conveyor conveyor
equipment equipment

Figure 3 Storage system framework. Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-3

Conveyor
Control

cargo position
controller
inspection detection

Robotic arm
control

Figure 4 Structure block diagram of automatic palletizing control system.

Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-4

automatic palletizing system, automated warehouse system, and storage and

transportation system. The following is an introduction to these three aspects:

(1) Automatic palletizing control system

The control of the automatic finished product palletizing system mainly includes: the
controller controls the palletizing robot to complete the actions that should be completed,
and the goods are neatly stacked on the pallet or conveyor belt (Zhang & Lv, 2022). The
controller controls the conveyor belt, and its main function is to transport the goods. The
controller detects the operation of the goods on the conveyor belt. Location detects
whether the goods arrive at the place where they should arrive (Changpu & Yichun, 2019).
The virtual host computer sends job instructions to each part. The controller controls the
relevant equipment, and all aspects of each equipment are fed back to the virtual host
computer. The structure of the automatic palletizing control system is shown in Fig. 4.

(2) Automated warehouse system

The automated warehouse system mainly controls the movement of the stacker. The
correct movement of the stacker is the most critical part of the project. The control of the
stacker mainly includes receiving operation instructions and specifying whether the goods

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 6/20

 cargo position
controller
inspection detection

Robotic arm
control

Figure 5 Structural block diagram of automated warehouse control system.

Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-5

are warehoused or warehoused (Ammouri, 2023). If the control design of the stacker is
reasonable, the overall work efficiency will be improved, mainly including the control of
vertical lifting, horizontal movement, and forks of the stacker, as well as the detection of
accurate arrival at the bin and whether there are goods in the bin (Alizadehsalehi &
Yitmen, 2023). The structure of the automated warehouse control system is shown in
Fig. 5.

Design of improved Tabu Search algorithm

In this article, an improved Tabu Search algorithm is designed to solve the optimization
problem of space allocation. The pseudocode for the improved algorithm is as follows:
Input: Functions at the port of entry and exit.
Output: Objective function of warehousing efficiency.
Batches now = seed.seed(C, X, Y,A).
Batches now = Batches now[1:].
if ratio
C <= (batches now[−1]) <= C:
batches.extend(batches now).
else:
Orders left.extend(batches now[]).
del batches now[]
batches.extend(batches now).
if ratio
C <= orders item number() <=
Batches.append ().
if orders item number(,) < ratio

Orders left.extend().
orders = orders left.
if orders item number(orders) <=
batches.append(orders).
The candidate solution set may be equal to the neighborhood solution set or belong to
the neighborhood solution set, that is, as long as the candidate solution set itself is a proper
subset of the neighborhood solution set, the algorithm may not correctly select the optimal
solution of the neighborhood solution set. But this situation will still reduce the search
time. A better solution may still be obtained after many iterations. When there is no better

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 7/20

 Start

Population initialization Replace the current solution and join

the taboo table

Y Y
Whether the termination
output result
conditions are met
Whether ad hoc criteria are met
N

N
population genetics
Judging taboo properties

Y
Search for the best
whether to stop Choose the best solution
ethical solution

initial solution output result

End
taboo search individuals

Figure 6 Improved Tabu Search algorithm flow. Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-6

solution in the candidate solution set selected in this article, the best inferior solution in the
current situation is selected as the initial solution of the next iteration.
While fully retaining the local depth search ability of the traditional Tabu Search
algorithm and the good global depth search ability of the genetic algorithm, the two
algorithms overcome their respective shortcomings when they are used together. The step
flow of the improved Tabu Search algorithm is shown in Fig. 6.
The number of goods that should be allocated is obtained through the dynamic
programming algorithm. It can be seen that the core and difficulty of the algorithm lies in
whether the objective function (penalty evaluation function) can meet the requirements of
the algorithm.
The data center module is used to store and manage data. It is also a piece of system
memory, but it is closed and does not allow other processes to access it. The configuration
file was called once during initialization. A configuration file is a file containing all
variables (Fardad & Ali, 2023). All variable data is read here. The tool can be used to write
configuration files interfacially and intuitively, and the establishment of configuration files
can effectively eliminate hard coding so that the modification operation does not need to
be in the source file (Wei et al., 2019). Some important codes of the data center module are
as follows:
Xml Document doc = new Xml Document();
doc.Load(System.App Domain.Current Domain.Base Directory +
config Full Name);
data Array = new Data[doc.Last Child.Child Nodes.Count];
for (int i = 0; i < data Array.Length; i++)

