Significant improvement in space saving and work efficiency with the pick and sort system.

Introduction video of the case study.

Combination of conveyor system, pick & sort system, and inspection system.

No need for lists! Space saving and improved efficiency in the EC logistics field.

Background of the implementation

We wanted to improve the round-trip walking distance with list picking.

We were conducting operations based on list picking, and wanted to make early improvements as the efficiency of work was poor due to the continuous walking involved.

Due to frequent changes in items, it is difficult to predict shipping trends.

With many limited-time and non-regular items, as well as frequent changes in shipping trends, we were struggling with on-site operations such as handling replacements.

There is a bias towards items with high shipping frequency.

The high frequency of certain items in shipments led to challenges in how to improve the organization and efficiency of locations and picking.

There was a need to operate the site with a limited number of workers.

Due to the recent labor shortage, we were unable to deploy a large number of workers, so we needed a system that could operate with a limited number of people.

There was a need to be able to handle future increases in volume of goods.

We anticipate a 1.3-fold increase in shipping volume in the future, and we were looking for a flexible system that could handle the increased volume, as our current workflow would not be able to cope with.

The deciding factor for implementation

The optimal consulting proposal.

By conducting a consulting proposal with numerical evidence in mind for both the future increase and current volume of goods, we were able to build an optimal operational proposal based on data.

Impact after implementation

We are now able to handle shipments for 40 items in one operation.

By processing 40 order sorting bins on the conveyor as one operation, we were able to significantly reduce walking distance.

We were able to perform total picking without preparing a temporary storage area.

By performing total picking from the shelves and being able to sort orders on the spot, we were able to consolidate in one place and work without preparing a temporary storage area.

The elimination of lists has improved the shipping processing capacity.

With no need to carry picking lists and by conveying sorting bins on the conveyor, there was no unnecessary walking, resulting in an increase in shipping processing capacity by about 1.3 times.

We were able to improve to a quick inspection flow similar to a POS register.

By introducing a POS register-style inspection process in the later stages, we were able to improve the inspection process without any delays.

We are now able to work without having to remember the items each time.

The site had frequent item changes, requiring workers to have product knowledge. However, through systemization, workers no longer need product knowledge and can easily perform their tasks.