Voice picking represents one of the most significant changes in order fulfilment over the past decade, consistently creating bottom line savings and competitive advantage. Voice picking is particularly suited to order picking applications where its hands-free, eyes-free operation deliver significant productivity advantages.
Where it fits
Voice picking systems are designed to service fast-medium and medium-slow full case and split case products, making them a flexible choice for order fulfilment.
Use of the technology has shown standard-based picking rates increase by up to 35%, with accuracy rates of 99.9% or higher. Voice picking systems are an economical choice where there are a large number of SKUs to be serviced.
Due to the hands-free, eyes-free operation, workers are able to hear instructions and perform tasks without having to look down at a hand-held computer screen or sort through a pack of picking labels. The voice terminal interacts wirelessly and in real time with the host computer or WMS, prompting the operator through a task with audible commands, and waiting for a verbal confirmation or request.
Easy and Quick to Learn
Our experience has shown that Voice systems require very little training. The operator simply slips on the headset and voice computer, spends around 15 minutes familiarising the computer with their voice, and they can begin work almost immediately. This is very attractive in distribution operations where a large number of temporary staff are often required during peak periods.
Extending Voice into Item Picking Applications
Voice picking has also been fully integrated into zone routing systems for item picking. Item picking applications allow for multiple orders to be batched together for more efficient picking of small orders in pick modules. Alternately, multiple orders can be batched to a pick cart to handle the slowest moving area within a warehouse.
Dematic has implemented thousands of Voice terminals around the world during the past ten years.
