{"id":8639,"date":"2020-06-09T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-09T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.misumiusa.com\/?p=8639"},"modified":"2021-10-29T16:01:48","modified_gmt":"2021-10-29T21:01:48","slug":"warehouse-automation-part-1-pick-to-light-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/warehouse-automation-part-1-pick-to-light-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"Warehouse Automation Part 1: Pick-to-Light Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the age of IoT<\/a>, warehouse automation<\/a> is at the forefront of many industries. In this series of posts, we will dive into the different technologies used in warehouse automation and the important components<\/a> to drive its success and efficiency. First, we will talk about the pick-to-light systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are pick-to-light systems?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pick-to-light systems are simple but robust systems and a type of order-fulfillment technology designed to streamline and improve picking accuracy and efficiency, while simultaneously lowering your labor costs. Pick-to-light systems are paperless; which employ alphanumeric displays and buttons at storage locations, to guide employees in light-aided manual picking, putting, sorting, packages, or products. Pick-to-light systems thereby increase efficiency, productivity, and picking accuracy, while concurrently reducing costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pick-To-Light System <\/a>by Ingenieria-logistica \/ CC BY-SA <\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What are put-to-light systems?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put-to-light systems are essentially the opposite of pick-to-light systems, simply put, they reverse the flow, and a put-to-light system will guide operators to organize incoming goods in a retail store, grouped as a customer order, or in any other organizational method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does pick-to-light work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a step by step description of how pick-to-light systems can work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Operators scan item barcodes that are attached to temporary and reusable holding containers, for example, shipping cartons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The system\u2019s alphanumeric display (typically, LED lights) lights up, illuminating a path to guide the operator to the indicated storage location. There, the system then indicates how many and which items should be picked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. An operator picks the items, places them in the holding container, and then presses a button to confirm the picking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. The system continues in this way, illuminating each sector for picking until all items have been picked and placed in their respective holding containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Depending on the pick-to-light system, additional options may be available. In addition to the LED display, pick-to-light also offers an acknowledgment button and a digital readout, to enable more detailed instructions and options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pick-to-Light Display<\/a> by KBS Industrieelektronik GmbH<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA <\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of Pick-to-Light Systems<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ease of Use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n