A Pick to Light System: What is it, and How Does it Work?

Efficiency and accuracy are important when it comes to modern warehousing and order supply. With the modern development of e-commerce and distribution needs, warehouses are now moving to advanced technologies to pursue their processes. Such a technique is Pick to Light System, and its effectiveness in intensifying operations while increasing accuracy cannot be doubted. This blog post breaks what is a pick for the light system, how it works, and other related systems that make up for better warehouse performance.

What is the Pick to Light System?

The Pick to Light System is an example of a digital technique that is used in warehouses, which is to guide workers to the right picking destinations with the help of light signals. This complete system is designed in such a way that it can reduce errors, increase the speed of the picking process, and increase productivity overall. Its biggest advantage here is the use of visual lights by which employees are directed to the exact places of goods they should choose. In other words, it leads to no more paper-based instructions or manual scanning devices but allows workers to focus completely on efficiency.

How Does a Pick To a Light System Work?

The Pick to Light System is somewhat simple yet operated through highly effective stages:

Order Processing: Once an order is placed, the system identifies the essential products and takes them inside the warehouse.

Light activation: As a worker approaches a specific shelf or bin, the system activates a light indicator to highlight the exact location of the product.

Items Retrieval: The worker selects the item and confirms the action by pressing a button or scanning the barcode.

Confirmation: Once the item is taken, the light stops, indicating that the task is completed to that place. The worker goes to the next item in the order.

This simple and easy process reduces confusion and ensures that the right objects are selected quickly.

Major Benefits Pick to Light System

The pick-to-light system provides several major benefits for warehouses looking to customize their operations:

Increased Speed: Workers can search quickly and choose items without wasting time.

Better Accuracy: With the exact location of products with lights, human error is minimized, the overall order fulfilment improves accuracy.

Low Training Time: Views make it easy for new workers to learn the process, requiring minimal training.

Real-Time Monitoring: Digital systems such as pick-to-lights often come up with tracking capabilities, enabling warehouse managers to monitor productivity and make adjustments as required.

Cost Savings: Increasing profits and reduction in errors lead to significant long-term savings in labour costs and inventory management.

Comparing Different Picking Systems

Below is a comparison table highlighting the speed, accuracy, cost, and suitability of different picking systems:

Problems in Implementing a Pick-to-Light System

Although the Pick to Light System has many advantages, there are some challenges that businesses may face when implementing it:

Heavy investment: Applying a pick-to-light system is expensive, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.

System Integration: In the current Warehouse Management System (WMS) or inventory system, the light system can be complex and require careful planning.

Regular Maintenance effort and cost: Regular maintenance and upgrades are required so that the system is effective over time.

Conclusion

Pick to Light System is a tool that improves warehouse operations in terms of speed, accuracy, and efficiency. Through the reduction of human error and increased speed of the picking process, companies are able to increase their productivity and reduce their costs substantially. Combined with other technologies such as Put to Light, Voice Picking, and Digital Picking Systems, the Pick to Light System is assisting companies globally in streamlining their operations.
StackIOT provides innovative solutions to enable organizations to deploy future-proof systems such as Pick to Light, optimizing warehouse operations for the needs of today’s agile supply chains.

FAQs

1. How are the Pick to Light and Put to Light Systems different?

The Pick to Light System instructs workers to pick products from predetermined locations, while the Put to Light System instructs workers to put products into the right places.

2. How does the Pick to Light System increase accuracy?

Since the Pick to Light System relies on light signals to guide the workers to the precise picking areas, it reduces human error and guarantees that only the right products are picked for every order.

3. Is the Pick to Light System compatible with other technologies?

Yes, Pick to Light Systems are capable of working with Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs), RFID, and barcode scanners in order to improve productivity and better manage inventory.