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Material Handling Information - Advanced Applications - Forward Pick Designs
   
Advanced Applications
Forward Pick Designs
By Cris S. Stevens
Senior Logistics Engineer, Daifuku America Corporation

Description

In many distribution centers, most orders are picked from the bulk warehouse, while a forward pick area is set up for faster, more efficient picking of selected high-volume SKUs. The forward pick area is usually replenished from bulk storage.

Designs for forward pick operations are generally based on the following parameters:
  • Part activity
  • Part profiles
  • Order profiles
  • Part size/weight
  • Building configuration
  • Space or layout constraints
  • Manpower availability
Assumptions

The five forward pick designs detailed below are general examples based on real-world operating parameters. Consult a material handling systems professional to design a forward pick system specific to your requirements.

Each design is based on the following:
  • 400 SKUs, future expansion capability to 480 SKUs
  • 80/20 activity rule applies (80% of activity comes from 20% of the SKUs)
  • Peak design rate = 3,200 picks per shift (7.3 hours) = 438 picks/hr.
  • For the 80% category (picking activity)
    • 80 SKUs
    • 350 picks/hr
  • For 20% category (picking activity)
    • 320 SKUs
    • 88 picks/hr.
  • Each flow rack bay holds about 30 SKUs
  • The business is very cyclic with both peak order times and very slow times.
  • Ceiling clear height is 25 ft.
  • The picking solution controls will accept an electronic pick list download from the host computer.
Sample Forward Pick Designs
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