Voice Carton Picking and Conveyor Model
- DATASCOPE WMS
The voice and conveyor module has an advanced form of picking which is typically implemented into the large warehouse with conveyor systems running through the pick face zones. Orders are released to the warehouse and carton cubed to associate a list of products required for each carton. Each carton is then labeled with both the packing list as well as a carton driver label. This driver label holds a list of the zones that the carton needs to visit. The carton is labeled and placed onto the conveyor which moves through the zones. At each zone, the carton passes an in-line scanner. This scanner reads the carton driver label (normally a 2D barcode) and based on the list of zones allocated to the carton makes the decision to deliver the carton to that specific zone or to let the carton travel past to the next zone. Should the carton be required in the zone the conveyor will divert the carton into the zone for picking.
Once the carton has been delivered a picker using a voice device such as a Vocollect Voice A750 will pick the products required from this zone for the selected carton. There are two main ways cartons can be picked with the voice module.
Each carton is packed separately, one carton at a time or
The picker selects cart picking and first allocates several cartons (Max is 8) to a cart or trolley and then proceeds to sequence pick all cartons as the cart moves through the zone.
A simple bluetooth scanner can also be linked to voice picking to scan and validate extra data such as serial numbers or lot numbers. In one case we have turned on stock code scanning as well to force the correct pick although this defeats some of the productivity enhancements that voice picking delivers.
In General: Voice picking equipment is expensive but in high volume fine picking environments, it can add substantial productivity improvements. Firstly, it is fast and easy to use but, secondly, it allows for an “eyes-free” and “hands-free” picking environment. Also, we have found that pickers tend to “zone out” and focus on their work a lot more than in traditional picking environments. The very nature of voice picking is that the picker is engrossed in a conversation and therefore is less likely to talk to other pickers while working.