Sequencing for the MCLP: a Comparison of a Genetic Algorithm and a Heuristic Algorithm

Labour shortage in the logistic sector and the poor work conditions as a baggage handler are a major and highly relevant problem for airports around the world. A solution is provided by Vanderlande Industies: a baggage loading robot. Since the efficiency of the stacking process is sufficient, operators that overlook the robot must intervene...

Model-based Control of Large-scale Baggage Handling Systems: Leveraging the Theory of Linear Positive Systems for Robust Scalable Control Design

Large-scale baggage handling systems, or large-scale logistic networks, for that matter, pose interesting challenges to model-based control design. These challenges concern computational complexity, scalability, and robustness of the proposed solutions. This thesis tackles these issues in a collection of papers organized in two overlapping parts...

Multi-Agent Pickup-and-Delivery in a Distributed Baggage Handling System

Baggage handling systems in airports are generally over-designed and only need to work at full capacity for a couple of months during their lifetime. To cope with varying demand, flexible baggage handling systems are being developed which use Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) to handle a required capacity. These AGVs transport bags throughout the...

Using an Automated Model to Develop Conceptual Designs: Improving an Existing Model for the Conceptual Design of Baggage Handling Systems

Baggage handling systems (BHS) are unknown to most people, but play a vital role at airports. A BHS is a system that consists of different subsystems, each with its own functions. It is important to make well-informed decisions about the BHS as early as the conceptual design phase, which is the part of the design where the basic solution, such...

Automation of the conceptual design stage for material handling systems: Development of an automated design model for the conceptual design phase of baggage handling systems

Baggage handling systems (BHS), are complex and integrate systems hidden within an airport. In this thesis, a model is developed which can generate BHS concept design automatically. This means that the model defines the type and amount of equipment needed and is able to develop a 3D model that can be used for volume reservation. The model takes...

Energy consumption of baggage handling systems: Impact assessment on the effect of taking into account energy consumption during preliminary design stage

As a consequence of globalization and developing economies becoming more mature, airports face increasing passenger numbers. It is the case that large airports are energy intensive buildings with an electricity consumption ranging between 100 - 300 GWh anually. Within ATBs (Airport Terminal Buildings) the BHS (Baggage Handling System) is...

Design of a Mathematical Model for Automated Generation of Baggage Handling System Concept Designs

Baggage handling systems (BHS's) are very complex systems consisting of smaller sub-systems. This thesis explores the potential of automated generation of BHS concept designs for airports. Concept design for BHS's can be defined as the design of the system configuration (which equipment to use and how many equipment pieces) and system layout ...

Autonomous Transport Robots in Baggage Handling Systems: A study on the use of autonomous individual transport robots in baggage handling systems at medium-sized regional airports operating in a point-to-point network

This report describes a research performed to investigate in which way it is feasible to dynamically alter the floor plan and desired capacity of airport baggage handling systems by making use of autonomous individual transport robots. By researching the state of the art of both conventional baggage handling systems and transport robot systems,...

Methodical design of baggage handling system concepts at airports

Although the importance of baggage handling systems is not widely recognised by its many daily users, they are a critical part of airports. A passenger only experiences handing in baggage and reclaiming it, but there is more than meets the eye. In these complex systems, baggage is collected from multiple sources, sorted, stored and redistributed...