- Issues
- The company has difficulty increasing the number of operators, and so aims to increase operator productivity and reduce shipping mistakes.
- In light of the time it takes to respond to complaints about shipping mistakes, the company wants to prevent operators from inserting items into the wrong openings.
- The company does not want to use separate racks for drink crates and milk crates; they want to use the same racks for both.
- The company wants to use the racks wherever they are needed in the warehouse due to volume and timing. They also want to store the racks in a different place when they are not being used.
- introduction
- Dramatic reduction of wrong-row insertion errors!
- Affixing a different color of LED tape to each row prevents operators from inserting items into the wrong row.
- The racks are movable, making it possible to use warehouse space effectively.
Solution
Put-to-light systems + LED Tape
Video of Case Study
Racks
Movable racks that prevent inserting errors in all directions
a. Blue, red, and green LED tape was affixed to the respective openings to prevent operators from inserting items into openings on the wrong row.
b. Partitions were installed to prevent operators from inserting items into the wrong opening in a given row.
c. The dimensions of the racks can be changed to accommodate both drink crates and milk crates.
d. Casters were added to the racks, and the Ethernet junction boxes were replaced with wireless systems. Now, the company is free to move the racks anywhere in the warehouse.
Workflow
Wireless put to light system (Put to light systems) for simultaneous sorting by multiple operators
① Use a handy terminal to select one of four colors to use, and scan the merchandise. The gross weight is displayed on the handy terminal.
② The display panel for the block of the selected color lights up.
③ The operator inserts the merchandise into the opening illuminated by the light module and LED lamp, and pushes down the display panel.
