What data do I need for successful optimization?

To optimize efficiently your order preparation, precise data on your warehouse and your products are necessary. Four types of data are required:

• Warehouse: description of the warehouse’s geometry (one-way arcs, two-way edges, and junction nodes, with their occupancy capacity) and the direction of traffic in aisles and bays (directional restrictions);
• Products: a list of required products with their geolocation in the warehouse and their characterization (fragile, heavy, light, etc.);
• Orders: the list of product orders (individual or batch), and the popularity of products (items subject to high turnover or with significant sales volumes, promotional campaigns);
• Resources: list of human resources or robotic picking machines (AGV, AMR) with their working time window, base of departure, expertise, and individual preparation and transit time.

This data will enable to boost the automation of your warehouses, in order to increase the efficiency of your picking and slotting.

What types of problems are addressed?

Picking and slotting optimization solvers allow to tackle the most complex problems on challenges such as:

• Batching and order preparation: The objective is to optimize the assignment of orders to pickers to minimize order preparation times and create synergies during picking.
• Picking and restocking routes: Optimize the picking circuit of operators in synergy with order preparation, taking into account traffic and congestion rules (both in picking and replenishment) such as multiple start and end points, mandatory stops, as well as priorities, zones, and time slots.
• Slotting optimization: Reconfigure the stock matrix in your warehouses by determining the optimal storage location for each product by family and placement sector. All while considering criteria such as product turnover, their average sales, promotional campaigns (e.g., placing high turnover products on racks and shelves at human height). Improve the performance of pickers and their picking capacities while saving on handling.

Benefits of Picking Optimization

By integrating solutions such as optimization of order preparation and picking routes, as well as the automation of slotting, companies can not only improve their operational efficiency but also synchronize their warehouse and transportation operations more effectively.

In a similar use case, the tool allowed for a 20% reduction in order preparation time thanks to the simultaneous optimization of order allocation and the routing of picking. Productivity gains and load smoothing are direct benefits of these optimizations.

From the strategic level to the operational level, our picking and slotting optimization software can enhance your Warehouse Management System (WMS) and your Order Management System (OMS), thanks to advanced decision-support features that take into account all your most complex constraints.