The Pick to Light System
Pick-to-light systems are simple but robust systems designed to streamline the warehouse picking operations, thus increasing efficiency, productivity and picking accuracy, while simultaneously reducing costs.
Why is Pick to Light required?
Warehouse picking refers to the process where individual items are picked from a fulfilment facility to satisfy customers’ orders or to complete an assembly. It’s an essential aspect of order fulfilment and is considered one of the most expensive and labor-intensive activities for warehouses.
Industry reports estimate that warehouse picking constitutes up to 55% of a distribution center’s operating costs. Since warehouse picking directly impacts customer satisfaction, business reputation and profitability, improving this activity is a top priority for companies worldwide.
What is Pick to Light?
Pick to light is a type of order-fulfillment technology designed to improve picking accuracy and efficiency, while simultaneously lowering the labor costs. Notably, pick to light is a wireless IOT device; it employs numeric displays, buttons and a buzzer at storage locations, to help workers for manual picking, putting, sorting, and assembling.
How does Pick to Light Work?
- Operators requests pickup items that are attached to temporary and reusable holding containers, for example, bins or pallet.
- The system’s display indicates the quantity to be picked and a RGB LED illuminates the area to guide the operator to the indicated storage location. There, the system then indicates how many and which items should be picked. Note: Different colours can be assigned to the RGB LED to allow simultaneously pick up multiple orders or assemblies.
- The operator picks the item(s), places them in the holding container, and then presses a button to confirm the picking. The system beeps and acknowledges the pickup.
- The system continues in this way, illuminating each sector for picking until all items have been picked and placed in their respective holding containers.
What are the benefits of Pick to Light?
Ease of Use
Training operators in traditional picking can take hours — or more, depending on the size and complexity of the warehouse. With an efficient pick-to-light system, it can cut training down to 30–45 minutes.
The seasonality of many warehouses means hiring temporary workers and regular turnover. Training new employees takes time and effort, and it costs money. A light-based picking system is easier for practically anyone to teach and learn.
Paperless
Tied to the benefit of increased efficiency, it’s important to note the benefits of a paperless picking system. In short: operators save time when they eliminate the step of leafing through paper-based records.
System Integration
Can be integrated with an existing warehouse management system (WMS), enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management, or other host systems, for better warehouse controls.
Integrating Pick to Light in a Warehouse
- Installation: Depending on the rack structure the pick to light system can be bolted or mounted.
- Battery backup: For trolley racks rechargeable battery is used with battery backup of at-least 6 months. Battery selection is done depending on the number of bins per trolley.
- Network: Pick to Light system requires reliable WiFi connection (Internet not required). Router selection is done depending on the warehouse area. For trolley racks the WiFi network must be available throughout the path of the trolley.
