Batch picking simply means groups of orders are picked together at the same time. When batching is done correctly a picker will reduce travel, save time and minimize repetitive visits to the same spot in the warehouse.
Batch picking involves picking products and orders that are of 
the same SKU and therefore will most likely all be picked into one large tote and then allocated to individual orders when they are packed up.
Batch Picking Benefits
Labor is the single largest operating cost in most DCs, and travel often accounts for half of all labor time, especially in order picking. Batching allows for pickers to travel half the distance when batching orders. If 10 orders are batched together a pickers will be able to pass through a certain part of a warehouse once as opposed to 10 times, leading to higher productivity rates.
A higher productivity rate for an employee helps them meet their requirements and exceed expectations. Picker morale will be raised leading to better retention of employees.
Typical Batching From Warehouse Management Systems
A typical WMS picking application batches orders by grouping the first X orders in the work queue on a first-in-first-out basis, or based on order priority, without taking travel distance or other factors into account. More advanced systems may use simplistic location-based batching rules that take account of product locations to group orders.
Lucas Batching With DWO
Lucas Dynamic Work Optimization (DWO) uses advanced mathematical models and artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce travel 30-70%. Customers using DWO have more than doubled picking productivity and cut labor hours in half without making any changes to their warehouse layout or adding expensive automation or robotics.
DWO weights a number of factors in addition to travel and applies Lucas algorithms to determine which orders and items should be grouped together in a batch. The Lucas tool considers the following factors, which can be weighted differently in different operations:
- Order priority
- Product locations
- Product dimensions
- Starting and ending points
- Potential travel path
- User Permissions
Interested In Learning More About Intelligent Batching?
Lucas Dynamic Work Optimization takes into account more than just batching orders together. DWO helps optimize picker paths so they are taking the most optimized route throughout the warehouse. This module of Lucas Engage has reduce travel time 30-70% and has led to greater than a 120% increase in lines picked per hour. Watch this short animation below to learn more about intelligent batching in your DC. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more or schedule a demo here.
