The Amazon Fulfillment Engine (AFE) is the method by which the multi-unit

orders are combined within an Amazon fulfillment center (FC).

BFI1 FC in Sumner, WA data will be used as a reference for the project.

Current Flow AFE

1. Individual units that are a part of a multi-unit order are batched together into a

yellow tote.

2. Once this tote is full, it is conveyed to the induct station.

3. Induct operator will scan each item into AFE trays, the tray then transfer to the

AFE sorter.

4. The AFE sorter will sort each tray to the rebin wall.

5. The rebin associate scans the item, which triggers a light on the rebin wall

indicating the chute destination for the item.

6. The rebin associate will walk to the chute location to place the item

7. The rebin associate will return to position for the next item.

8. Once a chute contains all of the units for the multi-unit order, the light on that

chute will flash, and the rebin associate will push the entire order to the pack side

of the chute.

9. Empty trays leaving the rebin associate station travel back to the induction

associate creating the closed loop cycle.

In this project Amazon would like us to develop new

concepts for combining and packaging orders with

multiple items.

Our Opportunities

• Takt time in each station is not balanced

• Rebiner has a lot of non-value added time

Our Objectives

• Improve the output rate in the multi-ordering process

• Find most automated way possible without increasing

the number of employees.

• Higher rate = Use less employees to achieve the same rate

• Current Center: Increase total output per employee by 12.8 – 42.8%

• New Center: Increase total output per employee by 20.1 – 42.8%

• Cost Reduction: 19% in the new fulfillment center

• Minimal equipment cost for current fulfilment center improvement.

• Reduce operator’s fatigue and workload

• Faster training for new employees

Findings:

Siripong Somboon, Yi Yang, Rui Wei, Mark Mao, Tuo Liu

Thank you to those at Amazon who

sponsored our project and cooperate

directly with our team.

Martin Aalund

Michael Hill

Akhil Ranka

Amazon FC Employees at BFI1

Special Thanks to:

Christina Mastrangelo

Who guided throughout the whole project

Multi-Order Automation Project

Recommendations

AFE

Figure 2: Overview of AFE processing area

Figure 1: Close up view of rebin area

1

2

1

2

Induct Station

Rebin Station

1000 unit/hour 700 unit/hour

Recommendation:

Automated staffing system is intended to balance the induct station with

the rebin station.

Expected Benefits:

• Find daily optimal takt time balance between the two stations.

• No new equipment needed, low implementation cost.

• Reduce the workload of the area manager.

Figure 3: Current Conveyer Design Figure 4: New Conveyer Design

Figure 5: Simio Model and OptQuest result

Figure 10: Proposed conveyer design

• 2 cases for current arrangement

• One inductors works with two rebiners

(1:2), 1000 UPH to 1400 UPH

• One inductors work with One rebiners

(1:1), 1000 UPH to 700 UPH

• Both combinations will result imbalanced flow.

• The inductors stand and wait for empty

trays from Rebin section or rebiners spend

time placing excessive trays on the

floor to avoid the trays stuck on the

conveyers.

Recommendation:

• Optimal Ratio 2 inductors to 3 rebiners.

• 2000 UPH to 2100 UPH

Expected Benefits:

• Ideal arrangement: 2:3 ratio

between induction and rebin.

• Increase the rate by ~28%

• Reduce NVA for the operators

• No excessive trays movement

• Stable working station

• Less fatigue for the operators

• Reduce cost up to 19% compare to

current conveyer design

Findings:

• Unnecessary body rotations

• Slow the operators down

• Fatigue easily

B R1L1L2 R2

Figure 6: Shows current position of rebiner.

360⁰ rotation for each item.

B R1L1L2 R2

Figure 7: Shows proposed position of rebiner

resulting in less rotation.

Figure 9: Optimal # of compartments for

different demands

Expected Benefits:

• ~12% increase in rate by changing the position

• Better working condition for the operators (Less

rotation)

Recommendation:

• During peak use 2 inductors and 3 rebiners

• During non-peak use 3 inductors and 3 rebiners

Expected Benefits:

• Can optimize the output rate during peak and non-peak

• Reduce NVA time -> Less training, shorter learning curve

• Use less employees to achieve the same rate (reduce

cost)

• Adaptable to different demand

Figure 8: Sample Calculation for the rate.

Findings:

• Rebin wall is only utilized ~50% during

non-peak time.

• Not enough rebin chute during peak

• Has to use side inefficient rebin wall

Recommendation:

• Increase rebin compartment from 5 -> 7

• Use 3 compartment for non-peak period

• Use 7 compartment for peak period

Expected Benefits:

Peak

Non-Peak

Black Friday; Holiday

Weekday

Weekend

0.69 sec /unit 0.26 sec/unit

Rotation

Reduction

360o to 249o /unit 4.5 m to 4.17m /unit

Total Time Save

0.95 sec/unit

Time

Interval

Avg Rebin

Rate (unit/hr)

Increase

in Rate

Peak Time 662 unit/hr -5.4%

Normal Time 784 unit/hr 12%

Non-peak

Time

949 unit/hr 35.6%

1000 unit/hour

1400 unit/hour

1000 unit/hour

700 unit/hour

2000 unit/hour

2100 unit/hour

+ Walking

Reduction

Recommendation:

Current Fulfillment Center

Rebin Ergonomics and Staffing System

• Easy to implement without interruption to current system

Dynamic Rebin Wall

• Gradually implementing in parallel with current system.

New Fulfillment Center

Rebin Ergonomics and Staffing System

Integrated System Solution

350

500 500

333375.5

400

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Current Fullfilment Center New Fullfilment Center

Avg

Outp

ut

Rat

e P

er

Pers

on

(Unit/H

our)

Rate Comparison between Current system

and the Proposed System

Current Rate (Non-Peak) New Rate (Non-Peak)

Current Rate (Peak) New Rate (Peak)

• No new equipment needed

Normal