Order picking

Picking is the bringing together of certain subsets ( products) from a supplied total amount ( range ) based on contracts. It may be a sales order or a production order. The employee who assembles the order is called a picker, picker or gripper.

3.1 Explanation of the various times 3.1.1 Base time
3.1.2 Wegzeit
3.1.3 Cross Time
3.1.4 dead time 3.1.4.1 preparing
3.1.4.2 nachbereitend

4.1 Automated picking systems
4.2 Manual commissioning systems

5.1 means picking Pick List
5.2 Picking with mobile data entry (MDE )
5.3 Picking by barcode

6.1 Advantages and disadvantages

Origin of goods

The picking can be distinguished depending on the origin of goods:

Removal of the goods from a standard stock ( common)

Picking methods

Customer orders often consist of several items. In practice, a variety of picking methods is used to automate the customer orders smoothly and error free. Here are three basic methods are shown with their variants. They differ in their information and material flows as well as in their organization.

Order-based, serial picking

The orders are processed in the different storage zones in sequence. In this case, all bearing zones from a single picker per order can be passed through, or by a picker for each storage zone. This is a commonly practiced method of picking, since it ensures an easy incorporation, quickly officer may specify and require little organizational preparation. The problem, however, the associated long lead times, the long picking routes and the problem of passing a mandate to the picker the next storage area.

Order-based, parallel picking

Each customer order is separated according to the storage zones in partial orders, so that the picking in the individual storage zones can be done in parallel. This is followed by a merging of partial orders. Although the order processing times are much shorter, there is the problem of an elaborate contract division and reunification, as well as an uneven load on the individual picking.

Oriented series, parallel picking

The orders are grouped into series and divided in a series on the positions of the individual bearing zones. Thus, an article which is present in multiple jobs, are removed collected. Then each item will be re- allocated to individual orders.

See series way - merge order as The main advantage is that a storage place must be run only once per series and not per customer order. However, there are still relatively high job throughput times and a time-consuming preparation and consolidation of orders that can not be handled without the use of EDP.

In general, the picking routes can be shortened by the aisle, strategy, ie all products with a high movement rate are stored in the vicinity of the transit center. The lesser-used items to be stored on the shelf later.

Another way to save time when picking is the use of running consistently optimized picklists. The jobs on the pick list summarizes their storage places are close together. This saves the warehouse employees long walking distances.

Picking times

From the picking time, it depends decisively on how quickly a customer or production department receives the required items or materials. The picking time is composed of different individual times:

Explanations of the times

Base time

The base time includes the time for the organizational activities before and after the Commission:

Recording, reading and ordering of picking documents
Access to the order picker
Delivery of Kommissioniergerätes to a collection point
Discover and deploy tools such as pallets, picking trolleys, small containers
Delivery of the container to the collection site or order a conveyor system

The high base time is mostly due to two causes:

Incomplete, illegible, disorganized picking documents
Poorly organized provision of the Commission aids ( Search, repair, etc. required)

Travel time

The travel time is the time for completing the path between two withdrawals. It is recorded mostly per position. In most cases, the travel time contains the largest proportion of the total picking time.

The travel time can be reduced by

Start of the storage locations of all order items
Return to starting point
Avoid false paths due to poor knowledge of the storage locations
Increasing the concentration of products ( reducing the shelf the " face " per item, the distance between two articles decreased)
Storage of the most frequently requested items (A- goods, Purchaser ) on the shelf early
Combining multiple part orders for a Kommissionierrundgang
Use of order picking. The higher speed of the vehicles compared with the previous walk people but can be seen only at long distances between the individual withdrawals
Use of flow racks.

Gripping time

The gripping time ( removal time, pick time) includes the activities of:

Products off the shelf company, ie hinlangen, gripping, removing
Add items to the container
Removal of the article from the shelf
Possibly filing of the article in a container

The gripping time depends on:

Of the handle height
Of the penetration depth
Of weight, volume and sensitivity of the removed articles
Of the type of tax ( container or conveyor)

Dead time

The dead time, also called non-productive time, comprising:

Search camp of Article
Form dawn
Checking, counting, comparing
Labels make (eg entry in storage compartment map )

The dead time can usually be only slightly reduced by appropriate measures:

Good shelf labels for fast finding
Automatic counting
Waiver of the delivery of Anbrüchen, but only delivery of pre-packaged quantities
Pre-packaging in different units ( eg, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 pieces )

Preparatory

Search the campsite
Comparing the position of the item in the tray
Possible formation of Anbruches
Counting the amount withdrawn

Nachbereitend

Checking, counting, weighing the removed articles
Acknowledging the withdrawal

Distribution time

The distribution time measures the time that is not worked productively in the. These include:

Personal distribution times, for example, go to the toilet, blow nose, perform work bill

Factual distribution time, eg break due to lack of work, waiting for the transport or on the information

The distribution time can be shortened by:

A better job planning
Motivation of employees
A good working environment
Considered introducing a premium wage system that quantitative and qualitive aspects (quantitative: Time per order unit; quality: error rate per order).

