Streamlining order picking

When picking orders from the lowest racking level, operators normally spend an average of 75 per cent of their time on foot, much of it backtracking. QuickPick Remote offers major opportunities to cut time, effort and costs.

The system drastically reduces how often the operators must return to the truck platform. It also means operators no longer have to walk as far, or in as many different directions. This significantly reduces the amount of time required to fulfil each pick order and increases productivity over the order picking process as a whole.

QuickPick Remote is a technology that can be employed with Crown’s GPC 3000 Series order pickers. Wireless control means operators can move the order picker forward at the touch of a button while keeping both hands free. Scanning lasers, built into the truck, identify potential obstacles positioned in front or to either side of the vehicle, preventing collisions. An automatic steer correction ensures that the order picker travels along aisles in a straight line and at a constant distance from the racks.

The systems has been extensively tested in the field by a large number of Crown customers. During these field tests, individual pick orders were precisely replicated and the time required to fulfil them was measured both with and without QuickPick Remote. The outcome of these long-term tests showed that productivity between first and last pick of the day increased by ten per cent on average with gains within the aisle up to 25 per cent. To watch a video illustrating the benefits of the new system under real-world conditions, visit: http://youtu.be/SxeLIMOvI04.