With each new challenge comes a new opportunity. Such is the case in the area of pallet picking. It is quite simple. Marketing creates more items. The customer therefore seeks to better manage their inventories as well as seek smaller quantities of each item. This requires the break down of unit loads and construction into picked pallets.
Several techniques exist to accomplish the goal - creating mixed-case pallet loads. We have defined 6 basic modes for picking pallets. In this two part series, we are going to examine the pros and cons of each. We will take a look at each system, at the investment, as well as the flexibility of the system, and the labor costs involved.
1. The first method is pallet picking to pallet jack or forklift. This method is often used in grocery warehouses and other sites with large numbers of items. The picker goes to the items that are spread throughout the warehouse according to some sequence. While high labor content is a factor, it is a very flexible system. It is low dollar investment and has unlimited SKU potential. Because of this, we rate the pros and cons as: low cost for grocery store type application; enables good pallet-building if that person is skilled or a system exists; but through-put is limited only by the number of people operating the equipment.
2. The second method is pick-to-belt pallet picking. An order selector takes the items from a unit load stored in a rack and places them near a conveyor that runs in close proximity to the product. The products are grabbed based on order selection and placed on a belt. Either a person, robot or palletizer stacks the product onto a pallet. This has low labor content, but it is only moderately flexible. It can handle a large number of SKU's and the investment is moderate. Overall, it is fast with a moderate capital investment. Cons include a high incidence of damage generated by poor pallet construction occurring at many points along the way due to poor pallet stacking.
3. Our third system is called pick-to-belt plus automated palletization pallet stacking. It is very similar to number 2, except it uses an extra level of sorting, pallet planning and robots to do the stacking. That cuts down on the incidence of damage to the items being shipped. This requires a higher labor cost because while unskilled labor can be used for some of the heavy lifting onto the conveyor belt, the robots require skilled technicians to maintain them. They can sort the boxes into a more efficient arrangement where they align more precisely on the pallet. The pros and cons: requires skilled technicians; robots offer more flexibility; better cube utilization; and lower incidents of damage.
In part 2, we will look at the remaining 3 major ways challenging the industry in the area of pallet picking as we continuously seek better ways to provide the lowest total supply chain cost, not just minimizing transportation or warehousing costs.
Transportation | Warehouse Optimization work with the best of the best. Procter & Gamble - a long-term client (since 1992) - along with other top Fortune 50 Companies are among their client list. They have saved them millions of dollars with transportation consulting solutions. Taking the long-term approach, they understand the industry, the market place and like good consultants do, keep the client as top priority. Contact them at www.TransportationOptimization.com today. While visiting their website, sign up for their exclusive free Truck Loading Manual that can SAVE YOU MONEY and offer you the perfect Operator Manual for truck operators. Transportation | Warehouse Optimization - Solutions that work. Solutions that save. - 15246
Several techniques exist to accomplish the goal - creating mixed-case pallet loads. We have defined 6 basic modes for picking pallets. In this two part series, we are going to examine the pros and cons of each. We will take a look at each system, at the investment, as well as the flexibility of the system, and the labor costs involved.
1. The first method is pallet picking to pallet jack or forklift. This method is often used in grocery warehouses and other sites with large numbers of items. The picker goes to the items that are spread throughout the warehouse according to some sequence. While high labor content is a factor, it is a very flexible system. It is low dollar investment and has unlimited SKU potential. Because of this, we rate the pros and cons as: low cost for grocery store type application; enables good pallet-building if that person is skilled or a system exists; but through-put is limited only by the number of people operating the equipment.
2. The second method is pick-to-belt pallet picking. An order selector takes the items from a unit load stored in a rack and places them near a conveyor that runs in close proximity to the product. The products are grabbed based on order selection and placed on a belt. Either a person, robot or palletizer stacks the product onto a pallet. This has low labor content, but it is only moderately flexible. It can handle a large number of SKU's and the investment is moderate. Overall, it is fast with a moderate capital investment. Cons include a high incidence of damage generated by poor pallet construction occurring at many points along the way due to poor pallet stacking.
3. Our third system is called pick-to-belt plus automated palletization pallet stacking. It is very similar to number 2, except it uses an extra level of sorting, pallet planning and robots to do the stacking. That cuts down on the incidence of damage to the items being shipped. This requires a higher labor cost because while unskilled labor can be used for some of the heavy lifting onto the conveyor belt, the robots require skilled technicians to maintain them. They can sort the boxes into a more efficient arrangement where they align more precisely on the pallet. The pros and cons: requires skilled technicians; robots offer more flexibility; better cube utilization; and lower incidents of damage.
In part 2, we will look at the remaining 3 major ways challenging the industry in the area of pallet picking as we continuously seek better ways to provide the lowest total supply chain cost, not just minimizing transportation or warehousing costs.
Transportation | Warehouse Optimization work with the best of the best. Procter & Gamble - a long-term client (since 1992) - along with other top Fortune 50 Companies are among their client list. They have saved them millions of dollars with transportation consulting solutions. Taking the long-term approach, they understand the industry, the market place and like good consultants do, keep the client as top priority. Contact them at www.TransportationOptimization.com today. While visiting their website, sign up for their exclusive free Truck Loading Manual that can SAVE YOU MONEY and offer you the perfect Operator Manual for truck operators. Transportation | Warehouse Optimization - Solutions that work. Solutions that save. - 15246
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Sign up for a exclusive free truck loading Manual that can SAVE YOU MONEY and offer you the perfect Operator Manual for Truck Operators. While there, request a call back from one of the premier transportation consultantsin the industry. Tom Moore or one of his associates will get back with you. Transportation l Warehouse Optimization-Solutions that work. Solutions that save.
