Smart order picking

The All-In-One (AIO) solution combines the well-proven and matured WITRON modules “Order Picking System (OPS)”, “Dynamic Picking System (DPS)”, and “Order Consolidation Buffer (OCB)” in one integrated system - and thus benefits from the advantages of practically proven order picking systems for all products and distribution channels (store delivery, E-Commerce, Omni-Channel).

“We integrate two order picking principles - the static provision for fast movers and the dynamic provision for slow movers, as well as order consolidation into one system”, says Winkler. “Thanks to the integrated order picking and order consolidation in one system, we are able to ensure an unprecedented flexibility for volume fluctuations of full units, cases, and pieces both daily and seasonal - in the long-run.”

Efficient Mobile Picking (EMP) has been developed for logistics centres in the areas of food retail, online retail, and parts distribution business and is used to pick different cases in an efficient manner. “The provision of slow movers in totes and medium-moving products on layer trays offers the customer significant efficiency gains in this area”, says Winkler. “The pick front can be changed individually depending on the current business demands and thus offers maximum flexibility.”

Also recently introduced are WiBots - autonomous and swarm-intelligent picking mobiles developed by WITRON. They support and guide the picker during the entire process and form an overall system with automatic pallet storage and replenishment. This process allows more efficient order picking. The picker can concentrate on order picking and walk directly from one pick position to the next without having to get on or off the picking mobile for short distances. The performance increase is about 30 percent.

Automated Tote Repack (ATR)

“ATR is the first system for fully automated tote filling”, explains WITRON CEO, Martin Stich. “We have developed a unique filling mechanism from the top side, which no longer requires open cartons to be tilted.”

This makes WITRON’s classic DPS even more interesting for customers, as the manual repack process is eliminated. Since the products need to be handled only once, the goal of a “One-Touch-Handling” in the entire process is largely achieved with this new solution.

WITRON has developed the Optimal Fresh Picking (OFP) module specifically for the requirements of fresh food logistics, which ensures single-unit and full-unit picking in one system.

“Here, we can handle a complete order in one system”, says Stich. “The optimised stacking algorithm is determined by the OFP itself, the products are pulled into the tote layer-by-layer through the “carpet method”, and then picked.” The system allows a very high and efficient pick performance of up to 900 units per hour, per outbound shuttle.

Digital future

WITRON’s CEO, Helmut Prieschenk, gives some insight on how the company is facing the future. “The world becomes even more interlinked. This trend is especially noticeable in the logistics area by our customers and within our own company. Information and algorithms play a central role in this area - data is undoubtedly the decisive resource of the future.”

“However, digitalisation may never be achieved for the sake of digitalisation itself. Our projects and business models must pay off at the end of the day. Customers did not order from us because of the key words digitalisation or Smart Logistics 4.0. They did so in order to achieve a return on investment (ROI), become more competitive, or with the goal to constantly increase the availability of systems.”