Overview
The Dematic Put-to-Store Piece Pick System is ideal for operations that ship many of the same SKUs to most or all the same places, such as retail stores. The system uses a conveyor network to route inventory containers to zones where orders are fulfilled. Inventory containers with a single SKU type are routed from manual storage to order fulfillment zones where light-directed put equipment instruct operators to pick the items and put them into outbound shipping containers.
Typical applications include retailers that need to replenish brick and mortar stores and business-to-business wholesaler/distributors with one or more of the following challenges:
- High SKU commonality
- High throughput rates
- Need for process improvement
- Seasonal and promotional peaks
- Need to accommodate future growth
Benefits
- Process improvement, operational flexibility, strong ROI
- Dynamic order consolidation locations
- Eliminates dedicated pick faces, slotting and re-slotting
- Eliminates long pick paths through warehouse
- Modular design allows for easy reconfiguring and expanding
- Real-time control, outbound container content tracking
System description
The Dematic Put-to-Store Piece Pick System has a pre-engineered, standardized design configuration that ensures predictable order picking performance.
The facility receives inventory, and it is put away as single-SKU inventory containers into conventional or automated storage. The system requests inventory containers-the system brings them via conveyor to order assembly modules and inducts them. The system sends the containers to the needed put zones. One operator is assigned to each zone. Zones contain a two or three level shelving unit that 10 to 20 slots per level. Each slot has a corresponding order container.
When the inventory container arrives in the zone, the operator scans its barcode, and slot displays activate to indicate the orders that require that SKU and the quantity. The operator pulls items from the inventory container and places (puts) the items into order containers. When all “puts” are complete, the operator passes the inventory container downstream to the next zones.
When an order container is complete, the operator pushes it to the outbound conveyor and scans a new container to the slot location. Completed order containers go to the shipping area. Order containers are palletized or fluid-loaded onto truck trailers.
System management
The Dematic Warehouse Execution System (WES) software manages the automated operation of the entire put-to-zone system. The Dematic WES software directs the inventory containers to the zones with order containers that require their SKUs. The flow of inventory containers to zones is continuous for steady work activity.
Dematic WES software directs the operation and control of the slot displays for light directed put-to-store operation. Real-time information is available about put rates by system and zone, outbound container contents, container manifest by destination, as well as specific system throughput data.
The Dematic WES software can accept orders from the WMS in multiple ways, but typically as discrete orders. The Dematic WES software includes supervisor interface screens to provide a global view of picking, pick performance, system progress, order information, picks per operator, and total picks.
As an option, the system can support pre-picking inbound SKUs. Other options include configurable zone boundaries and cycle counting of residual SKUs. Furthermore, bulky or non-conveyable items shipped along with traditional cartons or store totes can be integrated into the system design in a non-conveyable put zone.
Warehouse Management System (Host)
- Order entry
- Inventory
Fulfillment orders
Status and completion
Dematic Warehouse Execution System
- Interface to host
- Order management and execution
- Order attributes, priority, changes
- Synchronize and optimize processes
- Direct piece picking, put-to-store
- Scan and sort control
- Outbound container content tracking
- Visibility and insight
Comparison
Dematic piece picking systems are more accurate, require less labor to operate, and use less warehouse space than conventional piece picking systems
| Conventional Person-to-Goods Piece Pick | Put-to-Store System |
| Person-to-goods method of picking creates long pick paths | Goods-to-person method of picking creates compact zones |
| Order picker travels to SKU location | Inventory containers travels to put zones |
| Pick items to order container | Put items to order container |
| Manual storage, low-density, non-controlled access to inventory | Conventional or automated storage with controlled access to inventory |
| Dedicated pick faces, slotting and re-slotting required | Zones with dynamic order container locations, Eliminates dedicated pick faces, slotting and re-slotting not required |
| Manual replenishment of active pick face | Inventory replenished from storage |
| Less throughput capacity | More throughput capacity |
| Paper, RF, or voice-directed picking | Light-directed put-to-light picking provides higher pick rates and high pick accuracy |
| Limited visibility and insight into operations | Real-time system visibility and insight, order container content tracking available |