SYSTEMS SERVICE SOLUTIONS
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trucks are used in conjunction with
bar-code scanners to direct the case
picking. Workers scan the bar codes
on the cases as they pull them from
the pallets and deposit them onto the order
pallets on the walkie
riders. In addition to the
scanners, some workers
here are equipped with
voice units that direct
their picks.
FASTER AND MORE
EFFICIENT
When the picking process is complete, orders are dispatched to consolidation areas,
where five transfer shuttle cars
take them to wrapping and staging stations. Black stretch wrap is
used for security purposes, as loads
may contain electronics and other
high-value items.
Once the pallets are wrapped,
the shuttles move them to various
staging positions, where they await
loading onto outbound trucks.
About 3,200 pallets are shipped
weekly. Stores receive one to three
deliveries each week, depending on
the store size and brand. The major-
ity of store orders consist of about
five pallets, although some larger
stores may receive as many as 25
pallets in a shipment. Vehicles hold
33 pallets each.
Since the former manual operations were consolidated into the
Odense facility, Coop has seen bot-tom-line distribution savings of
about 9 percent, while improving
the quality of its processing.
“We are faster, more efficient,
and cheaper,” notes Dalsgaard.
“Our ability to handle complexity
has been raised, and we can handle
a wider range of products while
gaining higher productivity and
shorter order cycles.” ;
be assigned to each of the three stations.
Source pallets containing needed items are
pulled by the AS/RS and fed to six staging
positions at each station.
Lights then direct the building of up to seven order pallets
at a time at each station. Both
full-case and piece picking are
performed here. Lights and
quantity indicators above the
source pallet tell the worker
which items to pull. Computer
screens also inform the worker
whether a full-case pick or a
piece pick is required from a
source case. Photos are taken
of all new receipts, which are then displayed
on the screen to help assure accuracy.
Once the items are selected, lights above
the order pallets indicate which pallets need
the items. The pallets rest upon ergonomically adjustable positioners that move up
and down to keep the pallet at the optimal
height. Between the three goods-to-person
areas, six workers can build 21 order pallets
at a time, at a rate of 60 pallets an hour.
Pallet conveyors transport completed pallets to consolidation areas, where they are
prepared for shipping.
Partially used source pallets may travel to
another workstation if that SKU is required
for other orders. If items still remain on the
pallet after picking is completed, it heads
back to storage in the AS/RS until needed.
Some order pallets may be picked well
before they’re scheduled to ship. Picking
them early helps balance workload and
flow. Upon completion, the pre-picked
orders are moved to the high-bay warehouse for temporary storage.
In addition to the goods-to-person pick
stations, some slower-moving items are
picked in a small area containing flow
racks. The racks consist of three levels of
flow, decked over each other but with a gap
of approximately two feet between them.
An operator standing in front of them can
easily reach all three levels. Lights direct
the selection of items into staged cartons
or totes.
In the three-level low-bay warehouse,
workers pick cases from the bottom rack.
(The top two levels hold slow-moving store
display products and supplies.) Display
screens attached to walkie rider pallet