Warehouse Optimization Solutions
Lucas Systems
Apex Tool Group is one of the leading global manufacturers of professional hand and power tools. The company’s half million square foot central distribution center in North Carolina serves multiple channels, including direct-to-consumer fulfillment, B2B distribution to retailers, as well as shipments to other ATG DCs throughout the world.
Although Apex was using RF and pick-to-light, the picking processes were complex and inefficient and overtime was common. Secondly, work release was highly manual and pickers would ultimately decide the sequence in which orders were picked, which sometimes caused items to ship late, among other issues. Apex implemented Lucas to help alleviate labor challenges and more efficiently meet stringent quality demands of its customer base
The DC receives product from ATG manufacturing plants in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, and processes 3,000-4,000 outbound shipments per day. The facility has 28,000 pallet locations and more than 16,000 individual pick faces, including case pick and each pick locations across multiple zones with a variety of picking processes and technology.
The WMS provided RF-based work execution and integrated with conveyor and sortation systems, and a pick-to-light module for each picking. Despite using RF and pick-to-light, picking processes were complex and inefficient, causing frequent overtime.
Additionally, work release was highly manual. The WMS would print the labels for all orders for the day and a planner would sort the labels by carrier and shipment. The pickers would ultimately decide the sequence in which orders were picked, which sometimes caused items to ship late, among other issues. Errors and late shipments are especially costly when shipping to big box
The WMS printed the labels and a planner would sort the labels by carrier and shipment.
Picking errors and late shipments were very costly when shipping to big box retailers.
The picking processes were complex and inefficient, causing everyone to work overtime.
The current WMS sends orders to Lucas and Jennifer™, the voice and intelligence of the Lucas software manages the creation and release of work assignments across the facility.
The Lucas solution also included a management console that gives supervisors real-time insight on productivity, workflow, exceptions, and other operational data.
Workers were equipped with multi-modal mobile applications on android devices to maximize efficiency with voice, scanning and visual prompts.
Lucas voice-directed applications are used for post-pick dock sortation and all picking processes in every area of the DC: pick-to-cart, pick-to-carton, case pick and non-conveyable.
Jennifer™ creates optimized batch picking assignments for different cart configurations in the main piece picking area while defining optimal pick paths for each cart pick assignment in the area.
Post-pick QC/Audit application uses barcode scanning to replace a manual visual audit process.
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