Order picking is one of the elements of warehousing, which involves picking products from inventory for delivery to customers. To minimize costs and the time it takes to pick orders, it is vital to streamline this process. A number of factors are resulting in a transformation of the entire supply chain to a digital model. Optimizing the picker path will ensure maximizing efficiency, thereby lowering overall operational costs.
Picker path optimization is the process of finding the most optimal path for order pickers when they select the orders for delivery to customers. This activity accounts for up to half the warehouse operations. The Warehouse Management System (WMS) uses pick path algorithms to reduce turnaround time for workers as well as operational costs. Reducing the time workers take for picking products and delivering them to the point of dispatch helps fulfill a larger number of orders in a day. Efficient algorithms calculate the cheapest and fastest route for improving performance.
Supply Chains around the world are becoming dependent on smart algorithms to help reduce time and maximize efficiency. There are two problems upon which depend the most optimized path. These are the Shortest Path Problem and the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). The first requires finding the shortest path between two points. TSP requires finding the shortest path between various locations in the warehouse, making sure to visit every location once, and completing the journey at the same location it started. With a streamlined and efficient supply chain, the level of customer satisfaction tends to be much higher.
An efficient implementation of a warehouse management system helps streamline the supply chain, thereby resulting in greater customer satisfaction. There are a variety of smart tools and utilities that will help accomplish this. At the same time, the manner in which companies treat order fulfillment has changed. Now, it has become an opportunity for companies to interact and engage with their customers, which helps improve and promote brand image. Supply chains are the main cog upon which your profits or losses depend.
The WMS algorithm has been proven to result in significant savings and has certain advantages over competing tools. It is applicable to warehouses or stores with any layout. The algorithm can be applied to different picking strategies that include wave picking, batch picking, cluster picking, and zone picking.
● Wave Picking – It is the process of gathering multiple orders at once to reduce the number of trips. Orders are placed in serialized cartons.
● Batch Picking – The process of picking multiple orders in batches instead of placing orders directly in the carton.
● Cluster Picking – It involves grouping multiple orders into small clusters which the workers can gather at one run and place into individual cartons.
● Zone Picking – Individual workers have their own allotted zones and are responsible for picking all orders from their respective zones.
Pick Path Optimization provides a number of benefits for your company. The first and most obvious benefit is the elimination of duplication as its helps save time for walkers and prevents confusion. Irrespective of the scale of the warehouse or store, pick path optimization helps workers locate the specific products easily and quickly. This helps in the reduction of order fulfillment times while reducing wasted costs on labor and distribution at the same time. With a greater number of orders being delivered at a faster rate with more accuracy, the company witnesses an improvement in revenue as well. Pick path optimization supports WMS software and works with a variety of different warehouse layouts. Another advantage it provides is superior inventory management.
Warehouses of all types and sizes process thousands of orders per day, and intelligent picking helps ensure greater productivity. Companies from all major industries including consumer packaged goods, pharmaceuticals, electronics, healthcare products, and more can benefit from pick path optimizations. The throughput of the warehouse or store, indicating the ratio of the shipped inventory to inbound inventory, also depends upon pick path optimization. It is also very advantageous for accurate demand planning in peak seasons. Pick path optimization helps in more efficient labor allocation, as well as optimal planning. This helps in boosting employee morale, providing them greater autonomy and motivation to work with greater efficiency and accuracy.
Research shows that among order picking activities such as searching for orders, extracting, etc., the maximum amount of time is spent on traveling. WMS software utilizes path algorithms that help reduce the time taken by walkers, thus improving order fulfillment times. Supply Chain performance depends upon warehouse efficiency. The expectations of customers are ever-increasing regarding deliveries, and faster and correct deliveries help improve the company image and provide greater customer satisfaction. Thus, pick path optimization is one of the basic necessities for improving the performance of the supply chain, thereby ensuring a better bottom line for your company.