Warehouse Slotting Optimizer

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Current: Random Assignment

Heatmap Zone Overlay

Warehouse Layout

6 aisles × 10 bays × 3 levels

A-tier (high velocity) B-tier (medium) C-tier (low) Empty

SHIPPING DOCK

Zones: A – Golden Zone (mid-shelf, near dock) B – Good Ergonomics C – Poor Ergonomics

SKU Inventory (50 items)

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SKU	Description	Category	Picks/Wk	Weight	Tier	Before	After

Performance Metrics

Avg Pick Distance feet (weighted)

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Units Per Hour (Est.) picks/hour

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Avg Pick Cycle Time seconds/pick

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Slot Detail

Hover over a slot to see SKU details.

How the Algorithm Works

The optimizer runs four sequential passes against the SKU catalogue and warehouse geometry, building a slot assignment that maximizes throughput while keeping pickers in ergonomically safe positions.

1 · Velocity Scoring

Every SKU is ranked by weekly pick frequency — the single strongest predictor of travel-time cost. A-tier SKUs (100+ picks/week) represent ~70% of all picks despite being only 26% of SKUs.

2 · Weight Constraint

SKUs weighing 30 lb or more are flagged as floor-level (Level L) items regardless of pick frequency. Forcing pickers to reach overhead for 40 lb generators violates OSHA ergonomic guidelines and drives injury claims.

3 · Ergonomic Zone Assignment

Slots are classified A (waist-height, bays 1–3, aisles A–C), B (good), or C (poor). Zone A is reserved for A-tier light-weight SKUs. The 'golden zone' alone captures 69% of total picks.

4 · Category Affinity Clustering

Within each velocity tier, SKUs sharing the same product category receive adjacent slot assignments. This reduces cross-aisle travel when a single order contains multiple items from the same category — common in e-commerce fulfillment.

See the full fulfillment center playbook

The case study explains how Arc Data built a production-grade slotting pipeline for a 12-DC 3PL network — including WMS API integration, co-pick affinity mining from historical order data, and the robotics orchestration layer that executes slot moves overnight.

Read the Algorithmic Fulfillment Case Study