What are order pickers best used for?
Efficiency and speed are the keys to success in the warehouse and logistics industry. Specialised equipment such as order pickers are used to streamline operations and optimize productivity. These versatile machines are designed to modernise the order fulfilment process, enhance efficiency, accuracy, and overall performance. In this article, we'll delve into the exciting realm of order pickers, exploring their capabilities and uncovering the areas where they truly excel. 1. High-Density Picking: Order pickers are specifically tailored to tackle high-density picking environments, where a large volume of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) needs to be efficiently retrieved. Here's why order pickers are best used for this demanding task: Vertical Reach: Order pickers are equipped with vertical lift capabilities, allowing operators to reach heights that standard forklifts cannot. With elevated platforms and adjustable forks, order pickers enable easy access to upper-level shelves, maximizing storage capacity and optimizing picking efficiency. Narrow Aisle Manoeuvrability: With their compact design and exceptional agility, order pickers are well-suited for navigating narrow aisles. This ensures efficient movement between racks and minimizes the time spent traveling, resulting in faster picking speeds and improved overall productivity. Operator Comfort and Safety: Order pickers prioritize operator comfort and safety. They are equipped with features such as operator platforms with guardrails, ergonomic controls, and enhanced visibility, ensuring that operators can perform their tasks with ease and confidence, even at elevated heights.
2.Case Picking and Piece Picking: Order pickers excel in both case picking and piece picking scenarios, offering distinct advantages in each area: Case Picking: When it comes to case picking, where entire cases of products are selected for orders, order pickers shine. With their vertical reach and adjustable forks, operators can easily retrieve and stack entire cases onto pallets or carts, streamlining the process and reducing manual handling. Piece Picking: Order pickers are equally adept at piece picking, where individual items or smaller quantities need to be collected. The ability to access different shelf levels efficiently, combined with improved manoeuvrability, allows operators to quickly retrieve items from various locations, ensuring accuracy and maximizing throughput.
3. Multi-Level Warehouses: In multi-level warehouses, order pickers are essential for maximizing storage space and streamlining order fulfilment: Vertical Storage Optimization: With their impressive vertical reach, order pickers enable efficient utilization of vertical warehouse space. Operators can easily access and retrieve products from upper levels, reducing the need for manual picking or additional equipment like ladders or scissor lifts. Time and Cost Savings: By eliminating the need for additional equipment or manual picking methods, order pickers save valuable time and resources. The ability to efficiently navigate multi-level warehouses and reach products at different heights minimizes travel time and increases the number of orders fulfilled within a given timeframe. Inventory Accuracy: Order pickers contribute to improved inventory accuracy in multi-level warehouses. With their precision and ease of access to different shelving levels, operators can quickly locate and pick the correct items, reducing errors and ensuring order accuracy. With their outstanding features of order pickers, they are the perfect solution for high-density picking, case picking, piece picking, and multi-level warehouse operations. Businesses can gain a competitive advantage in the ever-evolving logistics industry with the help of order pickers.