ORDER PICKING OPTIMIZATION

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World-Class Warehousing and Material Handling

Figure 8.3 In-line order weight checking (Bertlesmann, Gutersloh, Germany)

Combine Work Elements When work elements cannot be eliminated, they can often be combined to improve order picking productivity. Traveling and Extracting Items Stock-to-picker (STP) systems such as carousels and theminiload automated storage/retrieval systemare designed to keep order pickers extracting while a mechanical device travels to, from, and between storage locations, bringing pick locations to the order picker. As a result, a human-machine balancing problem is introduced. If the initial design of STP systems is not accurate, a significant portion of the order picker’s time may be spent waiting for the storage/retrieval machine to bring pick locations forward. Traveling and Documenting Because a person-aboard storage/retrieval machine is programmed to automatically transport the order picker between successive picking locations, the order picker is free to document picking transactions, sort material, or pack material while the storage/retrieval machine is moving. Picking and Sorting If an order picker completes more than one order during a picking tour, picking carts equipped with dividers or totes may be designed to allow the picker to sort material into several orders at a time. Picking, Sorting, and Packing When the cube occupied by a completed order is small, say, less than the size of a shoe box, the order picker can

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