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Technology has fundamentally transformed our lives, disrupting traditional business models and driving the development of innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency. The latest “Industrial Revolution,” called Industry 4.0, has ushered in advancements like automation, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT), reshaping the landscape of manufacturing and warehousing.
In this era, warehouses have emerged as the backbone of supply chain management, with their processes becoming critical to achieving a competitive advantage.
Studies indicate that order picking can account for approximately 55% of total warehouse operating costs. With such a critical role, it is essential to examine the factors influencing the effectiveness of automated order picking.
Key Factors Impacting Order Picking Efficiency
Level of Automation
Warehouses today can be entirely automated. The degree of automation significantly impacts service levels, speed, and accuracy. Automated Order Picking solutions like Goods-to-Person and Person-to-Goods are increasingly utilized to streamline operations and reduce labor costs.
Warehouse Layout
The design of a warehouse should be strategically planned, considering customer demand, product flow, and inventory levels. Efficient layouts optimize the number of aisles, storage locations, and pathways, enabling faster order fulfillment. The integration of advanced software tools for warehouse design can facilitate real-time data analysis for optimal layout adjustments.
Operational Policies
Decisions around storage configurations, demand forecasting, and routing protocols play a crucial role in automated order picking efficiency. Companies are leveraging data analytics to create dynamic operational policies that adapt to fluctuating market demands.
Picking Methodologies
Automated Order picking methods can be categorized as follows:
- Person-to-Goods: Pickers travel to various storage locations to collect items, often leading to inefficiencies due to extensive travel time.
- Goods-to-Person: This methodology utilizes equipment like sorters and conveyors to deliver items to the picker, minimizing travel time and enhancing productivity.
- Zone Picking: The warehouse is divided into zones, with pickers assigned to specific areas to collect items sequentially, streamlining the picking process.
- Wave Picking: Items from different orders are picked together from designated zones, with consolidation and sorting occurring afterward. This method optimizes picking by leveraging batch processing.
Evaluation Metrics for Automated Order Picking
- Delivery Time: The duration from order release to final delivery is crucial. Manual methods, such as person-to-item picking, often result in high variability and extended dispatch times. Reducing delivery time is vital for enhancing operational flexibility and customer satisfaction.
- Order Accuracy: Incorrect item selection can be costly, plus the errors can lead to customer dissatisfaction and negative reviews. Advanced automation and barcode scanning technologies significantly improve picking accuracy, addressing a common challenge in manual systems.
Addressing Inefficiencies in Order Picking
Traditional order-picking methods can result in significant inefficiencies. For instance, studies reveal that pickers spend about 70% of their time traveling and searching for items, with only 15% dedicated to actual picking. This inefficiency is compounded by high turnover rates among warehouse staff, leading to frequent retraining and workflow disruptions.
To tackle these challenges, companies like Addverb revolutionize automated order picking processes. By implementing solutions such as robotic systems and advanced warehouse management software, Addverb helps in automated order picking operations, reducing travel time and increasing overall efficiency.
How Addverb Automates Order Picking
Addverb’s picking solutions harness cutting-edge robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence to streamline the entire picking process, making it more efficient, faster, and reliable.
- Pick-to-Light: Addverb’s Rapido systems are designed for high-speed picking with minimal human intervention. With visual signals guiding pickers to the correct item, the chances of errors are greatly reduced, resulting in faster, more reliable fulfillment.
- Pick-by-Voice: Advanced Zesty technology revolutionises the order-picking process. By eliminating the need for paper or RF devices, Zesty streamlines operations through voice commands. Experience quick and precise item picking and packing with real-time instructions delivered through an intuitive interface powered by cutting-edge speech recognition technology.
- Box–It: An advanced Goods to Person SKU Picking Solution, Box-It allows for the efficient and precise picking and delivery of various SKUs required for order consolidation. This process reduces time consumption by over 90% and significantly improves accuracy.
- Optimus (WMS): Integrated with Addverb’s hardware solutions, the Warehouse Management System optimizes storage, retrieval, and automated order picking by controlling every aspect of the warehouse. From real-time inventory tracking to automating picking sequences, it enhances operational efficiency and order integrity.
Additionally
- Dynamo: Addverb’s Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) help automate the movement of goods within the warehouse. They can support various picking strategies like Person-to-Goods and Goods-to-Person, reducing picker travel time and enhancing accuracy.
- Quadron: The Carton Shuttle ASRS is ideal for e-commerce fulfilment centers. It increases throughput by automating zone picking and supports fast order consolidation, boosting overall productivity.
End Note
As the warehousing industry evolves, embracing automated order picking will be essential for organizations seeking to enhance efficiency and maintain a competitive edge. By leveraging automation and data-driven strategies, businesses can optimize their operations, improve order accuracy, and ultimately deliver superior service to their customers.
Founded in 2016, Addverb offers complete robotics solutions for warehouse and industrial automation, with a strong global presence through its subsidiaries worldwide. The company provides a range of in-house automation products, including Autonomous Mobile Robots, ASRS, and sorting technologies. It serves over 350+ clients, including well-known companies such as Coca-Cola, Amazon, and DHL.
