Efficient picking operations in a warehouse
Since warehouse operation entails the handling of different goods with different handling, there is a need to have effective ways of picking orders from a warehouse. Similarly, efficient operations in a warehouse benefit the entire firm since it saves on time spent in the process and prevents breakage or damage of the goods concerned. The essence of efficient picking operations is discussed as follows;
Reducing the time spent in the performing task in a warehouse is the primary reason as to why efficient warehouse operations are necessary. This is possible by reducing travel time, whereby similar products, which should be shipped towards the same place, are combined and moved collectively. Time of travel can contribute to half the time for picking orders. However, this method of collective shipment is limited since it cannot apply when the products are large. The FIFO picking criterion, on the other hand, contributes mainly to time-saving. The workers can easily understand which products to be shipped out first and the items to be shipped last.
Maximizing the use of space is another reason for efficient order picking in a warehouse. This aspect works hand in hand with the layout of the warehouse, whereby a good warehouse layout guarantees efficiency in a warehouse. The optimized design of a warehouse is a suitable layout that increases productivity as it has specific storage locations for particular items. Therefore there is no space left out empty. However, such design has free areas between shipment area and inbound staging area to avoid confusion.
Minimizing errors during shipment is another need for efficient warehouse picking operations. Separating shipment areas from the receiving point in a warehouse prevents errors such as picking the wrong items or picking less than required. Such errors may eventually cause the front end errors whereby the warehouse personnel have to return the item to the shelve, which might be costly.
Reducing the injuries among the workers of the is achieved through efficient orders picking operations. This is possible through the use of handling equipment for specific products; for instance, hazardous items need protective wear to safeguard the workers from being exposed to harm. If the storage area is not organized correctly, there are possible injuries among the workers since some of the items stored are harmful. Injuries can cause future uncertainties among the workers. Similarly, the absence of workers in the workplace reduces the entire performance of the warehouse.
Preventing loss or damage of items requires efficient warehouse operations. The principles guiding warehousing activities enable secure storage of goods; for instance, perishable products cannot be kept in storage locations, away from the shipment area. This is because such goods often take the shortest time in the warehouse before being moved out of the warehouse. The similarity is another principle that is employed in a warehouse to prevent damage of goods in a warehouse also. This is whereby similar goods are stored in one storage location for better monitoring.
Comparison between alternative order picking systems and technologies
Order picking is core to business operations since they are the backbone to the order fulfillment operations. As discussed earlier, the activity contributes to more than half of the entire operations of the warehouse. Therefore, a warehouse should consider employing the best order picking methodology for the smooth running of its operations. The suitable alternatives, as well as the comparison of order picking methods, are discussed as follows;
Batch order picking is a picking system whereby the pickers retrieve Stock Keeping Units one after in bulk they fulfill several orders at a time. This saves on time as compared to single order picking where the pickers have to pick the SKUs one after another until they get to fulfill the orders required. The batch order picking method is suitable for a warehouse as an alternative to single order picking since it optimizes the picking operations of a warehouse. The picking methodology needs to employ the use of batches on items for easy identification of items.
The multi-batch methodology is another picking system which is more efficient since it reduces the amount of time the picker has to pick orders. The system picks multiple items for several orders at a go. The method, however, involves picking items from different sections of the warehouse and therefore reduces the travel time since the pickers enter the facility only once during the entire process of fulfilling orders.
Zone methodology is an order picking methodology where the warehouse is subdivided into smaller zones, and specialized workers are allocated according to their ability. The workers perform order fulfillment by retrieving orders in their various zones. Once the items in a zone have exhausted, the carton is moved to the other zones. Eventually, the SKU is moved from one zone to another and finally shipped to the central consolidation area. This methodology reduces travel time through the various fulfillment centers since workers stay in their respective zones.
Mobile scanner methodology; the methodology is based on mobile scanning of items using the barcodes that each of the items has been identified with. Compared to all the other manual methods of order picking, the methodology is best suited for a warehouse since it has an error detection aspect that reduces errors in order picking. However, it is expensive since the warehouse has to have unique barcodes for the items as well as the mobile scanners to be used by the facility personnel.
Mobile robot methodology uses robots to pick items in a warehouse. This is a recent methodology that replaces the use of human labor in warehouses. This methodology is suitable when the goods being handled are harmful to human health or are too heavy and complex to handle, hence the warehouse’s accuracy and safety. The use of robots in a warehouse reduces walking using the real-time route and can be programmed as per the required standards.
Warehouse picking operations are designed to increase efficiency and increase the productivity of the entire firm. There, it is necessary to have efficient warehouse activities in a firm. Similarly, order picking operations of a warehouse determine the time in which the tasks are perfume, hence the need to adopt a quicker and efficient order picking methodology in the warehouse.