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 8/20

 Data temp = new Data();
foreach(Xml Node clone Child in doc.Last Child.Child Nodes[i].Child Nodes).
switch (clone Child.Name).
temp.length_PLC =
ushort.Parse(clone Child.Inner Text);
catch
temp.length_PLC = 1;
data Array[i] = temp;
The read-write data module is used for realizing the functions of establishing a link,
reading data, writing data, breaking the link, and the like (Ekren, 2020). First, call the
method that can be linked to the PLC hardware device through the IP address and port
number. Through this method, a socket object with a long connection will be created to
link with the physical object. The subsequent read and write operations will use this
connection object.

EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS
Experimental data
The data used in the experiment are all from a production line in the production
workshop, which is a product assembly line. The weight of each part is measured, as well as
the process arrangement and operation time measurement in the product assembly
process. According to the daily production plan of the day, under the existing warehouse
layout, the size of the automated warehouse, the parameters of the shelves, and the stacker
are designed according to the number of parts required in a certain cycle (Rahman,
Janardhanan & Nielsen, 2020). The existing warehouse layout is shown in Fig. 7.

Data collection
(1) Collection of warehouse and facility equipment data

The large automatic warehouse is equipped with automatic shelves, tunnel stackers,
chain conveyors and car Kunzi conveyors. Select the shelf used for storing assembly line
parts in the warehouse to carry out the operation of goods in and out of the warehouse.
The height of the shelf is 6.00 m. There are 20 goods compartments in four layers and five
rows. The size of each unit goods compartment is 1  0:6  1:5 m, and the maximum load
is 1;000:00 kg. After being palletized, they are stored on shelves, and one pallet can only be
equipped with one compartment. The operator of the parts in and out of the warehouse is
equipped with a small lane-type stacker.

(2) Assembly production data collection

Workers are scheduled to work 8 h a day and plan to produce 1,250 units. Firstly, the
structure, assembly process and process flow of this kind of assembly parts are analyzed.
The production time of each assembly part is calculated, and the operation process of each
production beat and production line balance is calculated (Li et al., 2023).

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 9/20

 Figure 7 Warehouse layout. Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-7

Table 1 Assembly EOM table and related information.

Number Code Quantity Individual weight Number Code Quantity Individual weight
1 1 50 g 11 E01⌋10 1 20 g
2 B0120 1 10 g 12 E01⌋20 1 50 g
3 B0130 1 10 g 13 E01⌋30 1 20 g
4 B0140 1 10 g 14 B01⌋40 4 5g
5 B01_50 1 5g 15 E01⌋50 1 10 g
6 B0160 1 5g 16 E01⌋60 2 25 g
7 B0170 2 5g 17 B01⌋70 2 10 g
8 B01_80 4 10 g 18 E01⌋80 1 50 g
9 B0190 1 5g 19 E01⌋90 1 20 g
10 B01⌋00 1 5g 20 B01200 4 10 g

① Product structure analysis of assembly parts

Obtain the assembly BOM and WI manual from the production line Kanban, and
arrange the relevant data as shown in Tables 1 and 2 (Li, Shen & Zhou, 2023).

② Analysis of assembly process flow

Based on the WI of the assembly, the assembly sequence and time of each process are
given, and the relevant data are shown in Table 3.

