The picking process is a fundamental role in the warehousing and distribution process. Making this process as effective and efficient as possible is crucial to the long term success of any distribution centre or warehouse.

A picker’s time can be broken down into three different sub sections.

-Travel time (walking or driving to each location)
-Picking time (actually picking the specified products)
-Remaining activities (such as closing / moving a box, removing a pick list or removing empty boxes etc).

Cliff Holste (Supply Chain Digest) comments that a pickers “travel time can account for 50% or more of total order picking time” (see article) and therefore it is essential that this time a picker takes is minimised and devised as the most efficient route for that pick and over the long term. Without using efficient pick routing picker’s can spend a majority of their time travelling, re-walking routes and wasting valuable picking time.

Automated pick routing devises the most efficient route for each picker to take for each pick ‘run’ and optimises loading within the warehouse. The system scans the barcode then distributes to different picking stations throughout the warehouse balancing the pick operation. Picker’s are routed through the warehouse to reduce footfall and increase efficiency.

To find out more about pick routing visit www.keymas.co.uk

Effectively utilise all the available space in your warehouse through the usage of overhead space in order to achieve an increase in usable warehousing whilst maintaining the same footprint.

This is what integrated materials handling calls multiple flooring. By using a mezzanine floor usable warehouse space can be significantly increased without incurring all the costs that accompany building a new warehouse or building warehouse extensions. Warehouse operations can significantly increase the amount of storage, handling, production and automation through inserting a number of levels.

How does this work?

Integrated materials handling allows a box or product to be scanned and automatically assigned to the correct level. The automated system then manages using a mixed floor system, efficiently using each floor to store, manage and despatch products.

What’s the benefit?

Multiple flooring is one of the most efficient ways of increasing utilisation of your warehouse. It increases usable space and is simple to manage. Using a multiple flooring option also prevents any difficulties in communication that may occur between two separate warehouse operations and prevents any duplication costs such as administration, security etc.

The success.

Keymas recently worked with a company that used a multiple flooring system to effectively combine two warehouse operations under one roof. This meant that the costs of running two independent warehouses were cut to operate one warehouse utilising multiple floors.

For more information about multiple flooring visit www.keymas.co.uk/mezzanine_floors

Barcode picking has been around for some years now to direct a warehouse picker and to integrate each picker with the materials handling system. The barcode scanners themselves have developed into an entire range to choose from.

The process is fairly simple, the system communicates with the scanner to direct the picker, this usually includes what to pick, where to pick from and the quantity to pick. As orders become more and more complex it has become essential to integrate accurately with the system. Customer requirements to submit complex orders, collating different kinds of products to minimise transportation and inventory costs means efficiently and accurately directing pickers through the system. This is best done through arm mounted scanners. 

These scanners communicate directly with the system to effectively direct the picker and minimise error. The fact that the scanners are arm mounted allows the picker to pick with both hands, and check each order directly against the system for accuracy. The system automatically directs the most cost effective route minimising time wastage for example when a picker visits an area to pick twice when they could have picked in one visit.

Arm mounted barcode scanners also allow for real time stock and picking control, giving greater efficiency and control. The system also gives an opportunity for reports on individual picker efficiencies.

For more information about arm scanners and to see them in action watch our ‘arm scanners for warehouse systems’ video -

For more information visit www.keymas.co.uk. Leading suppliers of integrated materials handling solutions. Providing conveyor systems, warehouse management systems, mezzanine floors within an integrated materials handling environment.
Also visit www.k-store.co.uk for a low cost warehouse management system.