Companies that run sophisticated warehouse and distribution operations are always on the lookout for innovations that can boost productivity and reduce costs. These businesses typically carry out thousands of order picks per hour, and solutions that allow higher pick precision can result in significant expense decreases and improved client satisfaction.

In recent years, several new picking innovations have entered the marketplace. Amongst them, "pick-to-light" technology stands apart for its capacity to considerably increase warehouse performance while nearly doing away with pick errors.

How Pick to Light Works

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

Standard pick-to-light systems utilize lights mounted above the racks or bins in picking zones. Based upon each order, a light will appear with a quantity to select. Pickers choose the item or items for the request, and push the illuminated button to validate that the pick has been executed. When no more lamps illuminate, it communicates to the order picker that the shipment is complete.

Light Pick Benefits

Storage facilities that carry out pick-to-light systems can often fulfill more than 450 selections per hour, per picker. This equates to an almost tenfold gain over warehouse pickers utilizing paper based processes. Here are a few other reasons warehouse operators may wish to seriously consider the technology:

• 30-50% increases in pick rate productivity
• 99.9+% precision rates
• Decreased order cycle times
• Enhanced throughput
• Abbreviated employee training time
• Better customer experience
• Reduced operational costs through decreased labor, errors, rework or returns
• Consistent picking procedure
• Lowered costs through the removal of paper picking lists
• A smart pick process with visibility into daily KPIs

Pick to Light Hardware

Although there are countless Pick-to-Light suppliers with differing solutions, the majority of systems incorporate the following parts:

• Light Signaling Lamps. This is how the system communicates with the operator. Light components have an LED to indicate the specific location of the item and an item count display so the user knows how many products to pick. Normally there is a confirmation button on the device that the operator pushes when a pick has actually been finalized. Some light devices have bypass functions that enable pickers to increase or reduce selection quantities manually.
• Bay Displays. These alphanumeric screens are placed at each rack bay or pick zone. They signify order numbers, handling guidelines and other relevant details.
• Bus/ Duct Substrate. Many pick-to-light installations utilize a bus system that mounts to each rack face. These buses provide electricity and data to lights and screens. Each bus has an independent power and data feed, meaning that the malfunction of one bus doesn't crash the whole system. Lights can be easily arranged at any point along the bus, so when SKU positions are changed the system can be reconfigured effortlessly.

Warehouse Picking Automation Consultants in Calexico

To learn more on how you can introduce a pick-to-light solution in your warehouse or distribution center, contact a Raymond West Inc consultant today.

Raymond West Inc
285 Rood Rd
Calexico, CA 92231
(760) 768-8700