③ Determine the takt time

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 10/20

 Table 2 Summary of parts and components required for daily production.
Number Part code Weight of parts Quantity Number Part code Weight of parts Quantity
1 B01⌋0 62.5 Kg 1,250 11 B01⌋10 25 Kg 1,250
2 B0120 12.5 Kg 1,250 12 B01⌋20 62.5 Kg 1,250
3 B01_30 12.5 Kg 1,250 13 B01⌋30 25 Kg 1,250
4 B0140 12.5 Kg 1,250 14 B01⌋40 25 Kg 5,000
5 B0150 6.25 Kg 1,250 15 B01⌋50 12.5 Kg 1,250
6 B01_60 6.25 Kg 1,250 16 B01⌋60 62.5 Kg 2,500
7 B01_70 12.5 Kg 2,500 17 B01⌋70 25 Kg 2,500
8 B0180 50 Kg 5,000 18 B01⌋80 62.5 Kg 1,250
9 B01_90 6.25 Kg 1,250 19 B01⌋90 25 Kg 1,250
10 E01⌋00 6.25 Kg 1,250 20 B01200 50 kg 5,000

Table 3 Each process and assembly time of assembly parts.

Basic actions Measured time Action description Work that must be done in advance
A 20 s Bracket assembly –
B 25 s Installation of front and rear bearings A
C 6s Tighten the bracket screws B
D 20 s Assembly of transmission components –
E 8s Weld the circuit board D
F 10 s Insert the front panel C
G 10 s Insert the back panel C
H 12 s Remote control assembly installation E
I 5s Labeling E
J 12 s Final Assembly F,G,H,I
K 8s Test J
Total time T 136 s – –

The takt time R of each product is calculated by producing 1,250 assemblies in a

working time of 8 H/day.
Takt Time:
T 8  1;800 s
R¼ ¼ (1)
C 1;000
S
Smin ¼ (2)
C
where: T is the working time/s, C is the production quantity, and Smin is the minimum
number of stations.
The operation flow of each process is shown in Fig. 8.

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 11/20

 f
a b c
g

j k

h
d e
i

Figure 8 Process flow chart. Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-8

Algorithm solution and analysis of cargo location assignment

optimization model
When calculating the allocation scheme of assembly parts, it is assumed that the start time,
acceleration and deceleration time, braking time, and picking time are all o during the
operation of the stacker, that is, the stacker always runs at a uniform speed in the
horizontal and vertical directions (Arbex Valle & Beasley, 2020). The parts warehousing
platform is located at the same end of the shelf, and a coordinate system with the position
of the goods near the warehousing platform as the coordinate origin is established. The
X-axis direction is the length direction of the shelf. The Y-axis direction is the height
direction of the shelf, and the Z-axis is the width direction of the rack.
The adaptability of the optimal candidate solution in this article is much higher than
that of the historical optimal solution. If a certain number of candidate solutions are
selected in the neighborhood of the current solution, the solution will be accepted by the
algorithm regardless of whether it is in the Tabu list (Hosamo et al., 2023). If it is uncertain
that a candidate solution of this type exists, replace the current solution by selecting a
candidate solution that does not exist in the Tabu list, and add its corresponding move to
the Tabu list (Ward et al., 2021). Through repeated iterations until the requirements of the
stop criterion are met.
Before solving with the algorithm, determine the specific values of the algorithm
parameters. The algorithm parameters are shown in Table 4.

