Picking support for Vertical Storage Systems

When purchasing Vertical Storage Systems such as Vertical Carousels or Vertical Lift Modules, there are a variety of choices and add-on options available—one of which is picking aids. The category of picking aids includes various features that make it easier for the picker to select the correct item from the correct location. In this guide, you can read more about different picking aids for Vertical Storage Systems and form your own opinion about what might be a good fit for you.

First and foremost - Control systems and WMS

In order to utilize the picking aids available, the basic requirement is, first and foremost, to have a control system or WMS where information about picking locations, items, or orders is stored. In the simplest configuration, you can use the control panel that the Vertical Storage Systems (VSS) are equipped with to at least manage picking locations. The control panel on a Vertical Lift Module or a Vertical Carousel is often referred to as the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and serves as the basic control system for the Vertical Storage Systems. The PLC itself can also function as the picking aid. Depending on the Vertical Storage System, the PLC may have more or less functionality—fundamentally, it can always be used to select the Tray or picking location that the Vertical Storage System should retrieve. In some cases, the PLC can also handle item data. In short, some advantages and disadvantages of the PLC as a picking aid:

+ Low cost, included in the Vertical Storage Systems
+ Simple if you have a low picking frequency

- Often a small display
- No graphic layout
- If you forget the picking location, it can result in walking/search time if the machine has a wide width

For Vertical Carousels, there are primarily two different picking aids available

As a picking aid for a Vertical Carousel, you can purchase a guide strip that is mounted along the table beneath the opening of the Vertical Carousel. When a shelf is presented, the guide strip indicates where to pick the goods laterally. The guide strip indicates this by illuminating a point, or a section of the strip, that is the same size as the picking location. The guide strip reduces the time it takes to locate the picking spot along the 3–4-meter-wide Vertical Carousel.

+ Low cost
+ Simple if you have a low picking frequency
+ Useful if you have wide-body Vertical Storage Systems

- Does not show the exact picking location
- Does not display product information

Digital list

An upgrade from a traditional list is the use of a digital list. A digital list offers complete flexibility in what information is displayed. Typically, the list shows the item number, quantity, item description, Tray location, and more. A digital list is a highly effective picking aid in a Vertical Carousel, as it increases the likelihood of accurate picking by providing clearer information.

+ Flexibility in what the list should display
+ Improved picking accuracy
+ Suitable for medium to high picking frequencies

- Slightly more expensive than a led list
- Does not show the exact picking location (text only)

Picking aids and Vertical Lift Modules

Like Vertical Carousels, Vertical Lift Modules offer both LED displays and digital displays as picking aids. However, due to the differences in how Vertical Carousels and Vertical Lift Modules operate, there are slightly more varieties of picking aids available for Vertical Lift Modules, and the use of LED displays and digital displays may differ slightly.

LED display and digital display for Vertical Lift Modules

The advantages and disadvantages of LED displays and digital displays for Vertical Lift Modules are largely the same as those of a Vertical Carousel—it is a relatively inexpensive picking aid, and it reduces search time. Unlike a Vertical Carousel, the LED display for a Vertical Lift Module can also show a number indicating the correct depth location for the pick. The same applies to the digital display. Depending on the supplier, the displays may look different; two examples are shown below.

In the example on the left, the guide bar indicates the lateral picking location, while the number on the display in the middle shows the depth picking location. In the example on the right, both the lateral and depth picking locations are shown on the same display.

Laser/LED pointer

A unique picking aid for Vertical Lift Modules (VLM) is a laser or LED pointer that indicates the exact location from which goods should be picked. There are several designs for the pointer, but the most common involves a rail mounted on the ceiling above the opening that moves to point to the correct location. The light spot can come in different formats depending on how many storage locations there are per Tray. If there are many storage locations per Tray, the pointer may feature a concentrated laser dot; if there are fewer, it may be a larger oval or round LED light. In addition to the number of storage locations, it is also important to consider the type of goods when selecting a pointer. An LED light is generally preferable as it provides a larger indicator. If products are stored very closely together, a laser may be necessary to indicate the correct picking location.

+ Indicates the exact picking location
+ Moves to the picking position before the shelf arrives (reduces search time)
+ Reliable even at high picking frequencies

- A more expensive option
- Requires periodic maintenance/calibration

Example of a laser pointer on the left, a finger pointer on the right

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