Comparison of Order Fulfillment Technologies - Pick to Light, Voice Picking, Put to Cart & FastFetch

How do these different order fulfillment systems compare? 

How does FastFetch order fulfillment systems differ from pick-to-light, pick-by-light, voice directed picking, put to cart and other warehouse order fulfillment technologies? Side by side comparison shows that FastFetch order fulfillment systems is faster, more accurate, more reliable and has a lower cost of ownership than other order picking/ warehouse fulfillment systems. See the comparison for yourself:  

Order Picking Systems Comparison
Features
Productivity Features	FastFetch	Pick-to-Light	Put-to-Cart	Voice
Can train pickers new to the technology in about 10 minutes
Optimizes batching of orders to reduce picking time
Offers "bucket brigade" methodology for dynamic pick zone assignment with picker accountability		?	?
Directs early offloading of completed orders (e.g. onto a conveyor) at strategic points in the picking path
Requests download of next "best" order to replace offloaded order, based on the fastest order completino time
Directs pickers to fill multiple (batch) orders on a cart with one trip through the picking area
Accuracy Features	FastFetch	Pick-to-Light	Put-to-Cart	Voice
Near perfect accuracy			?
Can force retrieval of correct lot (or serial) numner or capture lot (or serial) number during picking			?
Picks muliple units of measure and confirms accuracy
Flexibility Features	FastFetch	Pick-to-Light	Put-to-Cart	Voice
Can be configured for multiple modes of operation: pick-from-bay (standard logistics), put-to-bay (Put-to-light or recerse logistics), pick-then-distribute (2-phase logistics), pick-then-repick (2-phase logistics with dynamic slotting) and conventional Pick-to-Light (pick to box on conveyor)
Cluster pick/put for 1-to-many operation
Cluster pick/put for many-to-1 operation
Reliability Features	FastFetch	Pick-to-Light	Put-to-Cart	Voice
Uses "buttonless" proximity switches to confirm picks instead of mechanical push buttons or voice confirmation
Senses equipment problems and automatically changes to a backup method, e.g. barcode scanning
Does not require cutting or otherwise altering raceway (channel) covers when adding, removing or relocating lights
Expands system without degradation in performance (scalable)
Cost Effectiveness Features	FastFetch	Pick-to-Light	Put-to-Cart	Voice
Uses separate picking technologies that math the needs of high and low-velocity items, reducing total system cost
Does not require a costly, central control computer
Comparison to Voice Picking Features	FastFetch	Pick-to-Light	Put-to-Cart	Voice
uses a speaker or headset to give voice commands telling pickers what pick slot and what quanitiy to pick
Does not require "training" the system to recognize each picker's voice for each word in the user's language
Does not have problems with speech recognition due to noise or changes in the picker's voice
Technology Features	FastFetch	Pick-to-Light	Put-to-Cart	Voice
Combines voice, light-directed, and wireless bar code scanning technologies
Controls all picking and putting with a standard Windows-based tablet PC
Does not require a hadrwired link with a control computer
Does not require an active RF link to a control computer
Uses infrared transmissions from a Tablet PC to change firmware in light modules and controllers/transceivers without opening these components
Recognizes when a target picking location is reached and says "STOP" to alert the picker
Senses when other pickers are in a bay and automatically "skips" the bay and returns later for picking
Includes a real-time, web based Performance Reporting System to monitor productivity/status of pickers, orders, departments or products		?	?	?

 

 

Legend:

Does Well: Does Poorly: Can't Do: Possibly?: ?

For more information about FastFetch, please go to www.fastfetchusa.com or email us at Nikki@fastfetchusa.com

5 Common Regrets of Order Picking

Over the years I have seen many mistakes in the way that many have set up their order picking system. To help you avoid these same mistakes, we have a short video on the 5 Common Regrets of order picking. 

1.       Not maximizing order picking productivity

You will be able to increase order fulfillment productivity and through put by doing the following:

a.       To increase order picking productivity you want to cut travel distances as it is the majority of your labor costs (60-70% of your total paid labor costs)

b.      To reduce the distance traveled by order pickers, you will need to reduce the stops at pick bays

c.       You should also batch pick when possible.  Batch picking is when you pick multiple orders all in one trip.

By being able to reduce the distance of walking, you will be able to increase time spent on actual order picking instead of walking all over the warehouse.