Comparison of algorithm solution results

Input the pseudo-code in the MATLAB software and run the code to solve the location-
allocation scheme, and finally get the sorting sequence of parts. According to the pre-set
matrix definition, get the location coordinates of each part on the shelf through the
sequence. At the same time, the iteration graph of the traditional Tabu Search algorithm is
obtained by running the MATLAB software. The iterative results of the algorithm are
shown in Fig. 9.
After using the improved Tabu Search algorithm, that is, Tabu Search improves the
genetic search population so that the performance of the algorithm has been significantly
improved. The value of the objective function is 0.107 < 0.1381 (the result of the traditional

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 12/20

 Table 4 Algorithm parameter setting table.
Parameters of control Meaning
W1 = 0.4, W2 = 0.3, W3 = 0.3 Weight values of three optimization objectives for location-allocation
Tmax = 100 Maximum number of iterations
L=7 Taboo table length
Dx ¼ 1 Non-Tabu feasible move
T=t+1 Tabu search counter
n = 20 Number of parts
alpa = 0.1 Normalization parameter
NIND = 100 Population size
GGAP = 0.9 Generation gap of genetic algorithm
gen = 0 Various swarm initial evolution iteration counter
Gen = 0 Optimal individual preserving algebraic counter
Maxgen = 10 The optimal individual keeps the least number of generations
Pc = 0.7 Crossover probability of chromosome individuals in population
Pm = 0.7 Mutation probability of chromosome individuals in population

0.155

0.145
Target function

0.135

0.125

0.115

0.105
0 25 50 75 100
The number of iterations
Traditional algorithm Algorithm

Figure 9 Tabu search algorithm iteration results. Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-9

Tabu Search algorithm). The algorithm has good convergence. The strategy of Tabu Search
to improve the population makes the algorithm search for a considerable proportion of
individuals in the population, which can effectively promote the population to develop in a
better direction and make the results of the algorithm tend to the optimal solution.

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 13/20

 Table 5 Location coordinates of goods location-allocation by traditional Tabu Search algorithm.
Number Codes Coordinates Number Codes Coordinates
1 B01_10 (3, 1, 1) 11 B01_110 (3, 3, 1)
2 B01_20 (3, 4, 1) 12 B01_120 (1, 3, 1)
3 B01_30 (2, 2, 1) 13 B01_130 (4, 4, 1)
4 B01_40 (2, 5, 1) 14 B01_140 (4, 3, 1)
5 B01_50 (3, 5, 1) 15 B01_150 (4, 5, 1)
6 B01_60 (2, 3, 1) 16 B01_160 (4, 2, 1)
7 B01_70 (1, 5, 1) 17 B01_170 (2, 1, 1)
8 B01_80 (4, 1, 1) 18 B01_180 (1, 4, 1)
9 B01_90 (1, 1, 1) 19 B01_190 (2, 4, 1)
10 B01 100 (3, 2, 1) 20 B01 200 (1, 2, 1)

Table 6 Location coordinates of improved Tabu Search algorithm for location-allocation.

Number Number of subrogation location-allocation Delegate location assignment

Code Coordinates Code Coordinates

1 B01_10 (1, 3, 1) B01_110 (3, 2, 1)
2 B01_20 (4, 1, 1) B01_120 (2, 2, 1)
3 B01_30 (2, 5, 1) B01_130 (1, 5, 1)
4 B01_40 (4, 2, 1) B01_140 (1, 2, 1)
5 B01_50 (4, 5, 1) B01_150 (4, 3, 1)
6 B01_60 (2, 3, 1) B01_160 (3, 1, 1)
7 B01_70 (4, 4, 1) B01_170 (3, 5, 1)
8 B01_80 (2, 4, 1) B01_180 (3, 3, 1)
9 B01_90 (3, 4, 1) B01_190 (2, 1, 1)
10 B01 100 (1, 4, 1) B01 200 (1, 1, 1)

Comparative analysis of storage location-allocation schemes and algorithms

The detailed results of the parts location-allocation optimization scheme of the assembly
parts are shown in Tables 5 and 6.
The coordinates of the cargo allocation scheme obtained by the traditional Tabu Search
algorithm and the improved Tabu Search algorithm are substituted into the objective
function to obtain the objective function value.

(1) Warehouse-in and warehouse-out efficiency of assembled parts

The coordinates of the cargo allocation scheme obtained by the traditional Tabu Search
algorithm and the improved Tabu Search algorithm are substituted into the objective
function to obtain the objective function value.

