Color-Switching Eye-Catcher Indicators for Warehouse Picking Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing warehouse management systems lack efficient methods to guide pickers intuitively and reduce fatigue during order picking, particularly in large warehouses with multiple storage units and picking trolleys.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a warehouse management system that utilizes eye-catching indicators with remotely switchable colors on picking trolleys and access stations, synchronizing their colors to easily identify matching picking trolleys and access stations, thereby streamlining the picking process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional warehouse management systems are used without color-coded guidance, then the system complexity is low, but the ease of operation for pickers deteriorates due to difficulty in locating storage units and picking trolleys
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-coded eye-catching indicators on storage units, picking trolleys, and picker wearables to enable intuitive visual identification and matching. The color synchronization system automatically assigns and updates colors across multiple components, allowing pickers to quickly locate their assigned storage units and trolleys without complex interfaces or manual configuration.
2Productivity
If manual guidance methods are used for pickers, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming location of storage units and picking trolleys
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors picker position, assigned storage units, and picking trolley locations, then automatically updates color indicators in real-time. This feedback loop ensures that pickers always see current, accurate color codes that reflect their current task status, enabling rapid navigation without manual intervention or complex manual guidance procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual guidance methods (paper lists, verbal instructions) with an automated optical signaling system. The warehouse management system electronically controls color indicators on storage units, trolleys, and wearables, substituting mechanical/manual information delivery with automated visual feedback that instantly guides pickers to their next tasks.
3Ease of operation
If color-coded guidance with multiple indicators is implemented, then the ease of operation improves, but the loss of information increases due to potential color confusion between multiple pickers and equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The color synchronization system serves multiple functions simultaneously: identifying storage units, marking picking trolleys, and indicating picker assignments. By using a single centralized color assignment mechanism that coordinates all these elements, the system eliminates color confusion that would arise from independent color coding of each component, ensuring consistent color information across the entire picking ecosystem.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a warehouse management system (6), to an order picking and warehouse system (1) and to an order picking method and to a computer program product (77). In order to configure the picking of items so as to be able to be changed in an intuitive and flexible manner, the invention provides a warehouse management system (6) for controlling order picking by way of at least one order picking trolley (11) for storing items (9) from a set (45) of order picking instructions (43) and by way of at least one storage unit (5) having storage areas (27) for storing the items (9) and at least one access station (29) for the items (9) to be accessed by an order picker (7), wherein the order picking trolley (11) and the access station (29) are each provided with an eye-catching transmitter (35, 51) and at least one of the eye-catching transmitters (35, 51) has a display area (37, 55) with a colour (A, B) able to be changed by remote control, wherein the warehouse management system (6) is designed to automatically detect whether at least one item (9) from the set (45) is positioned in the access station (29) in a manner ready to be accessed by the order picker (7), and to automatically change the colour (A, B) of the at least one eye-catching transmitter (35. 51) able to be changed by remote control to the colour (A, B) of the other eye-catching transmitter (35, 51) if it has been detected that the item (9) is positioned in a manner ready to be accessed. For the order picking and warehouse system (1), there is provision for it to have a warehouse management system (6) according to the invention and to also have at least one order picking trolley (11) that is provided with an eye-catching transmitter (51) having a coloured display area (55), and to comprise at least one storage unit (5) that is provided with a further eye-catching transmitter (35) having a coloured display area (37), wherein at least one display area (37, 55) has a colour (A, B) able to be changed by remote control by the warehouse management system (6).