An order picking system, the Pick2Pallet from the Raymond Corp., features a series of LED lights embedded in the forks of a pallet truck and linked to a warehouse management system (WMS).
Fork-mounted LED lights help order pickers put products in the right spot.The company says that the system can reduce picking errors in batch-picking operations and boost productivity. Batch picking of orders can be more efficient than single-order picking, but that approach can also increase the risk of placing items with the wrong customer order.
Operation begins when the WMS sends orders to a voice-based, vehicle-mounted order-picking system that tells the operator how to proceed: where to go, what parts and how many to pick. At the same time the WMS tells the pallet truck which position to light up to indicate which customer pallet the materials should be placed on. The operator indicates when the pick is completed and the light is turned off and instructions sent for the next item on the list.
The company says the system can be used in wet and cold storage applications thanks to the IP65 enclosures that protect the lights and keep out particulates and moisture. The covers on the lights are reportedly easy to remove when maintenance is required.
A field test at Associated Grocers, Baton Rouge, La, showed an 8-10% increase in productivity and a 35% reduction in picking errors compared to pallet trucks operating without the lights, according to the end-user.
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