Put to Light: distributing and sorting goods
In this comprehensive guide to put-to-light, we help you find the best solution for modern, paperless sorting and goods distribution. Here, we have compiled the most important features of two-stage picking with put-to-light, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the process. With this comprehensive information, we help make your purchase decision for put-to-light as easy as possible. Enjoy reading!
What is Put to Light?
Put-to-light with compartment displays is a very modern, light-controlled, paperless process for sorting, distributing, and picking goods. The storage location of the warehouse goods is displayed directly to the picker via a compartment display at the target compartment and confirmed with the acknowledgment button or sensor.
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Put to Light
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Put-to-light system: the most important facts in brief
- Put-to-light is the opposite of pick-by-light.
- In a sorting process, the signal light shows the picker the exact storage position of the item.
- The sorting process is greatly accelerated by the light signals.
Together, we will find a solution.
| Type | PTF-L-6 |
| height | 50 mm |
| width | 70 mm |
| depth | 25 mm |
| system | Highly suitable for sorting and goods distribution. Controlled via Windows server with LUCA software. Linux available on request. |
| display | none |
| LED | two horizontally divided, 7-color strong signal lights |
| keys | Robust acknowledgment button, function button |
| sensor | Optional: as automatic access recording. Find out more here: Pick-by-Light sensor |
| Areas of application | Storage compartment display for paperless sorting, goods distribution sequencing, two-stage picking |
| Power | up to 400 items per hour |
| quality | 100% sorting with sensor |
| expenses | €90 as the budget for hardware per storage compartment, including accessories |
| Learn more about PTF-L-6 |
How does put-to-light work in two-stage picking?
Before starting, a batch of orders is compiled in the warehouse management system (Multi-Order-Picking). In a two-stage picking process, the goods are first picked from the warehouse in several containers. The containers are then taken to the sorting station and distributed to several orders using the put-to-light system. Depending on the solution, there are two different processes in sorting:
1. Sorting by identical items
If the picking system sorts items into containers by type, then the same items are always in one container. To distribute the goods, all you need to do is scan the container barcode. The system then activates all compartment displays on the sorting rack with the corresponding quantities.
The picker confirms that the items have been placed on the shelf by pressing the confirmation button. This method is only used for small numbers of products.
2. Collection boxes
In the first stage of order picking, different items are first picked into the collection box. When distributing the goods, the employee must scan each item again and sort it separately. Confirmation is performed in the same way using the confirmation button. This procedure is slower than the first, but offers more flexibility when dealing with a wide range of items.
Entering the quantity in the put-to-light process
With some solutions, the items in the box can be grouped very easily (e.g., CDs, DVDs, etc.), which means they can be removed in groups rather than individually.
In this case, the number of items can be entered on a screen at the sorting station. When dividing up the items, the barcode only needs to be scanned once. This saves a lot of time and money during sorting.
Sensors during acknowledgment
To improve sorting performance and quality, sensors can also be used on the compartment displays as an option. They automatically confirm that items have been placed in the sorting compartments, sending feedback to the location management system without the need to press the confirmation button. Using sensors increases performance by approximately 15%.
What is important in a put-to-light system?
The most important factor in a put-to-light system is the response time after the barcode has been scanned. The picker should not have to wait for the light on the compartment display. In our experience, the system's response time should not exceed 250 ms. Our communication server (LUCA-Server) guarantees the required response times without any problems.
benefits
The biggest advantages of put-to-light picking include:
- Quick orientation for employees thanks to illuminated compartment indicators (reduced search time)
- Direct display of the number of items in the storage compartment (target compartment)
- Direct confirmation of storage at the confirmation button or sensor and direct response to the warehouse management system
- Fewer errors, better performance
disadvantages
However, the process also has some disadvantages:
- Low flexibility due to fixed batch size (number of storage locations)
- Relatively high investment costs (as with Pick to Light)
Conclusion
Put-to-light solutions are methods used in two-stage paperless picking, in which sorting in the second stage is carried out using illuminated compartment indicators. Seen in this light, it is a reverse pick-by-light method, in which the items are not picked but placed (put) according to the light signals. Read more about put-to-light on Wikipedia or contact us to find out more. We will be happy to advise you.
