Overview
The Dematic Automated Case Pick System for Meat Protein manages the specific order fulfillment requirements of harvest operations and display-case ready/portion-pack facilities that supply wholesalers, retail stores, food service companies, and export companies. The system supports put-away, storage, buffering, sorting, sequencing, picking, palletizing, and reverse-route trailer loading.
The systems address increasing requirements to reduce waste and maximize freshness while handling the increasing complexity of customer orders and case sizes. The modular automation and software are pre-engineered, standardized, and scalable to provide predictable performance and allow for future changes and growth. The systems operate in both chilled and frozen product environments.
Benefits
Production Systems
- Provides variable inbound flow and buffering of finished inventory
- Features production schedule flexibility
- Handles products with variable features (size, shape, structure)
- Reduces carbon footprint
Distribution Systems
- Handles capacity, throughput, product code proliferation
- Replaces labor intensive, manual case pick-to-pallet truck method
- Automates inventory/order management: product code, date, weight
- Minimizes inventory location issues and expiration date issues
- Improves tracking, visibility, accuracy, speed, worker safety
- Eliminates weekly inventory build and ship cycle
- Accommodates increased order complexity, smaller order size
- Ensures truck and trailer availability
System description
The Dematic Automated Case Pick System for Meat Protein is a modular, standardized, pre-engineered system that provides consistent case order fulfillment. The Dematic software synchronizes inventory in the automated Dematic Mulitishuttle to release cases in a precise sequence to palletize.
The Dematic Multishuttle is a storage sub-system that stores and retrieves cases of product for order fulfillment. It automatically builds, buffers, and pre-sorts all the cases required for orders. The Dematic Warehouse Execution System (WES) software directs the cases to the appropriate storage positions within the Dematic Multishuttle rack structure based on location management business rules.
Cases of product are released to palletizing from the Dematic Multishuttle in a precise sequence. Some applications require that all the pallets are built from single product code (typical in pork distribution operations). Other applications require mixed-case palletizing. Robotics are often used to build single product code pallets and for mixed case pallets. Pallets can also be built manually.
System management
The Dematic Warehouse Execution System (WES) software synchronizes the inventory with the system components to assemble orders with speed and accuracy. The entire process is optimized for inventory management, put-away, automated storage, sequencing, sorting to palletizing, and reverse route trailer loading.
The Dematic WES software manages order fulfillment based on product codes, case weight, and package date to maximize freshness and revenue. Planning and execution strategies ensure efficient and responsive fulfillment. Case storage locations and order management strategies optimize the order fulfillment process. The software controls the storage duration of all cartons by setting the time each carton can remain in the system. Scan validation throughout the system maintains order accuracy and traceability.
Warehouse Management System (Host)
- Order entry
- Inventory
Fulfillment orders
Status and completion
Dematic Warehouse Execution System
- Order management, plan, execution
- Order attributes, priority, changes
- Inventory location management
- Inventory allocation, tracking
- Product code tracking, lot control
- Synchronize and optimize processes
- Balance workload
- Visibility and insight
Comparison
Dematic Automated Case Picking systems are more accurate, require less labor to operate, and use less warehouse space than Non-Automated Case Picking systems.
| Non-Automated Case Picking | Automated Case Picking |
| Manual process, workers exposed to harsh conditions | Automated process, workers protected from harsh conditions |
| Manual put-away, slotting, re-slotting, pick, palletize | Software directs workflows, fulfillment processes |
| Manual case handling results in less accurate, lost inventory | Inventory and order management by product code, date, weight, FEFO |
| Workers operates industrial trucks | Optimized case handling, individual carton access |
| Manual pallet-build onboard industrial truck, up position | Robotic or manual assist palletizing at floor level |
| Traditional warehouse equipment | Automation equipment (case sequencer, sorter, buffer, and storage) |
| Manual process prone to errors, inefficient, and slow | Software manages, directs, and automates case sequencing |