US Patent 6,775,588
Light Directed
Picking Configurations
with and without Lights
The FastFetch system can operate with a variety of hardware options to support the picking needs of any company. Voice commands are always used to direct a picker to a picking location, and once the target location has been reached, products can be identified and confirmed using light modules or bar code scanning.
Light modules, attached to bay storage locations, enable the picker to very quickly locate since the light modules contain flashing, red LEDs. If a SKU is picked infrequently, and the use of a light module cannot be cost justified, then based on a location number displayed on the screen of the PDA or Tablet PC and voice commands, the SKU is found by visually seaching bay location labels. Once the target bay location is found, the location or SKU bar code must be scanned to confirm correct picking. In a similar manner, cart locations may optionally contain light modules to identify customer orders for placement of picked SKUs.
Many companies find their picking pattern follows an 80/20 rule (or some similar rule) so that 80% of the picked items are distributed across 20% of the SKUs. Accordingly, light modules may only be justified on 20% of the locations that hold high velocity products, while 80% of the locations, with low velocity products, are picked using bar code scanning for confirmation. FastFetch supports this mixed configuration of locations with and without light modules.
In a mixed configuration light modules are typically attached to high velocity SKU locations that are "striped" horizontally on shelves at ergonomically suitable heights. Low velocity SKUs are typically stored at high or low bay locations that aren't as ergonomically suitable for picking.
Cart locations will almost always have light modules unless the "cart" is a vehicle such as a forklift with a single pallet location.