Improving warehousing efficiency
Simple yet time proven techniques will help you handle materials in the best ways possible.
By David Luton -- Modern Materials Handling, 6/1/1999
Many of the basic methods to improve warehouse efficiency have been around for several decades. As we examine and adopt new materials handling equipment and systems, it's vital that we remember-and even more important-apply these principles together with the new technology or new method.The sidebar suggests five principles to consider as you seek to boost productivity. Although these principles are simple generalizations, here are some additional and more specific operational steps that will be necessary.
Take the first principle-reduce handling-for example. Some of the more specific operating steps for less handling are:
- Reduce one way travel by traveling loaded both ways.
- Lay out your warehouse so that handling the fastest movers requires moving them the least travel distance.
- Cut down on the number of times an item is picked up and let down.
- Organize order picking to reduce travel distance. Yet, don't create a major sortation or staging problem.
Basically, the objective of reduced handling involves minimizing travel distance and time and motion for the entire warehouse. Be sure, however, you don't optimize materials handling in one sector of the warehouse (such as order picking) at the expense of other sectors.
Batch picking, for example, is a practical way to reduce travel distance. But taken to extremes batching orders can create major problems in sortation.
As part of my job as a consultant, I get into a lot of warehouses. It's amazing to see the lost productivity I find at times-just because someone "got a bargain" on equipment. It's also important that you don't lose some of the existing efficiencies as you rush to upgrade systems.
Ensuring warehouse cleanliness and elimination of clutter sound old fashioned. When you examine, however, the average travel time for order picking in a cluttered warehouse or the number of extra handling steps taken to get at a product, you realize the efficiency losses.
Take the basic functions of shipping and receiving. For both, bypassing of staging is a worthy objective on the surface. But sometimes product is staged for non-warehousing purposes; for example, taking Q.C. samples. In this instance, the proper role for a warehouse manager is to work with quality control to get the same information without impacting warehouse efficiency.
From a warehousing operational perspective, staging can perform a vital function as a buffer between various job functions. Properly used, staging can contribute to efficiency by smoothing out variations in workflow.
On the shipping side, pulling full pallets from reserve storage when the outbound truck shows up at the dock can reduce staging needs. In many warehouses the difficulty of organizing this picking from reserve with historical warehouse control systems wasn't possible. With modern RF systems, however, new capabilities arise.
David Luton is a member of the Association of Professional Materials Handling Consultants (APMHC) and can be reached at 416-225-4703.
Consider applying these principles to your warehouse or distribution center:
- Reduce handling
- Select the right sized unit load
- Organize and plan
- Be safe, neat, and tidy
- Obtain and properly use the right equipment
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