Picking: Understanding the Main Technologies

1 May 2022

Discover the most used picking technologies in logistics operations

In logistics warehouses, order separation or picking are among the most costly and labor-intensive processes. To give you an idea, costs can reach up to 60% of all operating expenses. This is why companies have invested in technologies that bring greater efficiency to the process and help better utilize resources, resulting in significant savings.

The truth is that warehouse digitalization is here to stay. This is no longer a differentiating factor but a fundamental requirement to reduce costs and, most importantly, to achieve high performance that allows us to offer excellent service to customers. How to compete with Amazon and Mercado Livre, who are in an intense race to deliver within 24 hours? Without a rapid separation process, it is not possible to guarantee minimal delivery times. Investing in picking technologies has therefore become essential for those who want to stand out in the market.

For many companies, investing in automation systems for order picking represents the gateway to a digital transformation of the warehouse. It starts with an innovation for picking and, observing the great gain obtained, other technologies are acquired to assist in control, shipping, among other processes. And warehouses that are already fully automated see a real leap in performance, with precise coordination between employees and automatic systems. As a result, they are able to work with high volumes and at high speed, being ready to face the complexity of current logistics operations.

Picking Technologies

Today, several picking technologies are already available on the market, ranging from simple tools to highly modern machines. They basically support the identification, tracking, storage, location, classification, and handling of products.

With so many options available, you might wonder: which solution is the best for my business? In the following paragraphs, we will present the main technologies so you can know and reflect on which would be ideal for your case.

Radio Frequency – RF Scanning:

Radio frequency (RF) collectors are one of the most used technologies for picking in warehouses, configuring the “pick and confirm” mode. These are mobile devices composed of a display, a keyboard, and a barcode reader.

These devices communicate with the WMS system, which is responsible for generating picking waves and distributing picking activities. On the display, the picker views each phase of the order: products, quantities, location, etc. When moving to the place where the item is located, it beeps at the address and the separated product, and the WMS controls and confirms the activity. If an error occurs, the system issues a notification so that corrections can be made.

By eliminating the use of paper in separation (the famous picking lists), RF brings much more precision and agility to the process. Moreover, as it works in an integrated manner with the WMS, the system automatically tracks all activities and movements, also offering real-time performance indicators, which help bring even more efficiency to the process.

Pick-to-Light:

In the pick-to-light system, each storage compartment is equipped with a light indicator, display, and confirmation button.

The separation is entirely guided by the lights that turn on at the addresses of the requested products and the displays that indicate the quantity to be picked. When the employee finishes separating the items, they click the button to confirm the activity.

This technology works in an integrated manner with the WMS system, which will transmit information on which and how many products need to be separated, as well as where they are located. Its use is often carried out in zone picking, where each picker works in a designated area to reduce movement.

In general, pick-to-light works best when applied to operations where a relatively small number of SKUs (about 20%) represents a high percentage of the daily order volume (about 80%).

Voice Picking:

Voice picking, also called pick by voice, voice-directed warehousing (VDW), or voice-based picking, is considered the evolution of radio frequency terminals. In this system, separation commands instead of appearing on a display are sent through verbal instructions received on the headsets used by the pickers.

Again, the WMS plays an important role, as it transmits the activities that will be communicated via voice messages. When the employee completes the received task, they confirm through their microphone, attesting that the separation has been assertively done.

Its great advantage over RF collectors is that it allows employees to work with their hands and eyes free. This means they can be more productive and pick heavier or larger quantities of items.

Goods to Person:

Goods to person (G2P) is a modern order picking method that combines automated storage with precise and ergonomic picking. Products are stored within the system and automatically transported to the operator, eliminating the need for the operator to move to pick the items. This saves a lot of time in the process.

The operator, at their station, waits for the machine to send the product batch and sees on the screen which and how many items need to be picked to form the order. This information is transmitted through integration with the WMS, ensuring maximum precision at the time of separation.

Most G2P technologies require much less space compared to traditional storage and order fulfillment systems. This is because they store the product more efficiently, without aisles for people to pass through. Among the systems that fall into this mode, we have the shuttle, pocket sorter, miniload, and others.

To choose the best model to use, it is necessary to consider a series of factors, such as: units and lines per order; picking and packing sequence; weight and size of the goods; number of boxes per order; average number of SKUs and order volume/day.

Increase Picking Productivity with an Integrated WMS