Enterprises that run large warehouse and distribution operations are constantly on the lookout for innovations that can boost performance and reduce costs. These businesses typically carry out thousands of picks per hour, and solutions that offer greater pick precision can deliver considerable cost reductions and enhanced client satisfaction.

In recent years, many new order picking innovations have been introduced to the market. Amongst them, "pick-to-light" technology is distinct for its capacity to dramatically increase warehouse performance while nearly doing away with pick mistakes.

How Pick to Light Works

Pickers scan a barcode on a tote or picking container which is an encoded version of an individual client order. Based on the shipment, the system will instruct an operator to choose a product from a certain bin.

Standard pick-to-light systems employ lights mounted above the racks or bins in order picking zones. Based upon each order, a light will appear with a number of items to pick. Pickers choose the item or items for the shipment, and push the lighted button to confirm that the pick has actually been fulfilled. When no more lamps illuminate, it signals the order picker that the request is finished.

Light Pick Benefits

Storage facilities that implement pick-to-light systems can typically fulfill more than 450 selections per hour, per picker. This means a nearly tenfold gain over warehouse pickers using paper based processes. Here are a number of other reasons warehouse managers may want to carefully consider the technology:

• 30-50% increases in pick rate productivity
• 99.9+% precision rates
• Decreased order cycle times
• Improved throughput
• Minimized worker training time
• Better customer experience
• Reduced operational costs through decreased labor, mistakes, rework or chargebacks
• Consistent picking processes
• Decreased costs through the elimination of paper picking lists
• An intelligent pick procedure with visibility into day-to-day performance

Pick to Light Hardware

While there are many Pick-to-Light suppliers with diverse solutions, many systems utilize the following parts:

• Illuminated Signaling Devices. This is how the system interacts with the user. Light devices have an LED to signify the location of the product and an item count display so the operator knows the number of products to select. Typically there is a verification button on the module that the operator pushes when a pick has been finished. Some light modules have bypass functions that permit pickers to increase or decrease pick amounts manually.
• Bay Displays. These alphanumeric screens are placed at each rack bay or pick zone. They signal order numbers, handling directions and other relevant information.
• Bus/ Duct Substrate. A lot of pick-to-light setups use a bus system that mounts to each rack face. These buses supply power and digital information to lights and displays. Each bus has an independent power and data feed, guaranteeing that the malfunction of a single bus does not crash the entire system. Lights can be quickly placed at any point along the bus, so when SKU locations are reorganized the system can be reconfigured effortlessly.

Warehouse Picking Automation Consultants in Las Vegas

For additional information on how you can introduce a pick-to-light solution in your warehouse or distribution center, contact a Raymond West specialist today.

Raymond West
2555 E. Washburn Rd.
North Las Vegas, Nevada 89081
Phone: 702-651-6480