Configuring a pick-by-light system

Preparing the configuration after initial startup

Manual configuration of the pick-by-light system is not ideal for large systems with many storage compartments. The initial configuration of the pick-by-light system is carried out using configuration lists that are imported into a special mode of the software. (Learn more about commissioning a pick-by-light system).
The configuration lists are simple CSV files (Excel) with the following columns:

• zone designation
• storage location designation

This configuration list therefore already defines the relationship between the zone designation and the unique storage location. The order of the list should reflect the order of the storage compartments on the shelves. For example, from top left to bottom right or column by column; from left to right and top to bottom.

In the configuration list, the storage location designations must be coordinated with the warehouse management system and must be unique. The formats can be selected freely. A logical address may be up to 16 characters long. Read more about system structure and addressing.

To ensure that the configuration is unambiguous, the logical designations often include the zone designations, e.g.

In practice, the letters Z (zone), G (lane), S (side), and the hyphens are often omitted (i.e., the short version: 0101LA01) to keep the configuration as short as possible.

Expert tip: For large systems, multiple configuration files are created for individual zones or areas. This improves control and distribution of the configuration steps and minimizes errors.

Enabling configuration mode

A configuration mode is activated via the user interface and the prepared list is read in (e.g., for a zone). All connected pick-by-light compartment displays light up (white LED).

Automatic configuration assignment at the touch of a button

Now, the white-illuminated compartment displays are assigned to the logical addresses (storage compartment designations) by pressing the acknowledgment button. The exact sequence specified in the prepared configuration list must be followed here. Once the displays have been assigned correctly, the LED lights up green.

If an error occurs, the assignment must start from the beginning. For this reason, it makes sense to limit the lists to a maximum of 100-150 storage compartments in order to minimize the effort required to repeat the process.

Once all storage compartments have been configured, the configuration is saved on the screen mask. The logical address can now be used.

Manual configuration

For small systems or minor configuration changes, each individual pick-by-light address can be changed manually via the screen mask. To do this, select the old logical address or physical address and assign it to the desired address.

Conclusion

Configuring a pick-by-light system is easy and can be done manually or, in the case of larger systems, automatically. To do this, the corresponding configuration lists are prepared in CSV format and imported.