Improving SplitBroken Case Picking

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Improving Split/Broken Case Picking Operations
Robert Rienecke VP Sales Diamond Phoenix
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Trends

• The last 10 years have experienced significant
  changes in the way most companies meet
  distribution needs
• Focus has been on supply chain initiatives
• Trend towards smaller more frequent orders -
  emphasis on streamlined warehousing.
• Fast accurate, orders now vital part of customer
  service.
• Presentation to provide facts for choosing proper
  technology required for picking/processing
  environment

Order Picking Technology
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Benefits of Picking Systems

• Increased profitability
• Reduced errors/returns
• Decreased workmen compensation claims
• Improve overall moral
• Maximize productivity from labor force
• Optimum use of available space
• Customer satisfaction
• A picking operation can represent the highest
  cost element of a distribution warehouse

Order Picking Technology
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Order Picking Design Process

• Operational Data Analysis
• System Planning Horizons
• and then
• Technology Selections based on
• Product Profile
• Features Benefits
• Pick Rates
• Batch Sizes

Order Picking Technology
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System Planning Considerations
There are a number of design issues that must be
reviewed to assure the success of any system.
The following items should be evaluated

• Ergonomics
• Material Flow
• System Rates
• Replenishment
• Software

• SKU Breakdown
• Cube Analysis
• Product Slotting
• Order Profiles

Order Picking Technology
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Operational Data Analysis

• SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) Movement
• Movement by SKU
• SKU Cubic Analysis
• Volume Movement
• SKU Breakdown
• Carton size
• Carton/container configuration
• SKU slotting
• Min/max levels

Order Picking Technology
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Operational Data Analysis

• Order Profiles
• Basic Order Analysis
• Averages vs. peaks (seasonality)
• Time slicing by day, week, month
• Operation/department/zone peaks
• Carton Profile
• SKUs per order

Order Picking Technology
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Picking Technologies

• Static shelving
• Paper Based
• RF Picking
• Carton flow rack
• Pick to Light
• Voice Recognition
• Pallet picking
• Voice Recognition
• RF Picking

• Vertical carousels
• Vertical lift modules
• Horizontal carousels (pick/put)
• Carousel AS/RS

Order Picking Technology
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Technology Application Range
Order Picking Technology
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Static Shelving
Product is stored on metal shelves. Using paper
pick lists the pickers travel with carts picking
to a pick list.

• Small items, low piece count, small cube
• Significant amounts of walking and lifting
• Poor cube utilization
• Pick rates 25 to 50 lines per hour
• Picking to 1-4 orders at a time
• Typical inventory level - two months and beyond

Order Picking Technology
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Carton Flow Rack
Product is stored on gravity decline lines. Using
paper pick lists the operators pick to cartons or
totes which are typically on a conveyor.

• Full or broken case picking with medium piece
  count and medium cube
• Significant amounts of walking and lifting
• Average cube utilization
• Pick rates 100-200 lines per hour
• Picking to 1 order at a time
• Typical inventory level - one - two weeks

Order Picking Technology
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Pallet Picking
Product is stored on racking or pallet flow
gravity decline lines. Using paper pick lists the
operators picks cartons and places them on
conveyor.

• Full case picking with large sized items
• Physically strenuous
• Significant amounts of walking and lifting
• Poor cube utilization
• Pick rates 50-250 lines per hour
• Picking to a batch of 10-20 orders at a time
• Typical inventory level - one hour to one week

Order Picking Technology
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Pick-To-Light
Light directed picking modules identify part
number and quantity for each order.

• Product profiling is wide in variety
• Search time drastically decreased
• Pick rates vary from 100-400 lines per technology
• Picking to a batch of 1-24 orders at a time
• Inventory level - varies with technology

Order Picking Technology
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Voice Activated Picking
Voice systems are user-wearable, voice-based,
interactive solutions for fulfillment and
distribution. .

• Productivity improvements up to 40
• Order accuracy rates improve up to 75
• Voice systems typically interface with the
  customer's warehouse management and financial
  systems.
• Voice system applications are used for picking,
  receiving, replenishment, cycle counting

Order Picking Technology
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Horizontal Carousel Picking
Product is stored on rotating shelving which
bring SKUs to a stationary operator. The
operator is directed by light trees and sort bars
to pick and consolidate orders.

