Picking planning and quality control analysis using discrete simulation: case in a food industry

In warehouse operations management, picking is one of the most expensive and time-consuming activities; its impact can be seen in the final product delivered to clients, affecting logistic Key Performance Indicators and level of service. On the other hand, changes in picking policy and quality control are challenging to implement in a real-world context. In this paper, we used a simulation methodology to determine the best flow of products and the optimum ratio of the sample in control quality. Simulation has been shown as an useful tool for industrial engineering to determine the best flow and bottlenecks inside the warehouse. This paper found significant improvements when the proposed changes in the picking policy and quality control methods were simulated. Our research also showed that the sampling quality control brings substantial gains to the queuing time, while nonetheless maintaining the desirable quality.