Definition of Tray Compartments In An Automated Warehouse For A Textile and Clothing Company

This paper presents research conducted within the framework of the Innovation Pact for the Digital Transition of the Textile and Clothing Sector, focusing on the implementation of a Vertical Lift Module to improve the storage and preparation processes of small materials. To achieve this, the company’s small materials handling procedures were analysed, and the Vertical Lift Module trays were divided into multiple virtual compartments, with three different dimension types in each tray. Two distinct types of tray layouts were defined and optimized using the k-means clustering algorithm combined with empirical evaluations. The final storage capacity was set at 470 items, optimizing the available tray space. The findings highlight the significance of clustering algorithms in decision making processes, providing a foundation for further optimization efforts.