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Companies experiencing steady sales growth face a double-edged sword in finding ways to handle increases in order throughput. As daily fulfillment requirements grow, the pressure is on to find ways to handle higher volumes in an existing facility or move to a larger facility.
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Adding staff to current operations is not always the answer. Not only are labor costs high, but finding and retaining workers is already tough, and for many companies, thin staffing is an ongoing challenge. Making the move to a larger facility is also a costly and time-consuming process.
What is the best way to move forward when facing two such tough choices?
Whether you’re making improvements to an existing facility or designing a new one, the best approach is to first conduct a thorough warehouse engineering study that uncovers process improvements and potential warehouse automation solutions.
A proven way to increase order fulfillment efficiency is to implement a pick module system that integrates storage with automated conveyors or mobile robots and other value-added technologies to optimize product flow through the warehouse.
A pick module system is a dense product storage system designed to support the order fulfillment process. Pick modules are primarily used to automate tasks related to picking orders and moving them through the warehouse.
Pick module systems can be single-level or multi-level structures and can be configured to handle a range of picking methods, including full case, split case, and mixed pallet picking.
Typical pick modules combine storage solutions such as mezzanines, pallet racks, and shelving to create highly concentrated picking zones integrated with automated conveyors or autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that automatically advance products and orders through fulfillment.
Product flow through the pick module system is managed and synchronized by a warehouse order orchestration platform, such as Numina’s RDS™ Real-time Warehouse Execution and Control System.
Pick module systems result in more organized storage of products so that picking activities are much more efficient, operator walk time is minimized, and manual picking tasks are eliminated.
The combined benefits of a pick module system yield numerous benefits across warehouse operations. They include:
“In one case, the throughput gains achieved with the pick module increased so significantly that the warehouse could shift from a five-day shift operation to a four-day operation,” said Tyler Buchman, solution engineer at Numina Group.
The company was able to get all of their outbound orders out Monday through Thursday, freeing up Friday to be used for other value-added activities in the business.”
Pick module systems are dense storage systems that work best and yield a high ROI for operations with fast-moving high SKU count environments. When designed correctly, pick modules maximize facility space usage and reduce search and travel time.
An experienced warehouse automation design firm such as the Numina Group can help you assess your operations and determine if a pick module system is an appropriate solution.
Numina follows a proven approach to ensure that your warehouse automation project is successful. Our team works closely with you to:
Numina Group is an industry-leading warehouse automation systems integrator with a rock-solid track record, earned over four decades of consistently delivering systems that exceed performance specifications.
Our industry expertise provides clients with a knowledgeable, reputable partner to define, design, and implement warehouse automation for existing and new distribution operations.
Ready to learn more?
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The Numina Group
10331 Werch Drive
Woodridge, IL 60517
630-343-2600
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The Numina Group
10331 Werch Drive
Woodridge, IL 60517
630-343-2600
