Voice system increases productivity 70%

By Noel P. Bodenburg, Managing Editor -- Modern Materials Handling, 2/1/2007

Picking accuracy soars, too, when liquor distributor replaces paper-based system.

Southern Wine and Spirits in Louisville needed to keep up with growing demand. The largest distributor of wine and spirits in Kentucky, and subsidiary of Southern Wine and Spirits of America, operates a 180,000 square foot DC that had steadily increased throughput as the company added brands and expanded its customer base.

To replace the paper-based picking system, the managers installed a voice-directed solution (Lucas Systems, 724-940-7000, www.lucasware.com) with dramatic results. Using voice, workers in the fast-pick area now pick an overall average of 480 bottles per hour, about 70% higher than before. Several workers average more than 545 bottles per hour.

Big productivity gains also have been achieved in the pick-to-cart area and order accuracy is improved. In addition, outgoing boxes are more organized and the system-generated case labels clearly identify the shipment destination and contents. This saves time during delivery, and makes it easier for the customer to receive merchandise.

"Employees like that they can track how fast they are working," says Mark Booth, senior project manager at Southern Wine and Spirits. "This allows them to measure their work and compete in contests. And because the voice system is hands-free, the employees can use both hands when they are handling heavy glass bottles."

Workers pick bottles of high-volume products from flow racks to cartons on conveyors. Others use the system for picking bottles of slower-moving products to carts. Instead of reading orders from paper pick-lists, workers get verbal direction via a headset connected to a wearable terminal.

The system states the pick location. Once there, workers read a two-digit check string back to confirm they are at the right location. Workers are then told the quantity to pick and the carton or cart location to place the picks. The system can also verify that the correct item has been picked by asking the worker to read the last three digits of the UPC label on the items selected. Once the picks are confirmed, the system directs the worker to the next pick location.

The voice-directed picking process allows workers to focus their eyes on bottle locations and carton identifiers rather than picking sheets. And, they can use both hands to grab several, sometimes heavy, bottles at a time.