Software for the pick-by-light system
Our pick-by-light system software takes care of all the control functions for the compartment displays, the process flow, and the interface to the higher-level system. It is designed differently for picking, assembly work, and production support. To fulfill all these tasks, our program has a highly modular and professional structure.
Software structure
The LUCA server software forms the basis of our systems. It controls all data communication between the individual modules, interfaces, and processes. The application software was developed entirely in the fast programming language C++ and is platform-independent. Versions for Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems are currently available, with the Windows versions being used much more frequently. The required computer (PC or server) is often provided on site. Find out more details in the article: LUCA-Server.
Software module for controlling the pick-by-light compartment displays
The software module for direct control of the pick-by-light compartment display hardware has the following tasks:
- Communication with network-compatible pick-by-light controllers.
- Management of the physical and logical addresses of the pick-by-light compartment displays.
- Management of logical zones, mechanisms for quantity corrections, and feedback on key presses.
- Real-time maintenance and diagnostic functions for all system components.
- System configurations and assignment of logical addresses to physical components.
What are the physical and logical addresses in the pick-by-light software?
Each compartment display has a globally unique physical address. The controller can use this address to address the compartment displays. It consists of a four-digit combination of numbers and letters (e.g., s5Gu or hbF8).
To enable simple designation of each compartment display (e.g., as a storage location), a logical address is stored in the system software alongside the physical address, which must also be unique. The logical address can then be used very easily in the pick-by-light system structure by the higher-level warehouse management and ERP system.
Programs for process flows
With just the application software module described above for controlling the pick-by-light components, the compartment displays are configured and ready for use. However, they do not light up. To do this, a sequence process must be integrated into the computer program. There are several options for this:
- The warehouse management software controls the entire process itself and completely replicates the entire logic.
- Our standard process for controlling the functions is used (for more information, see: Standard process in a pick-by-light system).
- We develop a software module for the workflow process tailored to your requirements.
Depending on data processing, we support the following methods in the application workflow processes.
single-order picking
This is also our standard procedure. Only one order is processed at a time. After activating the application software, the corresponding compartment indicators light up and the order picker confirms the picks by pressing a confirmation button. We have various extensions available for activating orders. Read more about single-order picking for pick-by-light in a separate article.
Multi-Order-Picking
The system software manages multiple orders simultaneously and guides the employee through the picking process, depending on the type of construction. We usually develop the computer program ourselves for complex control. Learn more in the article: Multi-Order-Picking pick-by-light.
Multi-user picking
Several pickers can work simultaneously in a picking zone. We show you how this works in the article: Multi-user picking with pick-by-light.
software interface
In order to process order data, the pick-by-light system requires an interface to the higher-level system. There are standard interfaces and customer-specific interfaces, which we describe in separate articles. Simple files with pick lists are the easiest solution. We provide special documentation for each system. The software interface is independent of the operating system.
