PICKING SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGIES OVERVIEW

PICKING TECHNOLOGIESIn the previous scenario, you would have seen the significant cost that incorrect

picks can have on a business. You would have also noticed how increasing pick

rates can result in efficiencies, savings (an potentially OHS concerns!!)

In this presentation you will learn about different picking technologies that can

potentially result in increased pick rates and a reduction in errors:

• Manual picking system (for comparison)

• Pick by Label

• Barcodes

• Radio Data Terminals

• Pick by Light

• Put to Light

• Radio Frequency Identification

• Voice Picking Technology

MANUAL PICKING (PAPER SYSTEM)

When using a manual pick process, workers receive a physical pick

slip that contains the information they require to pick the order. An

example of a pick slip is below:

MANUAL PICKING (PAPER SYSTEM)

MANUAL PICKING (PAPER SYSTEM)

MANUAL PICKING (PAPER SYSTEM)

MANUAL PICK SLIP (PAPER SYSTEM)

Paper Pick Slips

Printed by computer systems

List all of the SKUs to be picked, together with their location and the number required

Normally lists these in sequence of locations to be visited as per the pick route used

Picker proceeds to pick all items, noting any discrepancies on the paper pick list

PICK BY LABEL

Pick by Label

Comprises a series of gummed labels on a backing sheet, printed in the sequence

that the items need to be picked

Picker sticks label onto each item and returns any unused labels to the pick

station in order to record any shortages at the pick face

BARCODES/RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) SYSTEMS

Barcodes/RF Systems

Most common method to confirm pick accuracy

Barcodes may be placed at each location and the picker then scans this label to confirm that he/she is at the correct location prior to commencing a pick

If individual products have barcodes then the picker may be required to scan each label. This provides a

more precise check than location labels as it also identifies any replenishment mistakes

RADIO DATA TERMINALS

Radio Data Terminals

Can provide online communication between designated warehouse workstations and warehouse management systems, and are therefore often used

in order picking

Terminals may be truck-mounted, waist-mounted, or fitted to the wrists of the pickers

Often combined with bar-code scanners

PICK BY LIGHT

Pick By Light

Normally in these systems every picking location is fitted with an LED (light-emitting diode) display panel,

controlled by computer

A common application is for a plastic tote bin, representing a customer order, to be taken by conveyor to a specific zone of the warehouse

Barcode on tote bin is read and the appropriate LED panels illuminate, showing the quantities of items to

be picked for all SKUs required for that order

Having picked items, picker presses a cancel button and then uses the conveyor to pass the bin to the

next zone

This process continues until order completion. This method can give high pick rates and very high levels

of picking accuracy

PUT TO LIGHT

Put To Light

Similar to pick by light except that it is normally used in the sortation process

On scanning a particular product, LED panels illuminate, showing the number of items required for

each customer order

RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

If cases or items are fitted with RFID tags, the accuracy of the pick can be confirmed by these tags

being read at the time of picking

E.g. by using special gloves for reading tags or by placing a tag reader on the receptacle that the goods

are being picked to

VOICE TECHNOLOGY

Voice Technology

With this technology the picker can hear voice instructions from the computer through a headset

Picker then selects required items and speaks through a microphone to confirm the pick

Frequently, a check digit located at each location needs to be repeated by the picker to ensure that the goods have been

picked from the current location

As with pick by light, this system completely frees the picker’s hands and thus facilitates high pick rates

Offers improvements in productivity while maintaining high levels of accuracy