Zone Picking and Its Benefits

Picking is by far the most labour intensive part of warehousing operations. Many studies have explored enhancing the efficiency of various picking methods, with a focus on the Order Batching Problem to optimize the total picking process for multiple shipping destinations.

Zone picking, sometimes referred to as pick and pass, divides a warehouse into dynamic zones based on demand and pick frequencies, where employees are stationed within given zone, so that they only travel within give space rather than covering miles on foot for the whole warehousing area. Considering nearly 60% of the effort in a picking activity being walking, majority of this effort is given  by robots to bring or pick up the products collaboratively with this methodology.

Consequently, robots can cover greater distances than humans without fatigue, accomplish tasks swiftly, and significantly enhance productivity.

Main Highlights

·      Zone picking can significantly improve efficiency when deployed in large warehouses with a wide variety of products.

·      Utilizing robots for picking decreases travel time and congestion among warehouse employees, thus enhancing overall productivity.

·      Zone picking is not universally applicable, but it can be integrated with other methods like wave or batch picking to address the specific requirements of a warehouse.

·      A warehouse management system such as Bottobo WIS (warehouse intelligence system) can simplify the zone picking.

The Advantages of Zone Picking

While beneficial for businesses of various sizes, large warehouses with extensive SKU inventories typically experience the greatest advantages from zone picking.

Increased flexibility

Zones can be customized based on criteria that align with business objectives. Furthermore, zone picking enables the implementation of different processes across various zones or products, rather than a uniform approach throughout the warehouse. For instance, certain zones may optimize order based picking, while others may be more efficient with batch picking (picking multiple orders into a single handling unit). Additionally, employees can utilize specialized equipment in specific aisles, tailored to the requirements of those zones.

Decreased travel time

Workers just stay in their zone, rather than repeatedly travelling throughout the warehouse. This greatly reduces travel time and consequently overall order picking time.

Decreased warehouse traffic

As workers remain within their designated zones, there is a decrease in aisle congestion and fewer individuals moving throughout the warehouse simultaneously, resulting in reduced congestion and bottlenecks.

Increased productivity

Decreased travel time and warehouse congestion both contribute to increased productivity. Additionally, zone picking enables robots and employees to collaborate on fulfilling a single order, resulting in quicker order completion.

Workers become specialized in their zones.

Limited to one zone, workers learn the SKUs and their locations in that zone. That knowledge helps them pick faster and more accurately.

Get started with Bottobo

If you’re interested in utilizing Bottobo solutions like "zone picking" in your warehouse, reach out to us.

What's next? The World in 2050.

In 2050, our city streets hum with electric chargers, while drones zip through the air on delivery missions. With AI and robotics at the helm, the dynamics between humanity and machines have shifted. But what does the future hold for factories? B. Turgut Ulutürk, CEO and co-founder of Bottobo, offers a glimpse into the next quarter-century.

Manufacturing landscapes are on the brink of a profound transformation, as pioneering technologies redefine production methods. Rather than relying on mere speculation, we can draw insights from current innovations to forecast the future. Here, he outline some pivotal technological trends that will revolutionize manufacturing over the next quarter-century:

Human-like Cobots

We are already in the era of collaborative robots. By 2050, robots demonstrate remarkable proficiency in navigating real-world environments and handling a diverse array of 3D objects. Unlike their predecessors confined to rigid movements, this new generation boasts enhanced dexterity and adaptability. They excel in swiftly adapting to novel scenarios and tackling dynamic challenges, drawing from their experiences and exchanging knowledge thanks to ultra-fast wireless internet speeds and vast data gathered from sensors.

These robots possess the capability to swiftly recognize objects, assess situations, and determine appropriate actions in near real-time, facilitating more human-like responses. The "Social Navigation" project, funded by Tübitak, is one of the steps we have taken in this direction for our robots.

Automated Warehouses

In the upcoming decades, automation technologies will spearhead a pivotal shift in the warehouse sector, automating processes related to storage, retrieval, and distribution of goods, thereby revolutionizing traditional practices.

