Overview
The Dematic Route Delivery System for Case Pick by SKU Velocity is an order fulfillment system that distribute a product category to the same geographical locations on an established delivery route and regular cadence. Medium and high velocity SKUs are picked by layer and individual case using voice directed devices. Low velocity SKUs are picked from an automated storage sub-system.
The primary application is for beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks, and food distribution operations that make regular deliveries directly to convenience stores, bars, restaurants, grocery stores schools, hospitals, etc. Other applications include distributors of industrial supplies, healthcare products, and parts for automobile, truck, farm, and construction machinery.
Benefits
- Synchronized case pick process for slow, medium, and high velocity inventory
- Eliminate low-velocity pick face replenishment, slotting, re-slotting
- Truck delivery drivers no longer must order picking on truck
System description
The Dematic Route Delivery System for Case Pick by SKU Velocity has a pre-engineered, standardized design configuration that ensures predictable performance. Here is the general order of how the system functions:
Inbound and Put-away
The WMS host directs receiving and put-away management of cases. The system removes cases from pallets — manual de-palletizers for single and mixed case SKU pallets, robotic de-palletizers for single SKU pallets. Conveyor transports low velocity SKUs to the automated storage sub-system.
Outbound Order Fulfillment
The system fulfills orders depending on the type of order:
Mid to high-rate SKUs
- Layer Picking: Manually operated industrial truck with clamp device, voice directed
- Case Picking: Pick to pallet via manually operated pallet truck, voice directed
Low velocity SKUs
- Inventory staged in automated storage buffer and released to top-off conveyor lanes
- Pick to pallet truck from top-off conveyor lanes
Delivery Truck Loading
- Mixed case pallet built for each stop on the route
- Delivery trucks loaded in reverse route stop sequence
System management
The Dematic Warehouse Execution System (WES) software receives orders from the Warehouse Management System (WMS), plans the picking workflow, and accommodates delivery priorities. The Dematic WMS software manages the order fulfillment process for route delivery and monitors the system to detect for anomaly conditions. It provides instructions for case and layer picking via voice technology.
Warehouse Management System (Host)
- Order entry
- Inventory
- Replenishment
Fulfillment orders
Status and completion
Dematic Warehouse Execution System
- Plan delivery routes
- Order prioritization and changes
- Direct picking for reverse stop loading
- Label printing
- Synchronize layer, and case picking
- Visibility and insight
Dematic Warehouse Execution System
- Robotic de-palletizer, conveyor
- Scanners, load sensors
- Automated storage
- Voice devices
Comparison
Dematic case picking systems are more accurate, require less labor to operate, and use less warehouse space than conventional case picking systems.
| Conventional Case Picking | Dematic Route Delivery System |
| Manual operation throughput | Semi-automated with real-time control, visibility, and insight into operations |
| Pick path throughout warehouse for each order | Low, mid, and high velocity SKUs picked via separate method |
| Automation not included | Low velocity SKUs picked automatically and sorted to case pick zone |
| Majority of pick faces are dedicated to low velocity SKUs | Eliminates dedicated pick faces for low velocity SKUs, eliminates slotting and reslotting |
| Large footprint due to dedicated pick faces | Small footprint with high density automated storage sub-system |
| Less throughput capacity in more time | More throughput capacity in less time |
| Dock sorting of orders to load truck in sequence | Order pallets picked for reverse route sequence loading |