Pick to light manufacturing solutions are being increasingly adopted across various industries due to their efficiency and accuracy.
In the pharmaceutical industry, pick to light systems have improved order fulfillment by 25% and reduced errors by 30%.
For example, a leading pharmaceutical company implemented a pick to light system and saw a significant reduction in picking time, from 2 hours to just 45 minutes.
This industry application is just one of the many examples of how pick to light manufacturing solutions can benefit businesses.
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What Is Pick to Light Manufacturing?
Pick-to-Light manufacturing is an order-picking system designed for split-case SKUs in warehouses or distribution centers.
It can also be adapted for manufacturing, kitting, or assembling activities. This system is particularly useful in distribution centers where temporary or seasonal staff are hired.
Light modules are installed on shelving next to each SKU, using light and LED displays to highlight the correct SKUs and the quantity required for an order.
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Workers no longer need to read SKUs from a list and locate them on the shelves; they simply scan the order barcode and look for the lights.
The easily visible lights also serve as a button for confirmation that the pick has been made, making the process faster and more accurate.
With Pick-to-Light, training takes very little time and order pickers can work quickly and accurately with a minimal learning curve.
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Benefits and Advantages
Pick-to-light manufacturing can have a significant impact on your business, and it's not just about the technology itself. Implementing pick-to-light systems can increase productivity by 40% and achieve 99.9% accuracy once programmed.
One of the key benefits of pick-to-light systems is improved picking efficiency. By illuminating the shelves or bins with the required items, operators can quickly and easily locate what they need, reducing the time spent searching for parts and components.
Pick-to-light systems also make it easier to integrate with host systems, including WMS, WES, and WCS. This seamless integration allows for real-time graphical productivity and status information, giving you a clearer understanding of your operations.
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With pick-to-light systems, you can say goodbye to paper-based order fulfillment lists and hello to a more efficient and accurate process. Employees only need to scan the order's unique barcode, and the system automatically pulls up a list of required items.
By using pick-to-light systems, you can reduce fatigue and burnout among your employees. The simplicity of the system means they don't have to make extended trips around the warehouse, allowing them to work more efficiently and effectively.
Here are some of the key advantages of pick-to-light systems:
- 99.9% accuracy once programmed
- Easy integration with host systems including WMS, WES, WCS
- Analytics software, showing real-time graphical productivity and status information
- Flexibility and functionality developed through years of iteration and technological advancement
- Affordable and user-friendly
- Lightweight and easily transported
Pick-to-light systems can also help you provide better customer satisfaction. By assembling work orders faster, you can deliver products more quickly, reducing the frustration that comes with long wait times.
In addition, pick-to-light systems can help you reduce errors and improve productivity in multi-variant assembly stations. By removing errors and simplifying the training process, you can create a more efficient and effective manufacturing process.
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System Components and Architecture
A well-designed pick to light manufacturing system relies on its components and architecture to function efficiently. The control computer is a crucial part, equipped with an interface to communicate with the pick-to-light controller using a TCP protocol via an Ethernet connection.
The pick-to-light controller is another essential component, and the number of controllers needed depends on the system's size. A larger system requires more controllers to ensure smooth operations.
The heart of the system lies in the light modules, with one module per storage location, providing clear instructions to the picker. This setup enables accurate and efficient picking, reducing errors and increasing productivity.
What Is a System?
A system is a method of organizing and automating tasks to improve efficiency and accuracy. A pick to light system is a great example of this, using LED lights and digital displays to guide workers to the correct storage location.
This approach is a significant improvement over previous methods, which relied on paper lists to identify required items. Paper lists led to inefficient and error-prone processes, requiring workers to manually search for components.
Pick to light systems eliminate these manual steps, reducing errors and improving inventory accuracy. This methodology is also known as poka-yoke, a Japanese term for error-proofing processes.
A Wireless System
A wireless pick to light system is a game-changer for production efficiency and space utilization. This type of system uses wireless K70 pick-to-light devices deployed across bins on a portable parts rack, allowing assembly stations to be moved or reconfigured without rewiring.
