Optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2020
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/128405 |
| _version_ | 1826209086925963264 |
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| author | Harsono, Jessica Elizabeth. |
| author2 | Stephen C. Graves. |
| author_facet | Stephen C. Graves. Harsono, Jessica Elizabeth. |
| author_sort | Harsono, Jessica Elizabeth. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T14:17:20Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/128405 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T14:17:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1284052020-11-07T03:11:11Z Optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs Harsono, Jessica Elizabeth. Stephen C. Graves. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering. This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Thesis: M. Eng. in Advanced Manufacturing and Design, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2019 Cataloged from student-submitted PDF of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 81-82). Improving the efficiency within a distribution center by reducing waste and optimizing process flow can result in significant cost savings regarding distribution center operation. One area with a large potential for improvement is outbound order packaging. Shipping costs are calculated based on package weight or volume, whichever results in a higher cost. With a finite number of box sizes stocked and available in the distribution center to package orders, some orders will inevitably be shipped in a box that is larger than needed to accommodate the SKUs inside. However, if a custom sized box could be made for every order, then the average box volume per order, and in turn the shipping cost, is reduced. This thesis details an integration plan and impact analysis for adding custom box-making technology to a current packing process flow. It compares the cost, sustainability, and throughput benefits to other solutions such as introducing padded envelopes as a packing option or creating algorithms to assist packers in choosing the most economical stock box while packaging an order. by Jessica Elizabeth Harsono. M. Eng. in Advanced Manufacturing and Design M.Eng.inAdvancedManufacturingandDesign Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering 2020-11-06T21:08:18Z 2020-11-06T21:08:18Z 2019 2019 Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/128405 1203144132 eng MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 84 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Mechanical Engineering. Harsono, Jessica Elizabeth. Optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs |
| title | Optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs |
| title_full | Optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs |
| title_short | Optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs |
| title_sort | optimizing distribution center packing operations to reduce volumetric shipping costs |
| topic | Mechanical Engineering. |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/128405 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT harsonojessicaelizabeth optimizingdistributioncenterpackingoperationstoreducevolumetricshippingcosts |