Listen Up
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By KAREN M. KROLL
We all know the drill. An order comes in, and the picker has to wade through sheets of labels to know what to pick. It takes time, and he also has to report that it's complete. But there's another way. The worker gets the order through a headset. When he's finished, he says “done.”...
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 A Peek at Holiday Order Picking
Nov 14, 2007 8:32 AM, By Susan Rider
As the holidays approach and people turn their minds to gift buying, distribution centers plan to see business surges. This time of year makes you focus on the need to have your process in line so that temporary employees can get up to speed as quickly as possible. Since order picking in most facilities is where all the action is, it seems appropriate to spend some time in this area--where usually the greatest opportunities for improvement can be found....
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Pick a peck of products
Sep 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Ann Meyer
Sales were booming at Evergreen Enterprises. So the firm expanded into a 500,000 sq. ft. warehouse to handle the volume. That's where the trouble started....
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Crossing Into New Territory: The Multibay Vertical Lift Module
Jun 20, 2007 11:57 AM, By Paul Roy
The vertical lift module (VLM) was introduced into the material handling industry more than 20 years ago. In that time, we’ve seen a variety of improvements, ranging from larger tray sizes to heavier capacities. All of these enhancements have been small changes to existing features, but this machine has now evolved into its next generation - the multibay VLM. ...
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Improving Order Accuracy
Apr 11, 2007 11:27 AM, By Pat Brown
Just as in a diner, order-fill inaccuracies in a distribution center can disappoint or infuriate the customer. What’s more, they can cost the seller dearly in terms of customer loyalty, returns processing costs, and lost revenue....
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What’s New in Portable Terminals and Scanners
Feb 14, 2007 10:58 AM, By Sam Flanders
Portable terminals and scanners have been used in the warehouse in some form since the 1970s. Each year we see improvements in the technology in the areas of size, performance, and battery life. Radio-frequency (RF) technology has finally matured to the point where it is both economical and highly reliable. And now, in addition to terminals and scanners, voice technology has come into the mainstream. Let’s look at some of the newer developments occurring in the area of portable terminals and scanners for distribution. ...
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Voice-Direct Picking: Pros and Cons
Jan 24, 2007 11:21 AM, By René Jones
You’ve probably seen those commercials that extol the reliability of the Verizon Wireless network—the ones with the guy walking all over the world asking, “Can you hear me now?” Every time I see one of those commercials, I picture warehouse personnel talking to anyone in the company who doesn't work in the warehouse: people in sales, in purchasing--even their supervisors. Often warehouse folks talk about ways to improve productivity in the warehouse, but no one listens....
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Quick Tip: Behold the Mouse Cart
Jan 17, 2007 10:02 AM
Are you looking to build a better mouse trap in your facility? You might start with the mouse cart. What's a mouse cart, you ask? The mouse cart is a unique vehicle that can get a picker quickly around the facility. It is ideal for instances that require long travels between picks....
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The Skinny on Small-Item Sorters
Nov 22, 2006 12:53 PM, By Sam Flanders
A small item sorter can dramatically increase your pick rates by allowing you to select requirements for many orders all at the same time....
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Now Listen to This
Nov 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Karen M. Kroll
For the past three years Corporate Express, a $4.6 billion supplier of office products, has relied on voice-directed technology to drive its unit-picking...
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Batch vs. Wave Picking
Jun 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Mark Del Franco
In the distribution center, walking from one location to the next accounts for 60% of a picker's time. Reducing walking time, then, is all but guaranteed...
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Headsets, Moving: Shelves Picking Goes High-Tech
Apr 1, 2006 12:00 PM, Karen M. Kroll
Some of the most significant opertions innovations are occurring within picking applications. The new solutions recognize that with traditional picking...
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Tips for Improving Picking Productivity
Apr 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Wayne Teres
With so many order picking options to choose from, selecting the best solution for your operation can be quite a challenge. The order picking function...
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Taking Measure of Picking
Feb 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Eric Watterson and Jeremy Davidson
We don't have to tell you that improving profitability is the number-one driving force in today's operating environment. Honing your picking productivity...
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