Lucas Systems has introduced a new pick-to-pallet technology designed to help warehouse workers pick multiple pallets and customer locations at the same time without slowing them down.
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The new method uses data science to automatically identify the “best pallet match” for each picking assignment. Instead of assigning pallets simply because orders are going to the same location, the system considers all current orders. It selects the most efficient two or three pallets for each worker.
“It’s inefficient to assign pallets simply because they’re going to the same location or due to other conveniences,” said Andre Lessa, Director of R&D at Lucas Systems. “This is a much more sophisticated way to approach the problem.”
The pallet-matching system updates continuously as orders arrive with varying priorities. That means workers always get the best possible match for each trip across the warehouse, instead of wasting time or doubling back.
“This is a sizable improvement from today’s status quo,” said Ken Ramoutar, Lucas Systems CMO. “Today, warehouses might gravitate toward what’s simple to implement, not necessarily what’s most optimal. For example, they might not pick multiple pallets or stores simultaneously because they believe it would sacrifice accuracy. But this new technology aims to increase accuracy while also adding another layer of optimization.”
The company says the technology is best suited for large, high-volume distribution centers, especially in grocery, food service, and wholesale environments where workers often pick two or three pallets at a time.
Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler, is already using the pallet matching system. AWG serves 1,100 member companies and 3,500 locations across 33 states and says the technology has helped boost efficiency and accuracy inside its nine distribution centers.
“As a Member Owned Cooperative, AWG is always seeking new technology to drive efficiency, safety and compliance in our operations,” said Richard Kearns, EVP of AWG Distribution and Logistics. “The deployment of Lucas Systems allowed us to do this and more. Due to the diverse sizes of our stores, we were able to group orders together, utilizing the pallet matching technology to increase our productivity by reducing our travel path.”
Lucas Systems says some customers have cut travel time and increased productivity from 15 percent to 30 percent. The larger the warehouse, the bigger the gains.
