New picking system leads the way in automation
June 1st 2011 As part of its commitment to help
customers responsibly drive down
costs, Toyota Material Handling has
developed what is reported to be a
ground-breaking automated order
picking solution.
Built around BT warehouse trucks
equipped with advanced automation
technology integrated with voice
communication and warehouse
management systems, BT
Automated Order Picking is said to
enable productivity gains of up to
40% while substantially reducing
costs and supporting workplace
safety.
The BT Automated Order Picking
solution coordinates pickers and
automated warehouse trucks so that
every time an operator picks an item,
there is always a truck ready to
receive it. The people in the process
are only required to transfer each
item from its pick position on to the
load carrier. This increases picking
productivity and accuracy and
delivers health and safety benefits.
Each picking cycle starts with the
truck navigating automatically to the
first picking position, where the
human picker loads the right goods
on to the truck. As soon as the items
are placed on the pallet, the truck
automatically moves to the next
picking position, effectively escorting
the operator as it does so.When the
pallet or roll cage is full, a new truck
arrives as the first truck travels
automatically to despatch, allowing
the operator to keep on picking.
Automatic order picking also has
health and safety benefits, since
operators no longer have to step on
and off the truck with each picking
stop or navigate the truck through a
busy warehouse. At all times, the
human picker can focus on order
picking rather than truck operation. More articles from Toyota Material Handling (UK) Ltd: | 