The wireless connection enables operators to select parts and confirm actions without being tied to a specific location. The K70 devices turn red if activated out of sequence and yellow to confirm the correct process, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
Here's a breakdown of the components involved in a wireless pick to light system:
By using a wireless pick to light system, manufacturers can reap the benefits of increased production efficiency, reduced setup time, and improved space utilization.
Architecture
The Pick by Light system is built with a specific architecture that makes it efficient and easy to use. The system consists of three main components: a control computer, a pick-to-light controller, and light modules.
The control computer is connected to the pick-to-light controller via an Ethernet connection using a TCP protocol. This allows for seamless communication between the two.
The pick-to-light controller is a crucial part of the system, and the number of controllers needed depends on the system size. Each controller is responsible for managing a group of light modules.
Light modules are assigned a unique address, which makes it easy to reconfigure or swap out modules if needed. This is done using an address assignment command, and it's a quick and simple process.
The light modules have a confirmation button that's available in seven different colors. This allows for different light color assignments, which can improve process quality.
Here's a breakdown of the system's components:
- Control computer
- Pick-to-light controller (quantity depends on system size)
- Light modules (one per storage location)
Integrate Existing Technologies
Our pick-to-light systems can seamlessly integrate with most peripheral devices already in place, such as barcode scanners and ring scanners, which keeps the initial investment cost low.
This makes it possible for small businesses to adopt pick-to-light strategies for fast and accurate order filling.
Our system can connect with various devices to create a streamlined workflow.
Feature-Rich Solution for Complex Processes
Pick-to-light technology is a game-changer for complex manufacturing processes. It can be used in combination with guided assembly systems and assembly jigs to improve production efficiency through a system of visual and intuitive work.
This approach ensures the quality and accuracy of assembly operations, reducing material handling and processing times. With pick-to-light, you get full flexibility to adapt to constant changes in production systems.
Using pick-to-light sensors at multiproduct assembly stations lessens the number of inaccuracies, speeds up build time, and makes training simple and easy. A pick-to-light device with an LED indicator, optical sensor, and alphanumeric display provides the guidance necessary to complete complex assemblies quickly and accurately.
The LED indicator lights up when a part is needed, and the display shows the required quantity. The optical sensor then recognizes when the operator has picked the pieces. Once each step is complete, the next pick in the sequence can light up.
Here are some benefits of pick-to-light solutions:
- 99.9% accuracy once programmed
- Easy integration with host systems including WMS, WES, WECS
- Analytics software, showing real-time graphical productivity and status information with a customisable user dashboard
- Flexibility and functionality developed through years of iteration and technological advancement
- Affordable and user-friendly
- Lightweight and easily transported
Industry Applications and Solutions
Pick to light manufacturing is a game-changer for industries that require high-speed and accuracy in their production processes. Pick to light systems have been successfully implemented in various manufacturing settings, including multi-variant assembly stations, where they remove errors, speed up build time, and simplify the training process.
In these settings, pick to light systems take the guesswork out of manual picking processes, allowing operators to directly head for the illuminated shelves or bins with the required items. This approach renders paper-based order fulfillment lists useless, freeing up workers to focus on more important tasks.
Pick to light systems have been shown to improve picking efficiency, increase productivity, and reduce errors in production. By using lights to direct operators to the correct parts and quantities, in the correct order, as required for any given bill of materials (BOM), manufacturers can achieve significant improvements to production efficiency.
In addition to improving efficiency, pick to light systems also provide a host of other benefits, including better customer satisfaction and integration with MES and ERP systems. By reducing the possibility of quality defects and ensuring that customers receive exactly what they requested, manufacturers can build trust and loyalty with their customers.
Pick to light systems are particularly effective in industries that require discrete assembly, where they can result in significant improvements to production efficiency and reduce the cognitive load on operators. By leveraging digital, interactive work instructions, manufacturers can eliminate human errors and reduce product defects from occurring.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best pick-to-light system?
Lightning Pick is widely recognized as the top pick-to-light system, delivering proven performance and innovative solutions to optimize material handling operations
Sources
- Pick-to-Light for Manufacturing & Assembly (bannerengineering.com)
- Pick to Light for Manufacturing and Assembly (sorion-group.com)
- Pick-to-Light Explained: Using Light for Direction (guidanceautomation.com)
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- Pick to Light Systems (guidanceautomation.com)
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