(2) Storage efficiency of assembled parts

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 14/20

 Table 7 Solution results of traditional Tabu Search algorithm and the improved Tabu Search algorithm.
Objective function Traditional tabu Improved Indications
algorithm algorithm
In and out storage efficiency 2,565.5 s 1,727 s Reflect the storage operation capacity, the smaller the value, the better
Overall equivalent center of (3.43, 2.86) (2.39, 0.79) Reflecting the shelf stability index, the closer the equivalent center of gravity is
gravity of the rack to (2.5, 0.5), the safer the shelf is

X
x¼1 X
y¼1
T1 ðx; yÞ ¼ 2  ðDxy  txy Þ (3)
m n
Dxy ¼ D0xy  Volum (4)
 
L H
txy ¼ max ðx  0:5Þ  ; ðy  0:5Þ  (5)
vx vy

Substitute the weight Dxy of the parts, the running speed vx ¼ 1:2 m=s; vy ¼ 1 m=s of
the stacker and the coordinates of the parts in Table 2 into the formula to calculate the
efficiency T ¼ 1;629 , 8 h of parts in and out of the warehouse.

(3) Shelf stability

Equivalent center of gravity Gx in the overall horizontal direction of the shelf is as

follows:

X
x¼1 X
y¼1 X
x¼1 X
y¼1
Gx ¼ Dxy  ðx  0:5Þ  L= Dxy (6)
m n m n

Equivalent center of gravity Gy in the vertical direction of the overall shelf is as follows:

X
x¼1 X
y¼1 X
x¼1 X
y¼1
Gy ¼ Dxy  ðy  0:5Þ  H= Dxy (7)
m n m n

The equivalent center of gravity GTS ¼ ð3:31; 2:75Þ, G ¼ ð2:18; 0:92Þare obtained by
substituting the shelf size L ¼ 4 m; H ¼ 6 m, the weight of the parts and the location-
allocation coordinates of the parts into Formula (6).
The objective function values obtained by the traditional Tabu Search algorithm and the
improved Tabu Search algorithm are compared, and the comparison results are shown in
Table 7.
According to the objective function value results of the two algorithms in Table 7, the
results obtained by the improved Tabu Search algorithm are better than those obtained by
the traditional Tabu Search algorithm. The operation time of the stacker is shorter. The
overall equivalent center of gravity of the shelf is closer to the geometric center of gravity of
the shelf in the horizontal direction and closer to the bottom position in the vertical
direction.

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 15/20

 traditional algorithm Algorithm
0.155 0.155

0.145 0.145

objective function
objective function
0.135 0.135

0.125 0.125

0.115 0.115

0.105 0.105
0 250 500 750 1000 0 250 500 750 1000
number of iterations number of iterations
the first time the third time the fifth time
the second time the fourth time

Figure 10 Tabu Search algorithm comparison test chart.

Full-size  DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809/fig-10

In addition, when the traditional Tabu Search algorithm is used to solve the problem of
cargo allocation, there is a possibility that the algorithm will converge in advance when the
results are not mature. In the improved Tabu Search algorithm, the hybrid strategy of Tabu
Search improved the diversity of the population and expanded the search area. To
eliminate the accidental operation of the algorithm, the traditional Tabu Search algorithm
and the improved Tabu Search algorithm are respectively run five times in the MATLAB
software, and the multiple iterations of the two algorithms are obtained as shown in
Fig. 10.
Stability coefficient refers to the ratio of the number of repeated runs of the algorithm
and the number of times and the final run result is the same as the total number of runs of
the algorithm. The higher the ratio is, the more stable the algorithm is. The stability factor
is as follows:
n
sta ¼ (8)
N

It can be seen from the trend of the fitness value curve and the final fitness value in the
running iteration chart of the two algorithms in Fig. 10 that the fitness value of each of the
five repeated operations of the traditional Tabu Search algorithm is different. The stability
coefficient is 0, while the results of four of the five operations of the improved Tabu Search
algorithm are the same. The stability coefficient is 0.8, which is much higher than that of
the traditional Tabu Search algorithm.

