Order picking methods for your warehouse
Order picking is the process of collecting and preparing specific items. Depending on, among other things, the product, circumstances and service level, there are different solutions.
One of the most important elements in order picking is the accuracy of the process. Because it is often a manually executed process, it is also error-prone. This affects your total process but also your service level. It is therefore important that the process is as short as possible, reliable and applicable to your supply chain performance.
Preliminary considerations.
A number of things are of great importance in every warehouse, especially when it comes to order picking.
Safety
Order picking is almost always a manual process. The safety of your employees is paramount. Take this into account when designing your process and warehouse layout. Don’t economize on this.
Teamwork
Is your team really well trained and educated. Is the process and procedure more than 100% well explained and trained?
Warehouse size
Look carefully at the size and layout of your warehouse. Where do the different routes run, avoid intersections, are order pickers safe from traffic [forklifts] And look at the total flow of your process. Does it connect like a series of dominoes one after the other?
Volumes and sizes
How much do you pick per day. What is the order size and what are the specifications of the product? This partly determines the type of order picking method
Types of order picking
There are many variants of order picking. Often supported by mechanization and robotization. Below are the most common methods. Regularly reviewing your process and reconsidering whether the chosen method still fits is absolutely recommended.
Single order picking
This is one of the most common forms of order picking
The employee receives a pick list with items, quantities and locations for an order and collects the items one by one. Often a trolley is used to store the items. When everything has been collected, the trolley with items is taken to the collection point so that it can be made ready for shipping.
This is the simplest process and can be learned quickly by new employees. Checking at the collection point is necessary to detect any errors before packing. Depending on the employee, there is often a large variation in processing speed of order picking. [walking speeds]
Batch order picking
The opposite of single order picking. The employee now does not collect based on an order but a series of a certain range of items and brings them to the collection point. At the collection point, the items are split up by order. Batch order picking is especially useful if there are many orders with a great similarity in terms of requested items. The average picking speed will therefore be considerably higher than with single order picking.
Zone Picking
With zone picking, you divide the warehouse into zones. The items are stored per zone with specific properties. For example, think of cooled and uncooled. Light, small items versus large and heavy. Or a specific type of product.
The employees are bound to their zone and work on their orders [batch or single] there and ultimately place them in a collection area where the products are prepared for shipping.
Pick and Pass
With pick and pass, the warehouse is also divided into zones. But the orders are divided into zones at line level to enable a route through the warehouse. For example:
the order contains items from zones A, B and C. The order picker starts picking all the items there in zone A, collects the products on a trolley and then passes the order and items on to Zone B. The picker there also collects and passes it on to zone D. Until the entire order has been picked and can be taken to the shipping area.
Wave Picking
Wave picking is especially useful in warehouses with a high order flow. This is often combined with one of the previously mentioned order picking methods.
First, the orders are organized / classified according to properties such as delivery date, production schedules or picking zones. Once this is done, the grouped orders are scheduled according to these characteristics. So all orders that have to be delivered in 2 days are offered in a bundle to the warehouse to be picked. The orders for a week later are offered in another bundle [wave]. Most ERP systems, but certainly WMS systems, offer the possibility of wave picking and wave planning.
Voice Picking
With voice picking, automation is the main focus. Often used with single order picking, where the order picker receives audio and/or visual instructions from the system about which location to go to, which items to pick and the quantity. The system also chooses the best routing for the order picker.
Advantages and disadvantages of order picking methods
the most important advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of Single Order Picking
• It is quick and easy to teach employees. And because it is a single process, the employee can achieve high efficiency. Specialization
• Because an order picker picks one order at a time, there is no chance of orders being mixed up.
Disadvantages of Single Order Picking
• The order picker processes one order at a time. Sequentially. Processing all orders takes longer in terms of lead time.
• There is a chance that the order picker will walk the same or almost the same route several times when executing the orders. Which in itself is inefficient compared to batch picking
Advantages of Batch Order Picking
• The biggest advantage is that multiple orders are processed simultaneously. The total lead time of all orders is reduced as a result.
• The order picker can pick multiple items for multiple orders on the same route. This avoids unnecessary loop repetitions.
Disadvantages of Batch Order Picking
• Because multiple orders are picked simultaneously, there is a chance that orders will be mixed up. A thorough check at the collection point is necessary.
Advantages of Zone Picking
• By dividing the warehouse into smaller zones, the work becomes more organized and it is easier for employees to find and pick items
• Zones offer the advantage that items/products with specific properties are kept together. Especially if there are also requirements for the handling and packaging of this type of product.
• The employee builds up knowledge and experience per type of product, which reduces the chance of errors.
Disadvantages of Zone Picking
• By using zones, it also means that a picker is needed per zone. The possibility of exchanging between zones is also less desirable due to the possible specific requirements for picking
• If employees want to switch between zones, they often need extra training.
Advantages of Pick and Pass
• It is a very effective way to create good and fast routes within your warehouse. Orders only go to the zones where they are needed.
• This method offers the advantage that other picking methods can easily be embedded.
Disadvantages of Pick and Pass
• Depending on the orders, new routes will have to be created. This can be solved with a good warehouse system that can compile optimal routes.
Advantages of Wave Picking
• This method ensures that orders and picking can be better organised and bundled. This ensures faster processing of orders.
• Other previously mentioned picking methods can easily be incorporated into wave picking.
• The optimum composition of order types will increase efficiency. The organisation can also keep a better grip on the performance of picking.
Disadvantages of Wave picking
• A disadvantage is sometimes experienced as being that wave picking is very strict. Urgent orders in particular do not compare well with wave picking.
Advantages of Voice Picking
• Voice picking is completely dependent on good software. But this can also ensure efficient routes and picking. Even though it sometimes seems illogical to employees.
• Because the software guides and checks the employee, the chance of errors becomes smaller and smaller and the organization can support in further improving efficiency.
• It is a real-time process so that adjustments are easily possible during the process.
Disadvantages of Voice picking
• Using voice picking requires a considerable investment in software and hardware. And in addition, good 1st line training of staff.
• Not all employees respond equally well or function equally well with voice picking. While they function well independently. Some employees experience it as invasive.
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