Picking
Picking is driven in one of three ways:
- paper-based picking
- label-and-RF picking
- pure RF picking
In the paper-based, high-volume warehouse, picking is done from the label, which is a combination of:
- a shipping label
- a picking document
- a packing list and
- a customer return document
Within a wave, labels are printed in the best order for picking. The sort considers zone, picking location and carton size. Reporting shows the total number of cartons needed for each size and zone. As the cartons are assembled, picking, usually from flow racks, can begin. When all items are picked the carton goes through a packing station and then to the overhead scanner and sortation lanes. In a label-and-RF environment, picking labels are printed during the order dropping process. There is one picking label generated for each picking operation that must occur. A picking label associates a quantity of an item in a location with an order. By placing the label on the item as it is picked, employees in the packing operations can identify the order to which the item belongs. In a pure RF environment, the RF unit directs the employee through the warehouse in a serpentine fashion. Picking may be by order, by wave or by zone. More than one employee at a time may work on a wave or zone. The material is placed in totes are cartons during the picking process to keep the material separate by customer. The RF picks can be pick-to-pack or pick-to-tote. Full pallet picks are supported. In pick-to-pack environments, the shipping carton label is scanned during the pick. A tote ID is scanned in pick to tote. Optional hip printers are available to generate item labels during the picking process. The RF picking screens are designed for easy, simple use. However they also support the exceptions that sometimes occur. When bad or missing merchandise is found, the RF unit directs the employee to alternate locations and turns on cycle count flags in the affected locations for the warehouse manager.
Packing & Containerization
Packing is the process in which picked items are placed in shipping containers. In pick-to-pack environments, both paper-based and RF, the inventory items may already be in a shipping container. In these instances no separate packing operation is required. For pick-to-tote environments, the separate packing operation may be desirable. Items are scanned from their tote into a carton. Items may be scanned from one carton into another. Pallets may hold cartons or simply hold inventory items. During the packing process, PRO numbers or other carrier-specific carton Ids, e.g. UPS or Fed-Ex, may be assigned. The carrier assigned to an order may be changed. Packing lists are printed as needed for each carton. Bar coded labels are then printed.
Locations in FDM4 may:
- require pallet Ids or
- not require pallet Ids
- a dock-type location
- a department or work center stage-in or stage-out location
- a bulk location or
- a full-case, split-case or counter-sale forward picking location
FDM4 provides all the location types needed by the modern warehouse.
Quality Check
The FDM4 End of Day process provides a unique historical audit trail of an item's on-hand values and total shipments, returns, adjustments and receipts. The End of Day captures this data into a history file that is available via report or screen for later inquiry and analysis. The FDM4 Reports Manager is the tool used to request the system's reports. The reports fall into these major categories:
- Inbound
- Outbound
- Productivity
- Inventory
- Master
- Management
- Graphs
- Ad Hoc
The reports are requested through the FDM4 Desktop™ system and may be previewed on the screen, sent to a file or printed. |
