One of the on-going struggles for many warehouses is improving how quickly they can pick and process an order to get it out the door. If improving your pick time is a goal for your warehouse in 2017, there are a number of things you can do in order to set yourself up for success.
Try These Tips to Improve Pick Times
Optimize your pick module.
Your pick module is made up of the pallet shelving, cartons, and bins used to store the items that will be picked to fulfill the orders. If your pick module is disorganized or makes it hard to the items that are needed, it’s going to vastly slow down your pick times. It’s going to increase your error rates, as well. A well-organized pick module can improve order processing and help make your team as efficient as possible.
Make sure you are using the right picking method.
There are numerous picking methods, including single order, multi-order, batch picking and more. There is no right or wrong method, there is only the method that works best for your warehouse. That might change over time, too, so if you notice that your pick times are creeping upwards it might be time to reassess how you are picking orders.
Cut down on picking options.
The more options you give to your pickers, the more time you are going to waste. This includes things like box sizes and packing materials. When pickers have to stop to decide which box size to use amongst more than three, you are just wasting time. Making them choose the right packing material is a time-waster, too. Stick with one high-quality packing material and get those boxes packed faster.
Automate where you can.
There are a lot of parts of the picking process that don’t require a lot of high-level thinking. These are the areas that you should automate as much as possible. This includes moving your boxes from the picking to the packing area. Installing warehouse equipment such as a conveyor belt system can free workers up to move onto the next order while their last one moves down the line.
Reduce your changeover time.
Some of the biggest time wasters in the picking process is the time that it takes for an employee to move from one order to the next. Find ways to reduce that time. That might include picking multiple orders at once or skipping the picking carton and picking directly into the shipping box. It might involve picking one order on the way through the warehouse and one on the way back to the shipping area. Whatever it is, this is a great place to look for wasted time.
Whatever needs to happen to speed up your pick times, DAK Equipment & Engineering can help. We have the warehouse equipment that can make your pick lines more efficient and the consultants who can make you are optimizing what you currently have on hand. Get in touch with our team today and let us know that you need to find ways to improve your pick times in 2017. We’ll get to work helping you find the solutions that you need!
