Phone: +49 5201 8142-0
LUCA Logistic Solutions

Software for multi-user picking at the Pick-to-Light

Which Pick-to-Light software is required for order picking with several employees in one picking zone?

Several employees in one Pick-to-Light picking zone (multi-user picking)

A Pick-to-Light system in a warehouse consists of many compartment displays that are mounted on the storage compartments. The displays show the picker the removal quantity directly at the storage compartment. The picker confirms the removal directly at the acknowledgement button on the compartment display.

In the standard case, picking is divided into picking zones where a single employee works. The Pick-to-Light software activates a single picking order for the employee (or a batch for Multi-Order-Picking).

In some situations, however, several employees should work in the same picking zone with Pick-to-Light . Each employee picks their own picking order. Here we show you the optimum Pick-to-Light process with multi-user picking and explain exactly how our software works.

What is the solution for multi-user picking and Pick-to-Light ?

Picking with Pick-to-Light starts with different methods. You can find out more about this in the separate article "Methods for starting picking orders with Pick-to-Light". Once the picking order has been started, our application software can also control the process differently. There are: single-order picking, Multi-Order-Picking, which differ significantly from the principle.

However, in order to present the topic simply, we have chosen a simple picking method for the explanation of multi-user picking, in which all compartment displays are activated simultaneously. The classic method for a Pick-to-Light process (single-order picking).

So you start the picking order and activate all the appropriate compartment displays. Your colleague, the second picker, does the same. What happens now? If your and his Pick-to-Light compartment displays were to light up in the same color at the same time, you would not be able to distinguish between his orders and yours.

Solution 1: Each picker must be assigned their own color.

The LEDs on the displays have 7 different colors. This means that assignment is not a problem. When activating multi-user picking, the employee must identify themselves by entering a barcode or selecting the color at the beginning.

Our tip: We always recommend that employees keep the same color at least for the whole day.

If the displays for the two orders are switched on, the problem arises here if some compartments are occupied twice. In this case, the items must be removed from the storage compartment one after the other (serialization).

Solution 2: Removal from the same storage compartments takes place one after the other

Even though our Pick-to-Light compartment displays have split LEDs (top and bottom), which theoretically makes it possible to display the two colors simultaneously, the removal and the display of the removal quantity must take place one after the other. To achieve this, the control is specially synchronized in our software.

The second withdrawal is only displayed after the first withdrawal has been acknowledged.

In other words: After the second order is activated, all the shelves of the first order light up, as well as the shelves of the second order that do not overlap. So how is the second employee supposed to recognize that his colleague's withdrawal is also displayed after his withdrawal? The answer is very simple.

Solution 3: The LEDs of the storage compartments with multiple occupancy start to flash.

When the LEDs flash, both employees recognize that the second removal will follow after the first one. This means that the first picker must complete his picking faster at the flashing storage compartment so that his colleague can also complete the picking. At the same time, the second employee notices from the flashing compartments of his colleague that he has to carry out a removal immediately.

This solution is very intuitive and quick to understand.

So what happens if the second employee is faster than the first? This can happen if the first employee has to count out large quantities in his storage compartments or has many more items than the second employee in the picking order.

Solution 4: If required, the sequence of withdrawals can be changed with the F button when the LEDs are flashing.

The F button can be freely configured for the Pick-to-Light compartment displays. We use this option in the software and change the order of the withdrawals when the button is pressed. This allows the second employee to "bring their removal to the front". In this case, the LED flashes in his color and he can complete his withdrawals immediately.

Conclusion

Simultaneous picking by several employees in one picking zone is possible without any problems. The synchronization of picks is coordinated in the software of the multi-user picking process. Although 7 colors are available in the LED, experience has shown that we recommend using a maximum of 3 pickers in one picking zone. Otherwise the optimal orientation of the pickers is no longer given and the waiting times for picking colleagues are too long.

Many years of experience in paperless picking

Pick-to-Light

WordPress Cookie Plugin by Real Cookie Banner