SPRING 2024

148
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK
ROBERT FOOTLIK TWICE THE OUTPUT FROM HALF THE WORKERS from page 108
With a limited number of SKU’s, a simple multi-aisle
plan works best. The fewer the aisles, the less walking.
Keeping things simple, one aisle with 50 palletized
SKU’s for large quantities of fast moving items and a
few sections of pallet rack in the second aisle for hand
stacked small quantities with pallets below sets up a
circular flow path; going up one aisle and returning to a
home position without backtracking. If more items must
be accommodated, adding pairs of aisles will similarly
reduce walking. In a more permanent operation carton
flow racks for slow moving, limited SKU’s will consolidate
the frontal positions to expedite picking. A maximum
aisle length of 50’ to 100’ without a break is normally
recommended.
If historical data is available, even a pop-up can
segregate the most popular items that will appear on the
bulk of the orders into one high-speed pick aisle. The very
nature of a short term, limited fulfillment program means
that the 80/20 rule (80% of the picks come from 20% of
the SKU’s) is skewed drastically. As much as 95% of the
picks coming from 5% is common. Stocking the layout
to take advantage of this is definitely an IOTTMCO preplanning
step.
“Paperwork”
The workers were using real-time bar code scanners
tied into a sophisticated warehouse management system
(WMS). Every pick required them to scan a floor position
label, the product case label and the actual item label to
verify location, product and lot codes. This information
is download in real time to the WMS for tracking the
materials. The problem was that the pickers used the
scanners just like a paper list.
Materials were profiled in item number sequence, not
according to demand, and the orders were being picked
individually. One order, one person, at one time is an
ancient technique and absurd in an environment where
the WMS can be used to direct the work for batch picking
of multiple orders. As a pop-up the very limited SKU count
and predominantly short (less than three lines) orders are
ripe for picking in batches of up to 100 orders at a time,
especially if these are all one-line orders. IOTTMCO if the
pickers are only getting one item per order pick-pack is
a natural and simple procedure. For control purposes,
a label printer to supply the carton shipping information
(with a suitable bar code) becomes a guarantee that
the right goods are going into the right shipping carton,
envelope or case lot every time.
In essence, the only “paperwork” generated might be
a packing list or customized customer communication that
an “order finisher” will print as they cushion the carton
contents in preparation for carton sealing.
This implies that pop-bottom shipping cartons and
other supplies travel with the pick-packers who can
choose the right shipping medium (or it can be dictated
by their handheld WMS link) and place the materials in
the carton without wasted time and motion. It may take a
few more seconds per order, but pick-pack saves minutes
wasted by a packer.
Strategically locating packing supplies along the
picking path can facilitate resupplying the workers and
further reduce their daily travels. This too should be an
obvious improvement.
Order Checking
Under the current operating procedures, multiple
“order checkers” are reviewing every item that is going
into every box. IOTTMCO they are duplicating inefficiently
all the information and verifications performed by the
WMS. This raises the question, “Why are they there?” The
only answer given attributed this function to “tradition.”
A more sensible approach is statistically sampling
perhaps 4% of the orders by cutting open finished
cartons and evaluating the entire contents the same way
a diligent customer would unpack their order. There are
many advantages to doing this. This final quality check
is an opportunity to assure the customer of your sincerity
by including a card or message that the order has been
thoroughly checked. Beyond this are the benefits of
providing timely feedback to the workers, ensuring that
a corrupt employee is not over shipping to a confederate
and stopping work immediately when a problem is
discovered. If an error is detected, additional sampling
must be performed.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 149