Future factories are expected to integrate automated warehousing systems, leveraging robots, AI, and advanced logistics management to boost efficiency. This integration not only optimizes inventory handling but also paves the way for lights-out manufacturing, where factories autonomously operate around the clock.

Incredibly Cheap and Clean Energy

By the early 2040s, solar and wind power dominate energy provision globally. Solar energy costs plunged by 82% and wind energy by 46% between 2010 and 2020, now constituting only a quarter of their early 2020s expenses. Surplus energy from renewables is efficiently utilized for various purposes, slashing costs for water, materials, manufacturing, and computation. Switching to clean energy reduces over 50% of greenhouse gas emissions, the leading cause of climate change.

Quantum Computing

It has the potential to revolutionize technology much like how mobile phones have surpassed workplace computers in just 30 years. In another 25 to 30 years, quantum computing could render today's AI obsolete, paving the way for systems surpassing human intelligence in numerous aspects.

By 2025, over 4 million AMRs will be installed!

Lately, AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) have transitioned from being a novelty solution, adopted by only a few major corporations like Amazon, to becoming a widely accepted technology with the potential to provide significant advantages to various operations, regardless of size. By 2025, over 4 million commercial robots will be installed in over 50,000 warehouses, up from just under 4,000 robotic warehouses in 2018, according to ABI Research.

Why AMRs are so important?

AMRs operate independently within their environment, relying on a combination of sensors, computers, and software to navigate warehouses autonomously. This advanced technology streamlines warehouse operations, enhancing efficiency by accelerating product delivery. By delegating specific tasks to these bots, productivity increases as order picking times decrease.

However, these developments only begin to uncover the vast potential of AMRs in industry. As technology evolves, AMRs are poised to transform numerous operational facets. Enhanced with state-of-the-art AI software, they intelligently adapt their actions, foreseeing and sidestepping congested zones, obstacles, and areas frequented by workers during breaks or shifts.

3 things to convince you of the necessity of AMRs:

1. Cost Savings

AMRs revolutionize warehouse operations by automating material handling tasks, cutting labor costs, and increasing productivity. They optimize workflows, enhance space utilization, and improve inventory management through real-time tracking.

Equipped with collision avoidance systems, they reduce product damage and are energy-efficient, leading to long-term cost savings. Their scalability and flexibility enable seamless adaptation to changing operational needs, minimizing infrastructure changes and capital expenditures.

2. Efficiency Improvements

AMRs offer clear advantages in efficiency and productivity. By autonomously performing repetitive tasks like picking and transporting goods, they free up human resources for more complex duties. Operating seamlessly in large, cluttered spaces without fixed conveyors or edges, AMRs eliminate the need for manual labor and mitigate workplace injury risks.

3. Scalability and Flexibility

In the past, warehouse automation relied on fixed systems, limiting flexibility and scalability. However, with the rise of AMRs, the focus has shifted towards adaptability and scalability.

Unlike conventional fixed systems, they autonomously traverse dynamic warehouse settings, seamlessly adjusting to evolving layouts, inventory setups, and workflow variations. With cutting-edge sensors, cameras, and mapping capabilities, AMRs intelligently assess their surroundings, dynamically charting the most efficient paths and maneuvering around obstacles on the fly.

Scalability is another distinctive feature of AMR-based warehousing automation. Unlike traditional solutions requiring hefty initial investments and lacking scalability, AMRs provide a cost-effective and easily expandable method for enhancing warehouse operations.

AMRs empower warehouses to adjust their fleets as needed to match fluctuating demands or business expansion goals. Whether it entails deploying more robots during peak seasons or expanding warehouse capacity for growth, AMRs enable rapid and cost-effective scalability of operations.

Warehouses are undergoing a profound transformation, and Bottobo plays a crucial role in this evolution by offering unique solutions that address both technological requirements and cost concerns, providing significant advantages.

Our plug-and-play deployment, rapid setup, and seamless adaptability mean less hassle for warehouses. Our technology boasts effortless adaptability, facilitating easy changes as operational needs evolve, all without requiring significant infrastructure alterations. In essence, we don't just provide a product; we offer a seamless transition that minimizes disruptions and maximizes productivity for warehouse operations.