2.       Not being virtually 100% accurate

Many operations believe that they must pick one order at a time to have error free order picking, but this is false.  There is a better and more efficient way.  If you confirm your picks throughout the picking process, you can gain the accuracy you want, while ensuring high pick productivities.  How do you gain virtually 100% picking accuracy?

a.       Pick to Light: Instead, pick to light systems uses a computer to direct lights at pick locations (on carousels, carton flow rack, shelving storage, static shelving and batch picking carts, and others) to indicate the items and quantities to pick.  Once order pickers complete the task indicated by the light modules, they simply push a button to confirm their picks. 

b.      Voice Directed Picking: Order pickers are directed by voice where to go and what to pick.  Pick verification is done by speaking the SKU identification number for each pick.

c.       Bar code scanning: Bar code scan systems offer 1) very fast data entry of information and 2) extremely high input accuracy.  This is valuable if you are handling extremely costly products and/or need 100% order picking accuracy. 

3.       Inflexible order fulfillment system

Many times, order fulfillment systems were created for the existing needs of today, not tomorrow.  With the ever-changing business environment, having an order picking system that is not easy to change and doesn’t easily adapt to business needs can be a problem.

a.       Flexible system: you want a system that easily expands to your business growth.

                                                               i.      Add more light modules for your pick to light system

                                                             ii.      Reconfigure your entire system

b.      Multiple Modes of Operation with FastFetch pick to light, voice directed and bar code scanning system:

                                                               i.       Pick from bay

                                                             ii.       Put to bay (put-to-light/ reverse logistics)

                                                            iii.       Pick then distribute

                                                           iv.       Pick then re-pick (2 phase picking with dynamic slotting)

                                                             v.       Conventional Pick to Light (pick to box on conveyor)

c.       Batch pick by Cluster Picking:

                                                               i.      Pick many items into one order

                                                             ii.      Pick one SKU into many different orders

4.       Unreliable order fulfillment system

a.       Hardware that is prone to wear and tear:  Pick to Light hardware that uses buttons that break instead of senors that don’t break or wear out.

b.      Not having a back up plan if the main system fails:  If you are relying on pick to light alone, you are in trouble if it fails.  Having a system that has a “back up plan” like bar code scanning available if pick to light fails is the better way to go.

c.       Expand without degradation to your system

5.       Lack of Good Reporting System

A good order fulfillment reporting system will give you web access to real time information on the following important reports:

1.       Status of your orders: Know when your orders have been pick and what products have been sent out of the warehouse

2.       Status of pickers: Know what they are working on and what they aren’t working on

3.       Status of products: Know what products are in inventory and what has been sent out of the warehouse

FastFetch allow you to gain the follow benefits:

1.       Cut walking distance

2.       Reduce stops to pick items

3.       Pick items in clusters: common items are picked for multiple orders at one time

4.       Maximize space on Carts

5.       Pick most urgent (oldest) orders first

If you’d like more information please contact us at www.fastfetchusa.com, call (714) 496-4499 or email us at Nikki@fastfetchusa.com

What is the best pick to light order fulfillment system on the market?

What is the best pick to light order fulfillment technology on the market?

While, we would like to simply say that FastFetch order fulfillment systems is the best pick to light system on the market, we’d like to explain why we think it is so.

FastFetch is a 3-in-1 directed picking technology that combines pick to light, voice picking and bar code scan picking. 

In side by side comparisons, it is obvious that:

• FastFetch is 2 to 3 times faster than other pick to light technology
• FastFetch batches orders to reduce pick times (whereas pick to light doesn’t)
• FastFetch downloads “next best order” to replace offloaded order (whereas pick to light doesn’t)
• FastFetch constantly is optimizing picks to reduce travel distance and increase picking productivity (whereas pick to light doesn’t)

Don’t believe us?  Watch this short video clip on why FastFetch is better than a typically pick to light system:

Sincerely,

Rick Froehlich
Marketing Facilitator
Rick@fastfetchusa.com
www.fastfetchusa.com
(864) 430-0032
 

Order Fulfillment Optimization Whitepaper to help your success in 2013!

We're offering a whitepaper on Order Fulfillment Optimization to help you succeed in 2013. Dr. Jack Peck covers key elements for your success, including information on slotting, batch picking, and box size selection and optimization. 

Click here to access this Order Fulfillment Optimization whitepaper now!

Sincerely,

Rick Froehlich
Marketing Facilitator
Rick@fastfetchusa.com
www.fastfetchusa.com
(864) 430-0032

P.S. Don't leave your warehouse operations to chance! Download your free whitepaper now and improve your operations today.