Discussion
Through experimental analysis, it is verified that the Tabu list of the Tabu direct search can
automatically block the current Tabu area filtered by the Tabu searcher in real-time, which
can effectively avoid the model outflanking the direct search again. Then, build a
benchmark that can release the area where the Tabu direct search is located to ensure the
diversity of relevant information more effectively in the process of the second direct search.

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 16/20

 According to basic knowledge, the Tabu machine learning system relies on the
structural framework of neural network parallel search, combines the powerful potential of
the Tabu machine learning system, avoids bypassing direct search and the diversity of
genetic factors in genetic evolution, and promotes rapid global optimization. It fully retains
the local organization depth direct search of the traditional Tabu machine learning system
and the good global depth direct search potential of neural network database data. It also
overcomes the shortcomings of traditional research content. The effectiveness of the
algorithm is verified by an example, which can reduce the time and distance of picking to a
certain extent and improve the efficiency of order picking. The research results can be used
to guide the picking operation under the multi-block warehouse layout in practice and
help to improve the timeliness of customer order fulfillment.

CONCLUSION
Based on the design of the automated warehouse, this article studies the automated
warehouse, the supporting facilities and equipment of the automated warehouse, the
distribution principle of goods location and the solution of the intelligent algorithm to the
mathematical model. The main work includes:

(1) The optimization goal is established to improve the efficiency of entering and leaving
the warehouse and ensure the overall stability of the shelves. An improved Tabu Search
algorithm is designed to solve the mathematical model of the optimization of storage
allocation.

(2) A simulation experiment is designed to compare and analyze the validity and
rationality between the model and the algorithm systematically.

Experiments show that the research content of this article solves the defect that the
search is easy to fall into the loop, which gets a better solution and improves the calculation
accuracy. In this article, based on the Tabu operator of the neural network, the specific
process sequence of logistics warehousing is optimized. Experiments verify that the use of
neural networks to optimize the storage operation sequence can effectively shorten the task
completion time. To greatly improve the efficiency of goods in and out of the warehouse
and operation, the principle of goods location-allocation is combined. The principle is
transformed into an algorithm statement into an improved Tabu Search algorithm to
reduce the running time of the stacker, optimize its picking efficiency, and achieve the
purpose of fast in and out of the warehouse. It plays a decisive role in studying the
operation procedures in the simulation system warehouse and how to allocate the
warehouse storage.
With time, the enterprise’s production direction and the variety of goods will change,
and the current applicable location allocation scheme may not adapt to future demand.
Therefore, the location assignment algorithm proposed in this article has a high
complexity. The complex model and objective function increase the amount of
computation and occupy a certain amount of computer resources. The optimization of the
algorithm’s efficiency will be the focus of future research.

Di (2024), PeerJ Comput. Sci., DOI 10.7717/peerj-cs.1809 17/20

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND DECLARATIONS

Funding
This study was funded by the “Research on the Construction Path of Modern Logistics
Management Industry-Education Integration Training Base in Higher Vocational Colleges
under the Background of Comprehensive and High-quality Development (GH-220471).”
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish,
or preparation of the manuscript.

Grant Disclosures
The following grant information was disclosed by the authors:
Research on the Construction Path of Modern Logistics Management Industry-Education
Integration: GH-220471.

Competing Interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author Contributions
 Huajun Di conceived and designed the experiments, performed the experiments,
analyzed the data, performed the computation work, prepared figures and/or tables,
authored or reviewed drafts of the article, and approved the final draft.

Data Availability
The following information was supplied regarding data availability:
The program code is available in the Supplemental File.
The data is available at: https://cmp.felk.cvut.cz/t-less/.

Supplemental Information
Supplemental information for this article can be found online at http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/
peerj-cs.1809#supplemental-information.

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