ORDER PICKING OPTIMIZATION

Chapter eight RightPick RightShip: Order Picking and Shipping

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associated with loose case picking can be avoided. A pick-line profile illus trating the distribution of the portion of a full pallet or a full case requested by customers frequently reveals an opportunity to reduce the amount of partial-pallet and/or partial-case picking in the warehouse. Simplify Pick Tasks The work elements in order picking include traveling to, from, and between pick locations; searching for pick locations; extracting items from storage locations; reaching and bending to access pick locations; documenting picking transactions; sorting items into orders; and packing items. Each of those work elements may be eliminated with process changes and/or technology.

Table 8.1

Work Element Method of Elimination

Enablers

Transport picking locations to the picker

Stock-to-picker systems including carousels and automated storage and retrieval systems. Slotting statistics, system, and methodology

Traveling to, from, and between pick locations

Optimize slotting

Batch orders to reduce the distance between successive picks

Transport picking locations to the picker

Stock to picker via carousels or automatic storage and retrieval system (ASRS) Person-aboard guided vehicles

Searching for pick locations

Transport the picker to the picking locations Illuminate picking locations Eliminate operator extracting

Pick-to-light

Extracting

Automated dispensing

Automate information flow Radiofrequency (RF) terminals, voice headsets, pick-to-light

Documenting

Present items at waist level

Slot for waist-level picking Vertical carousel or ASRS to present location at waist level

Bending and reaching

Count by weight

Scales in line and/or on picking carts

Counting

Count by inner packs

Prepackage in issue increments

Packing

Eliminate operator packing

Autopack

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