PICK TO LIGHT
Questions & Answers
General Pick to Light Questions
What is a Pick-to-Light system?
Pick to Light is a paperless picking system that enables you to reduce picking errors. The system guides the operator by light illumination to pick the correct items and quantities.
Where can a Pick to Light system be used
Kitting
Pick to Light ensures that kits are assembled quickly and accurately and are delivered to the next stage of production at the right time.
Manufacturing & Assembly
Pick to Light can be used in combination with guided assembly systems and assembly jigs to help improve production efficiency and reduce errors. The system guides the operator to pick the correct parts in the correct sequence for an assembly process.
Logistics
The system is used in logistics for quick and accurate order picking, stocking and replenishment.
Is Pick to Light right for my organisation?
Before implementing a Pick to Light system, you should consider the following:
Number of SKUs:
Warehouse: Pick to Light is best for warehouses with a large enough number of SKUs to warrant the investment.
Assembly cell: Often several product variants are assembled at an assembly workstation. Pick to Light is ideal to reduce errors in assembly cells with a large number of product variants and several components.
Performance goals:
Evaluate your current process. If you can benefit from improved accuracy of order picking and removing errors, Pick to Light is viable.
However, if your current system is accurate and cost-effective, the change may not be needed.
Staff turnover:
The system requires minimal training and is ideal if you employ seasonal or temporary staff.
Select a flexible system that can grow with you:
Consider implementing a Pick to Light solution in one or two work zones initially. Once you are familiar with the system and see the cost justification, you can continue to roll it out throughout your facility.
What software does Pick-to-Light use?
Driven by Sorion’s Pick-to-Light control engine, the system interfaces with the core Sextans-RT software, allowing easy configuration.
Sorion’s software informs and records the part reference, which bin the part is in, the quantities that need picking for each build variant and a part description.
Does the system support multiple pickers/orders in the same zone?
Pick-by-Light devices have a multicoloured confirmation button so that specific colours can be assigned for operators. This allows for the preparation of several simultaneous orders and several operators in the same area.
Does the picker need to press the button to acknowledge the pick?
Completed operations can be acknowledged either manually or automatically, depending on the light module fitted.
Some light modules have a sensor fitted whereby the pick is determined via either movement beneath the module (within 15cm) or by button press.
Picking acknowledgement can also be done by scanning the barcode on the item.
Installation
How many light modules can be used with one controller?
Depending on the specific light modules chosen, a basic controller can be used to control up to 50 light modules. Larger controllers are also available that can control up to 250 modules over 5 runs of AI-Net; via RS485 connected junction boxes a total of 7999 modules can be controlled from a single Ethernet connection.
How can the light modules be mounted?
The most flexible solution is to install the aluminium ducting and cable across length of selection bins and for the modules to be clicked in place as required.
What if I need to expand the system later?
Sorion’s Pick to Light devices are easy to mount and reconfigure, making it easy to extend the system and adding new pick modules.
Put to Light
What is Put to Light?
A Put to Light system uses light modules to direct operators to the correct location to put items into.
Put to Light is a sorting method to break down batch picked products into smaller individual orders. The solution is perfect for ecommerce order fulfilment.
Where can a Put to Light system be used?
Put to Light is used on put walls and other sorting equipment
What is a classic Put to Light process?
At the Put to Light area, the operator will scan a barcode on individual items and the lights will indicate where the item needs to be placed.
The operators distribute the items accordingly and confirm once the task is complete.