What is a picking warehouse?
A picking warehouse is defined as a warehouse where partial quantities of the product range are picked from storage locations. Picking devices or picking systems optimize the picking time for this activity. The goods are divided into storage areas and assigned to a storage location. The range is replenished from the stock warehouse.
Which picking methods support a picking warehouse?
- pick-by-light
- Voice Picking
- Pick-by-Point®
- Pick-by-Cart
- Pick-by-Frame®
- Pick-by-Watch
- Pick-by-Point®
- etc.
In this article, we explain exactly what a picking warehouse is. We also give you some tips on picking and the supporting picking systems for optimizing your warehouse.
In order to optimize picking times, process orders quickly, and provide ergonomic support to employees (pickers) (travel times, walking distances), various picking devices and picking systems with a database are used. The investments quickly pay off with a large assortment of goods and partial quantities.
The following items are stored: pallets, boxes, cartons, sacks, barrels, equipment, and machines. If the goods available in the picking warehouse are insufficient, additional items are transferred from the stock warehouse, replenishment warehouse, or high-bay warehouse using loading aids.
The best manual picking methods ("man-to-goods") in a picking warehouse include: pick-by-light, Voice Picking, Pick-by-Point, Pick-by-Frame, Pick-by-Cart, etc. This is intended to provide optimal support for the picker when picking in their storage areas.
An automated picking warehouse uses machines that operate according to the "goods-to-person" principle. The items are automatically delivered to the picking station by the storage system (e.g., Paternoster from Hänel). The goods are moved within the warehouse by means of conveyor technology. The investment required for this is significantly higher than for manual picking methods.
Order picking performance in an order picking warehouse
A picking warehouse must provide picking orders for shipping or production quickly and with as few errors as possible. To this end, companies use equipment such as forklifts, flow racks, shelving racks, loading units, containers, conveyor technology, etc. for picking. All these solutions and systems serve to optimize the performance and quality of employees in the warehouse (picking warehouse) and in the entire intralogistics system. The shortage quantity should be kept as small as possible. The goal is to work through the picking list quickly. It is not possible to define picking performance in a picking warehouse globally, as it depends on many factors (range of items) in each area.
The entire process, from recording goods receipt to removal, must be fast and ergonomic for employees, with minimal stockpiling, taking into account space requirements and technical needs. Order picking is either fully automated or manual, depending on how the goods are stored. Transfers often help with optimization.
A picking warehouse often operates according to the FIFO principle, with orders often linked to further processing in a unit warehouse. Fast-moving items in a picking warehouse are very important for operators and quality assurance. Excessive reserves in a picking warehouse bring more disadvantages than advantages. The picking warehouse is not responsible for handling returns or returns processing.
Conclusion
A picking warehouse is used for the direct picking of items for shipping, production, or manufacturing. Pickers work in the various storage areas and pick the assortment. Each area often processes incoming orders (as serial picking or parallel picking). The picking warehouse is supplied with partial quantities from other warehouses. Various systems are used to support the picker.
