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Manifest Pick Verification

Automating Pallet and Bulked Item Manifest Pick Verification with Vimaan Computer Vision

Pallet Pick Missions Typically Follow One of Three Methods

Warehouses and distribution centers employ several common methods to choose from when conducting pallet pick missions. Processes will change dependent on resource availability, size of orders, inventory locations and contents of orders. The most common methodologies include:

Batch Picking – best used for picking a large quantity of the same palleted goods at one time. This entails associates picking the same palleted goods for every order on the manifest, which reduces the amount of travel necessitated by the picker and forklifts.
Zone Picking – as the name implies, pickers are assigned to specific areas of the warehouse and handle only specific pallets found in their allocated zone. This also limits the amount of travel required of pickers.
Pick to Order – the most common type of order picking, involves individual pick missions as dictated by the manifest. This can be seen as the least efficient process for order picking and is most susceptible to the wrong SKUs or quantities being selected, in addition to impacting overall picker productivity.

While pick to order missions are widely used, they are also the most susceptible to item fulfillment failures; and this therefore leading 3PLs and Fortune 500 companies have embraced computer vision to improve pallet order picking efficiencies.

Computer Vision Enables Near Real-Time Verification of Pallet Orders

Vimaan solutions help ensure that warehouses maintain high inventory accuracies and know exactly where to find stored goods. As pickers embark on pallet picking missions, Vimaan put-away and cycle counting data ensures they spend more time picking and less time searching. PickTRACK sensors, mounted on MHE, capture label and location data as pallets are picked, Vimaan alerts warehouses when orders are wrong and/or incomplete before the picking mission is complete, ensuring that the right pallets and bulked items are collected for fast and efficient order fulfillment.

Pallet and Bulked Item Pick Verification Implementation

Vimaan helps keep tabs on your inventory the moment it enters your warehouse to the second it leaves. DockTRACK sensors capture incoming inventory and validate both SKUs and quantities against the WMS (or other system of record). Once the intake process is complete, MHEs equipped with PickTRACK carry the inventory to its designated storage location; this put-away activity is reported to the WMS. PickTRACK also tracks stored pallets as they are moved from one area of the warehouse to another thus, supporting future pallet picking missions. By tracking the picks, puts and movements of pallets within, and in and out of the warehouse, Vimaan essentially provides a near real time tracking of pallet locations in the warehouse. All of these processes help lay the groundwork for successful pallet order picking.

How Manifest Pallet Pick Verification Works

pallet-bulded-order-picking-1 - VIMAAN — Manifest pick verification for pallets occurs in near real time during pick missions

Sensors and computer vision cameras are mounted to the MHE to track both its location and any activity performed by the MHE.
When the MHE picks up a pallet, the sensors automatically turn on, and record both the pallet LPN as well as the location of the MHE at that moment.
As the MHE moves through the warehouse with the pallet, the sensors track the motion of the MHE. When the pallet is put down at a certain location (either through a shipping dock door or another bin location), the sensors once again track the location of the pallet.
In this manner, Vimaan can maintain a near real time tracking of both pallet locations as well as MHE locations throughout the warehouse.
Vimaan can directly connect to an existing WMS to highlight discrepancies between locations or order fulfillment tasks.
Accessing pick mission manifests, Vimaan is aware of the SKUs and quantities required for each order.
Inventory location is also precisely available due to previous put-away and cycle counting activity.
The onboard Vimaan terminal provides the driver with precise and efficient directions to goods location.
Vimaan tracks the location of the MHE in real time and verifies that the pallet is taken to the right location, whether it is a shipping dock door or another bin location within the warehouse.

Manifest Pallet Order Pick Verification Capabilities

Pick Path Optimization

PickTRACK identifies the optimum paths to support the most efficient and successful pallet pick missions.
Like a GPS for your car, PickTRACK sensors allow warehouse managers to track MHE locations and activities.

Automated Computer Vision

MHE mounted computer vision sensors automatically detect pallets as they pick or put by the MHE.
PickTRACK sensors capture labels, barcodes, text and other pallet attributes during pick and put-away events.

Task-List-Put-Away-Verification - VIMAAN

Pallet Pick List Validation

Sensor captured pallets are compared and validated against pick manifests.
Warehouse managers and order pickers are alerted in near real time if picked tasks are inaccurate or incomplete before the pickers complete their missions.

Featured Manifest Pick Verification Enabler

ViewDECK Inventory Visualization

All VIMAAN solutions transmit scanned inventory data to the ViewDECK web application for near real-time analysis. ViewDECK is an intuitive tool that allows you to easily search. All ViewDECK data is automatically transmitted to your WMS; ensuring you have the most up to date view of your inventory. Learn more about inventory visualization with ViewDECK.

WHAT IS INVENTORY ACCURACY… AND WHY 3pLs and brands need to care

Manifest order picking verification ensures customer orders are picked correctly the first time, while improving overall picking productivity.

Inventory accuracy is a challenge in almost every warehouse we walk into, and the reasons behind the inaccuracies vary. Understanding the truth behind your inventory involves not just cycle counting of stored inventory but also accurate tracking of inventory movement and reconciling it in near real time against your WMS.

Inventory Accuracy Blog Post