Pick-by-light/put-to-light system: Faster and error-free picking despite hectic warehouse routines. (Part 1/4)

The terms speed and accuracy are always used in connection with order picking. No wonder, logistics departments are constantly under pressure, whether from customers, suppliers or their own production. The heart of warehouse operations - order picking - is where the course is set for further smooth processes.

Many of our customers continuously analyze their operational processes and ask themselves the following questions:

1. How can we ease the burden on employees?
2. How can we reduce order throughput times?
3. How can we pick faster and with fewer errors?
4. Which aids make this possible without high acquisition costs and complicated installation?

One possible solution: pick-by-light and put-to-light systems. They are quick and easy to install, streamline processes, increase productivity, reduce errors and make work easier.

Picking challenges
Employees have to pick the right items in the right quantities in an often hectic environment. Loss of concentration due to distractions or time pressure can easily lead to mix-ups and errors.

Picking the wrong quantity or the wrong item triggers a chain reaction and leads to additional work in many places. This is where pick-by-light and put-to-light systems come in. They provide employees with clear visual instructions and guide them through the picking and storage process.

For example, the pick-by-light and put-to-light systems in the PickTerm Flexible series from KBS Industrieelektronik GmbH are a charming solution.

Pick-by-light technology is an effective method for picking goods. The basic idea is simple: each storage location is equipped with a light display. The warehouse management software communicates with this display and gives employees clear instructions. This tells them which products are to be picked from which compartment and in what quantity. Removal is confirmed by pressing the acknowledgement button.

Advantages‍

• Speed and efficiency: The visual guidance minimizes search times, resulting in faster picking.
• Reduction of errors: The light displays minimize mix-ups and significantly reduce the error rate.
• Minimize training costs: New employees are also trained more quickly thanks to the simple operation.

‍Put-to-Light ideallycomplements Pick-by-Light and optimizes the storage process for goods. It also supports multi-order picking at the AutoStore (more on this below). The light display shows employees the correct storage location for the goods to be stored. Here too, the process is completed by pressing the confirmation button.

‍Advantages‍

• Optimization of the putaway process: The putaway process is made more efficient thanks to the targeted display of the storage location.
• Reduction of search times: Employees are guided directly to the storage location, eliminating the need to search.
• Real-time monitoring: In combination with warehouse management software, the system enables precise monitoring of stock levels and prompt updating of warehouse data.

The systems are extremely flexible and can be adapted to the requirements of various sectors such as retail, logistics service providers, pharmaceuticals and the automotive industry. Many reference customers of KBS prove this.

Cool thing: it can even be used in the freezer area down to -28°.

Simple installation and extension
Installation is extremely simple. The click system enables quick installation without complicated cabling. The compartment display is simply clipped onto the aluminum support profile at any point and can be removed again if required.

Wired systems are also available on the market. Here, each compartment display is connected via an incoming and an outgoing cable. However, this makes installation more complex, as bridges have to be installed or the cable extended when removing a shelf display.

The support profile can be mounted either on a shelf or on an order picking trolley. In the case of an order picking trolley, this enables a practical power supply plus WLAN for data transmission. For classic flow racks, many manufacturers offer pick-by-light strips that are installed on the front of the rack. Special clamps are available for mounting on round tube racks.

Benefits and cost savings:
The flexibility and simplicity also benefit customers, as they can carry out extensions themselves and thus save on installation follow-up costs.

Compartment display structure
KBS offers a variety of compartment displays with a wide range of functions. The most frequently used compartment display (80 %) has a light, a quantity display, an acknowledgement button and two correction buttons. In the event of quantity discrepancies, employees can correct the quantity by pressing the plus or minus button. This eliminates the need to go to the supervisor or the PC. The correction is then reported back to the warehouse management software and posted.

The standard luminaire is equipped with 7 colors. Why? These are used for organization and allocation in a warehouse environment. Employees in the same picking zone can use different colors to better coordinate their tasks. A different color can be selected for restocking or random inventories.

However, 7 colors is not the end of the story. Customers have the option of choosing additional colors, flashing patterns or mixed colors using extensions.

Multi-order picking at the AutoStore
Another practical application is the use of an order picking trolley with a put-to-light system for multi-order picking at the AutoStore Port. The employees sort the items from the bin for different orders into the compartments on the picking trolley. The put-to-light system indicates the compartment for the respective order with a light signal. This means that employees can process several orders at the same time and the bin has to come to the AutoStore Port much less frequently.

Multi-order picking offers numerous advantages. Processing several orders in parallel reduces throughput times and increases productivity. It also enables better utilization of resources, as there is less idle time and employees can be deployed more effectively.

Practical example: To save transportation costs, a customer has 4 picking bins available at the AutoStore at the same time. Our warehouse management software SuPCIS-L8 combines these 4 picking containers in such a way that as many products as possible are picked from the same AutoStore containers. A put-to-light system is a great help in placing the picked goods in the correct target bins.

Conclusion
Pick-by-light and put-to-light systems are more than just a gimmick with light signals. They are a step towards more efficient, precise and error-free picking processes. With their clear visual instructions, ease of use, flexibility and seamless integration into warehouse management software, they make a significant contribution to increasing efficiency and minimizing errors. They are an indispensable tool for companies that want to become faster and more efficient in their intralogistics and processes.

Did you miss the other parts of our guide series? You can find them all here:

Perfect teamwork: pick-by-light systems and SuPCIS-L8 warehouse management software (Part 2/4)

Pick-by-Light and Put-to-Light systems in practice: Optimization of the picking process. (Part 3/4)

‍Fromheadsets to smart glasses: do pick-by-voice and pick-by-vision make sense for warehouses? (Part 4 /4)

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Thanks to KBS Industrieelektronik GmbH for providing the images.