autopalletp3 explained an order picker’s guide for pallet picklist planning copyright © 2000

AutoPalletP3 AutoPalletP3 ExplainedExplained

An order picker’s guide for

Pallet Picklist Planning

Copyright © 2000

2

Why AutoPalletP3?Why AutoPalletP3?

Why do we have to pick by pallet instead of picking the whole order?What does “AutoPalletP3 Case Picklist” mean?Do I have to follow it?Can’t I just pick it my way?

These are fair questions! Let’s look at why we needAutoPalletP3, and what it really does.

3

The basic objectivesThe basic objectives

ACCURACY

The three key parts of picking customer orders are:

ACCURACY

QUALITY

PRODUCTIVITY

4

AccuracyAccuracy

Picking the right product in the right quantity isessential. AutoPalletP3 helps with the

count, but the final responsibilty is yours.

5

ProductivityProductivity

There’s more to this than just picking faster.

TOTAL COST

Avoid:Un-needed work

Rework

Damage

Mistakes

Productivity refers to the TOTAL cost-effectiveness of the operation.

6

QualityQuality

DAMAGE

The product inside

The case itself

The test is – “If the product is put on the shelf in the store, will the consumer buy it and be pleased with it?”

If the case is crushed, the product WILL be affected. Even if it is O.K. when it leaves the warehouse, it still has a long way to go. And a damaged case will not give the product the protection it needs.

But how can I tell if the product inside is NOT O.K.?

7

Damaged casesDamaged cases

It is your responsibility to make sure the customer is not sent damaged product,and to build loads which will not result in damage during shipment.

Let’s take a look at these examples – each of them is damaged in some way.

How do I decide what would be considered a damaged case?

Damage caused by missing board!

Pallet not properly supported

8

Building a good safe stackBuilding a good safe stack

Stacking cases is a bit like stacking people – the same ideas apply!

Not only will a crushed case result in damaged contents, it has lost its stacking strength.It will allow the cases above it to fall during shipment, and those below it may be leaked on!

9

TransportationTransportation

It may look fine when it leaves our dock

What can happen to it while it’s in the truck?

But 1000 miles of roads can make a lot of difference.

And if the loads are not built correctly, the customer sees a very different load to the one we shipped.

10

Remember the rulesRemember the rules

So there are just a few things to remember as you pick orders…..

11

Remember the rulesRemember the rules

12

Where does AutoPalletP3 fit Where does AutoPalletP3 fit in?in?

I guess that IS a lot to figure out - I think I do a fair job of it, but it takes a lot of time and I sometimes have to change the load around a lot afterwards.

AutoPalletP3 figures it all out for you, and tells you how to build the loads to get the best possible results.

So how does AutoPalletP3 help? What does it do that is better?

13

Meet AutoPalletP3Meet AutoPalletP3

AutoPalletP3 is an Expert System.Think of him (or is it her?) as an expert

in the business of picking orders.

We have trained AutoPalletP3 to plan orders by knowing everything about the product,where the pick locations are, and how we want the loads to be built.

14

How AutoPalletP3 WorksHow AutoPalletP3 Works

AutoPalletP3 works by following a set of RULES.The same RULES the best orderpickers use. AutoPalletP3 also has a scoring system to decide

which RULES are the most important, and how to get the best result for the total order.

15

What AutoPalletP3 providesWhat AutoPalletP3 provides

AutoPalletP3 takes THIS…..and turns it into THESE….

16

What AutoPalletP3 providesWhat AutoPalletP3 provides

So that instead of building THIS….you can build THESE

17

How does it do that?How does it do that?

How is all that possible? How do I know that it is right, and do I have to understand how it works in order to use it?

Luckily for you - and for me, too - AutoPalletP3 is what we call an “Expert System”. Just as we don’t need to know how a computer works, we do not need to understand how AutoPalletP3 works in detail.

Pickers have learned from experience, that if we just trust what AutoPalletP3 tells us to do and follow the instructions, the results will be better than we could do on our own. And we know it saves a lot of planning and decision-making time.

However, if you’d like to know a bit more about AutoPalletP3, I’ll tell you what I know...

18


• AutoPalletP3 is in the Warehouse Management System computer

• Takes each complete order and converts it into Picklists

• Sends each Picklist to you one at a time, so that you can pick in the right order to build good pallet loads

• Uses all the data to plan the order - from case size and product family to product location

19


• Uses more than 20 RULES to make decisions• Uses a penalty scoring system for when 2 rules

conflict• May try up to 500 different solutions for an

order till it gets the best result for the TOTAL order, not just one pallet

• We know that both Quality and Productivity are better when AutoPalletP3 is used

20

Just a few of AutoPalletP3’s Just a few of AutoPalletP3’s rulesrules

Plan the orders as a series of DOUBLE SETS, which when paired up correctly will fit in the truck in the least number of pallet spaces.

The lower set MUST have a flat top, of a large enough area to rest the upper pallet on it without damage. There are height limits for each set.

21


Wherever possible, build in layers of even height, by combining products which have the same height cases.

Use full product layers when available, and if more than one layers is needed of an SKU, start the pallet with that, which might give the picker the chance to use an existing part-load.

22


If an order asks for a quantity which is more than one layer, but not an exact layer quantity, keep it all on one pallet if possible. But if you cannot - because the lowerset must have a flat top - then the odd cases MUST be on the same DOUBLE SET.

23


Minimize layeroverhang. Undersize layers need to go ON TOP OF larger layers, not below them or product may be damaged.OK

24


When making up a layer from mixed cases, there is a minimum“coverage factor”.

This would NOT be a goodlayer.

25


Minimize straddles - this is when a case restson two cases of different heights.

It may be better with odds at the top of anupper set to stack them on top of each other.

OK

26


Do not make a mixed-case layer too large either - it must not overhang the pallet.

However, a full layer of one sku MAY overhang the pallet if this is its normalpattern.OK

27


And there are strict rules tominimize travel distance andrepeat visits to the same location - but these have to be traded offagainst the other rules.

28

How AutoPalletP3 worksHow AutoPalletP3 works

This diagram shows how the data moves through our computers.

29

SummarySummary

• This enhances job security for all of us

• AutoPalletP3 makes your job easier

• Our customers will receive better shipments with less damage

• Because productivity and trailer cubeutilization are improved, our operating costswill decline

autopalletp3 explained an order picker’s guide for pallet picklist planning copyright © 2000

Documents