Particularly important is it that the employee by his own will helps to shorten the distribution times.

Picking systems

A distinction is made between mechanical and manual picking systems:

Automated picking systems

Commissioning unit

When picking machines to goods are in shafts that are mounted left and right of a conveyor belt. Each product has a different balanced shaft. For carrying out a picking makes a container which is already assigned to the order to the system input via a bar code, on the conveyor belt. At the right moment to open the chute and to be picked material passes through an ejector into the container.

Picking robots

Picking robots automatically receive the order data such as order number, coordinates the storage location, quantity and weight of the goods from the warehouse computer. You are able to approach the shelf and remove the goods by means of suction cups grip of an existing system from the shelf and place it in a built-in reservoir. The gripper itself is equipped with an image processing system that handles the storage detection of the goods. The correct amount withdrawn is determined by the weight.

Manual picking systems

Picking method

Picking by Pick List
Picking with mobile data entry ( MDE)
Picking using bar Pick-by-Scan/Pick-by-Barcode
Picking with Pick -by-Light
Picking with Pick -by-Voice
Picking with Pick-by -Vision
Picking with Pick-by- RFID

Picking by Pick List

Based on the pick slip (also pick list or pick list ) that contains the storage location, item number and quantity, the picker retrieves the amount specified, and then hooked it off.

The feedback in the warehouse management system is carried out by executing the pick. Due to wrong places, inventory errors, errors etc. gripping errors arise in picking the one hand, the following processes hinder (eg production ) and lead to inventory losses. Therefore, various methods of automatic identification and data collection are used to control both the warehouse employees to the right place, but to also ensure the removal of the correct material.

Picking with mobile data entry (MDE )

The picking is shown here on a MDE. Withdrawn items will be confirmed on the MDE; Shortages can be entered. By the most direct connection of the MDE with the warehouse management system, the current status of the picking can be monitored continuously. Inventory data can be updated without additional data entry. RFs are often combined with barcode scanners or RFID readers in a single device, which enables an additional check of the removed article.

Picking by barcode

When pick-by- scan method the pick list is displayed on a PDA. When goods issue and the intercalation of the barcode of the Article and the storage bin is scanned. On this basis a perfect allocation of storage space and articles. This method can therefore also be used as part of the dynamic storage. The pick-by- scan method can also be used in the assignment of the goods ordered and contributes as a check helps to avoid wrong deliveries.

When picking there are also mixed forms. So some manufacturers combine the Pick-by- scan method with the picking method using pick list. The scan in this case serves as a control and should support that the picker to the storage area takes the right article.

Warehouse navigation in narrow aisle

Modern planner know the current aisle and their respective horizontal position within the aisle. This is realized for example by means of the floor laid RFID transponder, which is read from the vehicle and to check the internal position measurement of the vehicle, plausibility. In addition, the current height of the liftable in these vehicles commissioning cabin permanently is determined. The picking from the warehouse management system will now be displayed not only on a terminal (MDE ) on the vehicle, but further transmitted directly to the vehicle control. Due to the known actual and target coordinates determined the vehicle control system the most economical target approach. The operator of the Kommissionierfahrzeuges now initiates the target approach and is automatically directed to the desired storage location. Upon reaching the target position the picker the corresponding storage compartment is signaled by a laterally attached to the commissioning cabin spot, for example. The feedback to the warehouse management system is manual, with barcode scanners or RFID readers. The optimum pick sequence is determined by the warehouse management system.

Pros and Cons

Eyes free in the Preset
Optical display and lighting of the correct storage location
Fewer picking errors
No searching the bins, no missing rides
Significantly higher picking
Bearing topology for the operator unimportant
Warehouse management system is efficient pick sequence before
Illuminance in the warehouse may be withdrawn

Currently available only on guided picking vehicles ( rail- or leitdrahtgeführt )

Order (business)

483498