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Pick-to-light was designed to increase picking accuracy and throughput on various
hardware systems. Most common integrated manual and automated systems
include: flow rack, shelving, horizontal carousels, vertical lift modules, vertical
carousels and carts.
Pick-to-light flow rack
is ideal in fast moving, high velocity SKUs applications.
Pros: One person is able to load (or replenish) SKUs from the back while the other
is picking. A very rough rule of thumb for what type of inventory should go into
pick-to-light flow rack is: when a SKU locations needs to be replenished
more
than every two days.
Cons: You need one light device and flow rack lane per
SKU location. The nature of flow rack is to consume large quantities of floor space.
This increases labor, warehouse size and increased material handling equipment costs.
Pick-to-light horizontal carousels
have different types of pick-to-light devices
and modules to select from based on the required throughput, accuracy and budget.
Pros: Very cost effective solution to providing pick-to-light accuracy and throughput
to many SKUs. One pick-to-light device in the front end of a carousel system can
be used for every SKUs location in the carousel and sometimes one light device can be
shared between two carousels. Since
items are brought to the operator and can be batched picked this eliminates dramatically
increases productivity. The dense nature of the horizontal carousel provides up
to 66% floor space savings.
Cons: Limited cubic space makes carousels ideal
for SKU locations requiring replenishment once every two days or more. Allows pick-to-light
benefits to be used on SKUs which move too slowly to cost justify flow
rack and lights positions.
Pick-to-light vertical carousels
have every SKU presented
at a pick window which makes incorporating pick-to-light very efficient.
Pros: Pick-to-light
is available to every SKU in the system cost
effectively. Can utilize basic beacon lights or the flexible TiC pick-to-light system for presenting location,
quantity, SKU name and description. Vertical carousels provide superb space savings
of up to 75% and increased productivity. Ideal for small parts and inventory.
Cons:
Need to makie sure a SKUs physical size and velocity fit and only need to be replenished
once every six days.
Pick-to-light VLMs
present every SKU at the pick window which
makes incorporating pick-to-light very efficient.
Pros: Pick-to-light is available
to every SKU in the system cost
effectively. Can utilize basic beacon lights or the flexible TiC pick-to-light system for presenting location, quantity,
SKU name and description. VLMs provide superb space savings of up to 85% and increased
productivity. The flexible nature of the VLM allows SKUs physical size to change
and the unit automatically scans the height and adjusts the storage location in
the unit.
Cons: Need to make sure a SKUs physical size and velocity fit and only
needs to be replenished once every six days.
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