TAKE YOUR PICK

Logistics Insight Asia, 1/1/2009

With real-time picking allowing logistics operations to respond to changing market requirements faster, hold fewer inventories, and reduce errors, GAN ENG TECK discusses the various technology options on offer.

In today’s fast paced business world, manufacturing must align to changing market demands rapidly. Across multiple manufacturing and distribution nodes, operations must be adept to respond to current customer demands.

Turnarounds at warehouses and distribution centres for inventory and stocks are faster now than ever before. Processing of purchase orders needs to be more efficient, and workers fulfi lling order requests must have real-time technology to guide their tasks according to immediate market demands and minimise time lags and delays.

A paper-based system used to dominate in the past: an order is received in the warehouse; data entry staff print out the information for the pickers to fulfil; pickers armed with clipboards proceeded to read off the list and retrieve the required goods, which are then placed them in their corresponding loading trays.

With such paper-based systems, more time is required by pickers to constantly check their products against the printed checklist, while picking and putting activities are constrained by the operators need to regularly use their hands to check their lists.

GOING PAPERLESS
With customers expecting orders to be processed and delivered in ever-tighter timeframes, supply chain visibility is becoming increasingly important. By adopting real-time picking technology, businesses and logistics operations become more flexible. They can respond to changing inventory requirements faster, hold fewer inventories, reduce errors and improve productivity.

With the advent of digital information, paperless picking has been replaced with a computer directed system. By integrating the electronic order requests with automated voice commands, light-directed instructions, or radio frequency (RF) handheld terminals, the entire warehouse operation is leaner and more responsive to incoming order requests.

These order requests are directed at warehouse pickers at designated locations. They receive instructions and perform a corresponding pick action on the inventory. Once the action is performed, the confirmed picking activity is updated in the host system in real-time.

The benefits of paperless picking include:

• Picking errors virtually eliminated
• Productivity increased by up to 50 percent
• Real-time feedback on order progress and productivity rates
• Picker workload can be balanced across the system
• Container contents tracking
• Reduced order turnaround time
• Improved customer service levels
• Improved responsiveness
• Improved visibility
• Improved inventory accuracy
• Improved traceability

PICK SYSTEM OPTIONS
In a real-time environment, order fulfi lment could involve using a connected RF terminal, a pick/ put-to-light device, or a voice picking device. There is no “onesize fits all” solution to achieve an optimal warehouse operation or distribution network. Focusing on just one technology might lead to overspending and limited results in achieving improved uptime and productivity.

RF terminals
RF terminals and handheld devices bring the power of computers to operators on the shop floor. Such terminals receive instructions by radio technology from a host computer to allow operators to have information in real-time from anywhere in the warehouse.

Using a terminal, a picker can instantly validate and track materials as they move through receiving, put away, picking, replenishment, and shipping functions. After an operator completes the task at hand, the necessary information can be immediately returned to the host through a simple key encoding or scanning of a bar code label.

Wireless systems work together to provide multi-host, multisession, and multi-emulation capabilities with sub-second response-time performance, even in high throughput, high terminal population systems.

Pick-to-light
A pick-to-light (PTL) device is a relocatable, clip-on device with a display. It is part of a larger order fulfi lment system that gets activated when a bar code label is scanned. In a typical pick-to-light system, orders are downloaded from a host order process system and a bar code with shipping and order details is generated for each carton showing details such as the order number.

A picker at the picking location looks at the PTL display and picks the SKUs and quantity required. The operator confi rms picks via acknowledgment buttons until no further displays remain illuminated. This movement of items could continue into another zone until the order is complete. Ideal for fast-moving products, a pick-tolight system is also well suited for applications with a low number of SKUs but a high number of picks per line item.

A put-to-light system is like a pick to- light system in reverse. Individual slot displays instruct the operator where to put items instead of which items to pick. These devices are suitable for multiple products that are distributed to regular destinations such as a chain of retail stores.

By programming each put-to-light device to serve a single destination, a relatively small number of displays can serve a wide range of products. It is also ideal for flowthrough operations where goods received are distributed directly to stores without any intermediate storage.

PTL devices enhance real-time accountability of products and enable highly accurate information on supply chain operations. At the same, PTL helps boost productivity by eliminating the need for staff to carry any data equipment.

Voice picking
Voice systems comprise a small headset and a lightweight portable terminal attached to a belt around an operator’s waist. The terminal prompts a user through a series of tasks with clear verbal commands. Voice picking is a more powerful tool for using wireless information to execute picks compared to conventional RF technology. Users do not have to read data off a screen or picking list, allowing them to focus on the picking task. This “hands free, eyes free” operation accelerates the picking and enhances productivity.

Operators hear their next location upon confi rming the last completed pick. To verify their locations, pickers can either scan the location bar code or read check the numbers assigned to a slot location.

Very little training is also required. After slipping on the headset, new operators spend about 15 minutes familiarising the system with their voice and they can begin work. This is very useful in operations where temporary staff is engaged during peak periods.

Voice picking can be used for a number of different operations including split case picking integrated into conveyor and sortation systems, full case application for multiple orders, and multiple split case orders using a pick cart or trolley system.

In cold-chain environments, voice picking provides excellent productivity improvements compared to both paper-based and RF picking systems. Users required to don bulky, insulated clothing and gloves can perform more accurate and faster picking without difficulty in handling any paperwork or handheld devices.