Pick Rate Allocation for Constant Labor Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
In materials handling facilities, existing systems face challenges in maintaining constant pick rates to ensure efficient labor planning and avoid spikes, particularly when multiple pick rates overlap in time, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for temporary labor adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A pick rate planning system that determines minimum suggested pick rates to maintain a constant total combined pick rate across overlapping time periods by allocating pick rates flexibly across critical pull times, allowing for adjustments to ensure consistent labor distribution and increased productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pick rates are set to meet multiple critical pull times, then all carrier departures can be satisfied, but pick rate fluctuations and labor spikes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by allocating pick rates to future time periods based on forecasted demand and carrier schedules. The pick rate planning system calculates and assigns pick rates in advance for multiple critical pull times, allowing labor to be distributed more evenly across time periods rather than reacting to immediate demands that cause spikes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies dynamics by making pick rates adjustable and flexible across different time periods and process paths. The pick rate planning system continuously optimizes pick rate allocations based on changing conditions, allowing the system to adapt to various carrier schedules and demand patterns while maintaining stable labor utilization.
2Productivity
If pick rates are increased to meet demand, then all items can be picked in time, but labor costs increase due to temporary adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by calculating and allocating pick rates in advance for multiple critical pull times. This allows the system to smooth out demand peaks by distributing picking work across available time periods, eliminating the need for costly temporary labor adjustments while ensuring all items are picked in time for carrier departures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting pick rates across different time periods and process paths. The pick rate planning system optimizes pick rate parameters to maintain consistent labor utilization, changing pick rate values strategically to meet demand without creating spikes that require expensive temporary labor.
3Ease of operation
If constant pick rates are maintained, then labor planning is simplified, but it becomes difficult to meet multiple overlapping critical pull times
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies segmentation by dividing the picking process into multiple process paths and time periods. The pick rate planning system allocates pick rates to specific process paths (e.g., pick-to-stock, pick-to-order) and time periods separately, allowing constant or smoothly varying pick rates within each segment while collectively satisfying multiple critical pull times through coordinated allocation across all segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies dynamics by making the pick rate allocation system flexible and adaptive across different process paths and time periods. While individual process paths may maintain relatively stable pick rates for ease of labor planning, the overall system dynamically adjusts allocations to ensure all critical pull times are met, balancing operational simplicity with reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A pick rate planning system is utilized to determine pick rates needed for the picking of items in a materials handling facility. Critical pull times (“CPTs”) are determined which indicate times by which items must be picked from inventory. A picking capacity of the materials handling facility is determined and pick rates are allocated as corresponding to regions of the picking capacity that are associated with the CPTs. As part of the allocating of the pick rates, regions of the picking capacity may have portions that result in a level filling of the picking capacity that minimizes spikes and other undesirable fluctuations.