Overview
The Dematic Put-to-Order Piece Pick System is ideal for operations that ship many of the same SKUs to most or all the same places. The system uses a conveyor network to route inventory containers to zones where orders are fulfilled. Inventory containers with a single or multiple SKU types are routed from automated storage to workstations where light-directed put equipment instruct operators to pick the items and put them into outbound shipping containers.
It is a fulfillment system for distribution operations that send the same SKUs to most destinations. Typical users include retailers that need to replenish brick & mortar stores and business-to-business wholesalers.
Benefits
- Process improvement
- Compact system footprint
- High throughput and pick rates
- Workstation for cycle counting
- Controlled access inventory storage
- High productivity, light-directed order assembly
- Scan verification and weight check maximize accuracy
- Operational flexibility accommodates changing activity profiles
- Scalable and expandable for future changes, growth, and acquisitions
- Eliminates long pick paths throughout warehouse
- Eliminates dedicated pick faces for each SKU
- Eliminates manual pick face replenishment, slotting, re-slotting
- Real-time control, visibility, insights
System description
The Dematic Put-to-Order Piece Pick System has a pre-engineered, standardized design configuration that ensures predictable order picking performance.
The system supports high picking productivity and order accuracy while providing a compact footprint. Workers are not required to walk to each pick face — instead, the system automatically brings SKUs to them. In addition, manual replenishment of pick faces, slotting, and re-slotting are eliminated because the inventory is staged in an automated storage sub-system.
Inbound pallet loads are received and staged at the decanting workstation. Operators scan the barcodes on each SKU case and the empty inventory tote. They transfer the materials to the inventory tote. When decanting is complete, the inventory tote travel on conveyor and passes over an in-line scale that weighs the tote and its content for accuracy to confirm piece count. The weigh check also indicates whether an over-weight condition exists.
Totes arrive at the automated inventory storage sub-system and are stored until required for order assembly.
When the system receives a request, the automated storage system releases inventory totes to workstations. At the workstations, operators scan the barcodes on inventory totes. Slot displays on the flow rack structure activate to indicate the order tote and quantity of items. Operators put the appropriate quantity of items into the order totes.
Lighted slot displays at each order tote position in the flow rack structure indicates when the tote is complete. The operator pushes the tote so that it travels to the outbound position on the gravity flow rack structure. At the end of the flow rack structure, operators remove the completed outbound order totes and palletize.
System management
The Dematic Warehouse Execution System (WES) software manages a continuous flow of orders for processing downloaded from the Warehouse Management System (WMS). The Dematic WES software synchronizes labor, inventory, and equipment to assemble orders with speed and accuracy. The entire process is optimized from storage put-away to order picking and packing.
The Dematic WES software can accommodate high numbers of SKUs and order volumes. It ensures efficient and responsive fulfillment through order management and planning SKU storage locations. When the WES receives orders from the host, it determines the most appropriate inventory for allocation. It uses the dispatch date, time of the order, FIFO date, and other data to optimize the quantity picked from each tote and minimize picking times.
The Dematic WES software uses scan validation to ensure inventory accuracy and provide operators with smooth, continuous streams of work. It is scalable and can be expanded or reconfigured.
Warehouse Management System (Host)
- Sumit move request
- Manage inventory
Order entry
Inventory
Dematic Warehouse Execution System
- Order management and execution
- Order attributes, priority, changes
- Synchronize and optimize processes
- Scan and weigh confirmation
- Direct piece picking, put to order
- Direct manual palletizing
- Visibility and insight
Comparison
The Dematic Put-to-Order Piece Pick System is more accurate, requires less labor to operate, and uses less warehouse space than conventional piece pick systems.
| Conventional Piece Pick | Put to Order System |
| Person to goods | Goods to person |
| Order picker travels to SKU location | Inventory container moves to order assembly workstation |
| Discrete order pick | Put SKU items to order container |
| Manual storage, low density, non-controlled access to inventory | Automated storage/retrieval, high density, controlled access to inventory |
| Long pick path, dedicated pick faces | Goods to person workstations, no pick paths |
| Manual replenishment of active pick face, slotting and re-slotting required | Automated replenishment, no slotting and re-slotting |
| Less throughput capacity | More throughput capacity |
| Paper, RF, or voice-directed picking | Light-directed put to light provides higher pick rates and higher accuracy |
| Large system footprint | Small system footprint |
| Limited visibility and insights into operations | Real-time system visibility and insights into replenishment, storage, picking |