Pick-to-light is a proven order-fulfillment technology that has continued to evolve to meet changing needs within distribution centers. It has created a small-footprint pick-to-light system – called a micro pick cell – that is implemented with minimal infrastructure and orchestrated by a tablet computer. A typical micro pick cell might employ perhaps 100 pick locations, each equipped with an adjacent light module to highlight the pick location and the pick quantity. Micro pick cells offer the speed and accuracy advantages of light-directed picking in a compact, cost-effective implementation. Multiple independent micro pick cells can be employed concurrently to achieve high fulfillment speeds.

Typical applications employ multiple pick cells with a single picker assigned to each pick cell. A conveyor transports shipping containers, such has a box or a bag, to the micro pick cells. As shipping containers arrive at the micro pick cells, workers retrieve them from the conveyor and scan a barcode on the container that corresponds to the customer order. Scanning the barcode causes lights within the cell to display the quantity of each SKU the order requires from the cell. The worker retrieves the required quantities of each needed SKU, as directed by the lighted displays, and places them into the container. Finally, the worker places the container back onto the conveyor which transports it to the shipping area.

Micro pick cells have proven especially useful in applications such as subscription box fulfilment where a huge number of orders must be fulfilled quickly, but the number of SKUs might only be only a few hundred. The concept is highly scalable since, at any given time, the number of micro pick cells employed can be increased or decreased to match the current workload. Variations on the micro pick cell concept are possible to meet the specific needs of particular applications.

• Uses a light-sensitive proximity switch to confirm picks rather than a mechanical button
• Optionally supports displays of text and graphics on a monitor within each pick cell

Dynamic Slotting is a technique available in some Warehouse Management Systems in which a forward pick location is created dynamically, rather than being dedicated to a single SKU.

This capability is needed in two primary situations: The first is when there aren’t enough pick locations to handle all SKUs a DC carries, so some groups of locations for forward-case and/or piece-picking are left empty, awaiting temporary assignment of SKUs, based on demand for some period, such as a wave or a shift.

Here again, we need some empty slots – in some cases, these may be simply identified locations on the floor near the active pick area. For example, a company might drop a full pallet of cases for piece picking on the floor or in a pallet position, rather than try to pick eaches for a suddenly high demand SKU out of carton flow rack, due to the replenishment requirements.

This becomes a temporary, secondary location. The WMS should then direct pickers to the secondary location – replenished itself as needed – until demand is consumed.

As in the first cases, when the work is done, the dynamic slot it freed to be used dynamically by another SKU, and any remaining inventory will be re-stored in reserve.

Dynamic slotting is an advanced WMS capability – and requires some expertise to get it right.

A WMS that gives you flexible dynamic slotting capabilities can reduce picking and replenishment costs substantially – not everyone needs it, but many companies that could benefit from dynamic slotting do not do so because their system won’t support it.

Batch picking, sometimes referred to as cluster picking, increases the efficiency of distribution center operations by enabling an individual picker to pick multiple orders with one trip through the picking area.

Batch picking solution combines the best features of pick-to-light, put-to-light, voice, and wireless barcode scanning technologies into a single cart-based solution that yields significant increases in both the speed and accuracy of piece picking.