There are several different ways to set up a warehouse automation system. Technology has afforded distribution operations with almost as many different was to automate as there are warehouses. There are characteristics of the different types of automation that are best suited to the type of warehouse operation that needs to be automated. It is possible to mix and match different capabilities that automation makes available to create customized solutions for a special warehouse automation system. For example the fact that one warehouse may have a large number of stores to support and also a large number of SKU’s that are constantly changing. These characteristics dictate that the warehouse have the ability to support the stores with optimum distribution for that number and layout of company locations. Another warehouse may have a small number of stores to support, and a smaller static number of SKU’s to distribute. Both these operations would have to be optimized with widely variant warehouse automation systems. What is good for one operation is not necessarily good for another. In fact it is very probable that no two warehouse facilities will have exactly the same configuration of automation that would be set up to optimize distribution. All the characteristics of the distribution system should be taken into account when preparing a warehouse automation system. There may even be influences outside the warehouse that dictate how a distribution center should be automated, like union rules or company policies.
As discussed in Start Your Approach to Automated Manufacturing and continued in The Value Stream Map – A Second Step Toward Automated Manufacturing, it is important for management to utilize tools that will make the automation process easier and yield the best result for the company. As you can see later in this article, it is important to have an accurate map of the flow that needs to occur in the warehouse automation system. The best way to get an accurate flow is to use a map that will give designers a picture of the whole operation in a single glance. A map is also the best way to identify problem areas and optimize the flow through the warehouse.
One of the main parts of any effective warehouse automation system is the computer system and its associated software that coordinates all the movements, number of products, and pricing. A second important part of the warehouse automation system is the ability for the computer system to let the employees know what products to pick and the amount of those products to pick for any given order. This usually accomplished by a display device that sits next to each product location and is tied directly to the computer system. This display communicates information about one specific product as it relates to an order that is being picked.. Most effective warehouse systems also use the computerized hand scanner to “read” information at certain points during the flow of products through the facility. These remote devices “know” the current data about any product in the system because of their wireless connection to the main computer. These are the hallmarks of a “paperless” warehouse automation system.
As products come into the warehouse from suppliers automation needs to be set up that will “read” the product information, such as SKU, quantity of units, and other associated product data into inventory. This will make any product that comes in from a manufacturer immediately available to be picked for an order that is being processed at the same time as the receipt. As part of the overall optimization of product flow through the warehouse, the floor layout must be optimized, so that the least “movement” is necessary in order to fill any given order. The computer system will assign a location in the warehouse to put away the received products based on the optimized layout.
The order picking process must be part of the map discussed earlier. Management will need to decide what is the best position or movement that is required for each order picker as they pick products to fill orders. In some cases it is best for order pickers to “put to light”. In this scenario there are two parallel lines between which each order picker fills orders. On one side are the stationary boxes that are set up to receive the products that each given store location ordered. The display unit displays the count and the amount for a given SKU that was ordered by this location and a light indicating products need to be put in the box to fill the order. On the other side of the picker is a roller line on which products move past the location. Each of the boxes on this roller line contain only one SKU. If there is a box on the stationary side that needs products from a box that is moving by on the roller line, the employee just removes the items from the roller box and places them into the stationary box. The employee will then press the button to turn off the light and tell the computer that the product part of the order is filled.
A variation of the “put to light” is the “pick to light”. In this scenario the boxes for shipping to customers are on the roller line and the products that are being picked are stationary. Lights come on under each bin with the amount of units where products are located that need to be picked. The employee places indicated products into the boxes on the roller line. A button is pressed when the product is picked. An alarm sounds if the the employee puts a hand into a bin that contains products that are not n this order.
There are many other variations of warehouse automation. It is important to plan the automation with the proper value stream map to get full optimization in place. Our consulting engineers can answer any questions that you might have about the automation of your warehouse or they can supply you with a no-obligation quote for automating your warehouse. If you have questions about warehouse automation or you would like to request a quote for automation, please click the “Request a Quote” button below and fill out the form to submit your question or request.