• Small broken case items, low-medium piece count
• No walking and minimal lifting
• Excellent cube utilization
• Pick rates 200 to 400 lines per hour
• Picking to 1-24 orders at a time
• Typical inventory level - two weeks to two months

Order Picking Technology
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Horizontal Carousel Put
Product is delivered to flow rack lanes. The
operator scans the product and is directed to put
product by light trees in specific containers in
the carousels.

• High volume, broken case sorting, high piece
  count
• No walking and minimal lifting
• Excellent cube utilization
• Pick rates 300 to 600 lines per hour
• Putting to 16 inbound SKUs to 200 - 800 orders
  at a time
• Typical inventory level - two hours to one week

Order Picking Technology
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Vertical Carousels

• Provides full use of Vertical Space
• Large pick face providing opportunity or
  multiple picks from one position
• Ergonomic height presentation of product
• Fully enclosed environment for product security
  and cleanliness
• Floor space recovery up to 75
• Maximizes cube utilization for common media
  heights
• Excellent payback for shorter ceiling heights

Order Picking Technology
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Vertical Lift Module
(1) VLM will hold (28) bays of typical Static
Shelving
One bay of typical shelving 1 shelf stores 3
sq. ft. (3w x 1d) 7 levels per bay (19 sq.
ft. usable per bay) Levels assumed to be on 12
centers
Order Picking Technology
One VLM 56 x 26.5 tray stores 10.3 sq. ft.
per tray 54 levels per VLM (556 sq. ft. per
unit) Levels assumed to be on 12 centers
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Carousel Storage and Retrieval Systems
Horizontal carousel full case or tote buffering
system which uses an inserter/extractor for
controlling the movement of product.

• Primarily used for full case and tote
  environments
• No operator interface
• Excellent cube utilization
• Pick rates 1400 items in or out in per hour
• Single selectivity or batch wave picking

Order Picking Technology
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Mini Load Storage and Retrieval Systems
Inserter/Extractor device attached to a crane
travels horizontally, vertically, and diagonally
in an aisle. The machine stores and retrieves
pans or cartons in a rack storage location.

• Primarily used for full case and tote
  environments
• No operator interface
• Excellent cube utilization
• Pick rates 1000 items in or out in per hour
• Single selectivity or batch wave picking

Order Picking Technology
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Picking Technology Summary
Order Picking Technology
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System Applications
Order Picking Technology
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Imagistics
Service parts distribution

• 20,000 SKUs
• 1,100 orders per day
• Peak at 1,350 orders
• Small amount of very high moving SKU's
• Balance of lines spread evenly across a very high
  amount of SKU's
• Large amount of reserve storage required due to
  unusual supply chain issues

• System solution
• Carousel picking for majority of SKUs
• Flow-rack pick-to-light for 200 fastest movers
• Shelf picking for slow moving items
• Pallet picking for bulk items and reserve storage
• Conveyor system for order consolidation and
  shipping
• WMS system controlling orders and inventory

Order Picking Technology
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Clemente Novelties
Fund Raising

• Pick Pass
• Pick and pack
• 2 Independent Pick Lines
• 1 Mirrored Pick Line
• Eliminated Order Checking
• Doubled picker Productivity
• 50 space savings - avoided adding two additional
  pick lines

Order Picking Technology
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Hallmark Cards
Retail Distribution

• Pick Pass
• Pick and pack
• Interleaved replenishment
• Simulation driven
• Operational - 18 weeks ARO
• 600 lines/operator/hr
• 50 space savings

Order Picking Technology
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Atlas Services
Electronics Distribution

• Pick and Pass
• 40 carousels
• 20 stations
• 2 bulk stations
• 4 x productivity
• 50 space savings
• Pick accuracy 99.9

Order Picking Technology
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Boeing Aerospace
C17 Central Parts Storage Retrieval

• Pick and Pass
• 20 carousels
• 10 stations
• Conventional storage
• WMS
• 60 space savings

Order Picking Technology
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Les Schwab Automotive Parts
Auto Distribution

• Pick and Pass
• 20 carousels
• 10 stations
• 6x productivity
• Dual facility consolidation

Order Picking Technology
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Retail Put to Light
Order Consolidation

• 16 Carousels
• 1 Carousel Pick System
• 1 Carousel Consolidation System
• 2 yr. Payback
• Cross dock items
• Batch pick items
• As picked lists
• Wave release

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Summary

• Data analysis is critical to optimal system
  design
• Based on the data analysis, multiple
  technologies should be considered
• A thorough analysis early in the design process
  will yield significant cost savings and
  productivity improvements

Order Picking Technology