Glossary


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1) Picking

The act of selecting and accumulating items that have been ordered, usually done under a well defined process that takes into account historical order patterns for all items eligible to be ordered.

2) Batch pick

The combining of a group of order requirements by SKU into a single picking activity to optimize productivity by allowing one picker to select all the ordered merchandise within a predetermined group with one trip through the pick path.  Batch picking requires subsequent mechanical or manual sorting of the merchandise to reestablish order integrity before shipping.

3) Case pick

The selection of merchandise packaged in shippable cartons for orders from a pick location onto a transporting device (conveyor, cart, pallet).

4) Order picking

Order picking or order selection is the process of retrieving individual items (from storage locations) for the purpose of fulfilling an order for a customer. Schemes by which to achieve efficient order picking will vary widely. However, in all cases it involves locating the items in storage; creating a plan for retrieving the items; physically picking the items (either automatically or manually); sorting and/or assembling them into discrete orders; and in the end even packaging the orders for delivery. Although defined as a process, order picking cannot be achieved without the appropriate computer software and mechanical equipment, including the storage medium, such as pallet racks, shelving, AS/RS (including carousels) and flow delivery racks, and a means for transporting items from receiving to storage and from storage to packaging and shipment. A variety of industrial trucks and conveyors will be found in most order picking applications. Order picking may also involve robotic like devices for physically picking discrete items from their storage location. See also Warehouse Management Systems or WMS .

5) Pick and place industrial robot

The "pick and place" industrial robot is used to feed or disengage parts or tools to or from a machine, or to transfer parts from one machine to another. A variation of a "pick and place" robot is used to build and undo unit loads on a pallet.

6) A-frame picking system

Utilized to facilitate the picking of a wide size and shape variety of individual items, the A-frame is extremely popular with drug and pharmaceutical distribution facilities.  As the name implies, individual items are loaded or stacked in two rows of dispensing magazines (one or more magazines per item) that are arranged side-by-side, forming an "A-frame".  A belt conveyor passes through the long tunnel created by the A-frame.  As orders are filled, one at a time, items automatically dispensed from the bottom of selected magazines are kicked onto the belt conveyor, and then they are carried to the end of the tunnel where they fall into a tote.  The tote is then transported by another conveyor to an order and/or packing station.

7) Unit load picking

The act of removing unit loads from stock or storage.

8) Split case order picking

A  process used to fill orders for quantities less than a full case thereby requiring ordered items to be picked from a case or some similar container.

9) Case pick from pallet

This is a selection activity performed within a specific type of storage area (often pallet rack).  Merchandise movement into these locations is in pallet load quantities from receiving or reserve storage locations.  Merchandise movement out of these locations is in case quantities.

10) Operator-to-stock equipment

A device that brings a person to stationary storage locations to pick items.

11) Active storage

The area where materials, parts, carton, packages, etc. are stored for use in replenishing a picking or fulfillment operation

12) Shelving service aisle

The area in front of a unit or row of units required to service (pick or place stock into or out of the shelving unit.

13) Tote

A container generally used for order-picking and shipping of items.  Usually small in size and easily moved by hand or other lifting devices and designed to be durable and reusable.

14) Cube-based storage

Ultra-high density goods-to-person piece picking system which utilizes robots to store and retrieve inventory bins from a cubical storage grid.

15) Dynamic storage system

A storage system that provides varying means of either mechanically moving storage locations or loads within the systems so as to increase storage density and/or to increase storage, retrieval and order picking throughput.