How Can Wave-Picking Help Your Company?

In this fast-paced realm of technology, time is very important. Thus, almost all types of companies try to get their products out and put them onto the shelves of a store as soon as possible. Due to this, the procedure called wave-picking is becoming quite popular day by day. For example, over the last few years, the global market of supply chain management expanded more than twice.

Now, you may wonder what wave-picking is and why it is vital for a successful storehouse operation, right? So, let us discuss some vital pieces of information regarding wave-picking that will surely help you out.

Wave Picking or Cluster Picking: What Is It?  

Wave Picking is also quite popular among companies as Cluster picking. It is one of those order-picking systems that many reliable warehouses prefer to enhance efficiency. This popular procedure includes releasing certain orders to the floor for fulfillment. It usually depends on a common factor, like items, shipping date, warehouse zone, etc. 

In fact, this procedure called wave picking helps numerous teams to meet all their requirements, like meeting the deadline of shipping, filing a set of orders per shift, etc 

However, to perform like this, it needs to focus on the time when the orders are picked. Generally, management can work perfectly with waves, or you may say, short picking intervals that can correspond with some other variables of warehouse. Those may be the schedule of departure or transportation plan. 

As a result, all the orders are correctly grouped and even picked. However, it happens only at specific times of day. Just by eliminating the picker idle time, teams can easily enjoy efficiency. 

Thus, pickers don’t have to waste their time waiting for instruction, as a wave could not be scheduled until all orders of a specific deadline have entered.

All Important Features about Wave Picking 

vs. Zone Picking ​

In some situations, you may confuse wave picking with another notable picking methodology that is Zone Picking. However, these two are not the same because zone picking is defined by the place where your items are picked.

However, there are some warehouses that use these two together. So, here are some important features that you should know.

 ● Wave picking cannot describe a defined and single process, as you will see multiple variations of wave picking. Moreover, in some cases, many companies combine it with several other picking methodologies. 

● Wave picking has the power to improve the efficiency of order picking. It happens by scheduling waves as per carrier, shipping schedule and various other factors. 

● Another notable feature is that wave picking depends a lot on complex data analysis. Also, this analysis is best done by an efficient WMS or warehouse management system. 

● There are several benefits of choosing wave picking. Some of those are less travel time, timely shipping, and even fewer bottlenecks. However, it isn't easy to process several last-minute orders.

The Working Procedure of Wave Picking

Now, after knowing what wave picking is and how it helps, you may want to know how does it work, right? Although the concept is easy to understand, performing the procedure flawlessly can be quite hard. The reason is that it needs the support and collaboration of various roles that are involve in various tasks. Some of those are order fulfillment procedures that include freight companies, receiving, shipping, and many more.  

Thus, if you wish to implement a complete and efficient wave picking procedure, then you must utilize it as a three-step procedure. The steps are as follows:  

1. Pre-Wave Picking

This is the first step that involves the task of scheduling the waves as per certain variables. These business process orders have to be grouped and scheduled quite logically. If you try to group them by shipping time, then picking should have sufficient lead time. Thus, it can pick the right orders and pack them before the departure time given by the shipping partner.

This entire planning procedure will become much easier if it gets the assistance of a WMS or warehouse management system.

2. Performing Wave Picking

It is the second step in the procedure and involves the task of picking. Moreover, with the help of technology like hand-held mobile scanners it has become more efficient than before. Rather than using paper pick slips, these scanners can offer direct pickers and digital pick lists to different product locations. 

You can easily link these technologies to a chart optimal pick route and a WMS, along with tracking the steps of the entire procedure. With an efficient hand-held picking device, the entire procedure of wave picking works as follows: 

● In most cases, a picker first get a pick list for almost 4-12 orders per wave. 

● Next, the picker usually uses a multi-tote cart, as it will keep the orders separate. 

● After that, pickers are sent to all storage locations in sequence, and the portable device informs the quantity and SKU to pick. Pickers pull the right product and scan its barcode, and hence, they can confirm the pick. 

● Then, pickers have to put the right product in the correct tote and then scan the barcode of the tote to confirm. 

● Finally, pickers are directed to the next pick and after that the entire procedure repeats till the completion of all orders.

3. Post-Wave Picking

It is the third stage that takes place after all items are properly picked. In some situations, after pickup, orders are kept separate. It can become quite easy with the help of discrete totes and mobile scanners. 

However, if these orders are not separated, they must be properly organized for sorting. After that, these must be packed for shipping.

The Way in Which Waves are Grouped  

  It is another vital part of wave picking. In fact, how a company groups its wave depends a lot on different types of factors. Moreover, it can even change from business to business or even day by day. This remarkable speed is one of the most important benefits of this procedure called wave picking.

  Now, let us discuss some vital methods with which you can group your wave.

● Shipping Schedules 

Today, there are numerous warehouses that ship their products using various delivery schedules. Those include express delivery, ground shipping, or even next-day delivery. However, all of these have different pickup times.  

The procedure of wave grouping that depends on shipping schedule can make sure that all the orders become ready before the scheduled time. Hence, the carriers can work on time and even customers can get their orders on time.  

● Like Products 

One of the most common ways to perform wave pick is to choose items that are quite similar. Those similar kinds of products are generally grouped in a shared area.  

● Changes in Shift 

  You may perform wave grouping to take the full advantage of peak staffing. With this, you can also make sure that the entire picking task is complete prior to a change in shift. Completing wave grouping within a single shift is vital before changes in workers in the middle of work may result in unwanted errors.

● Warehouse Priorities 

The priorities of a warehouse may vary as per the needs of your business. For instance, a warehouse can prioritize the orders that are ordered by the largest customer. Companies can even group orders that have a good number of perishable products. Most importantly, companies need to schedule their waves to tackle orders with utmost priority.

● Carriers 

In most cases, different carriers have different times of pickup, as well as shipping and pricing guidelines. Thus, warehouses that depend on multiple carriers may group their waves according to a certain carrier to save their money and time

Wave Picking and Its Advantages 

Now, let us go through some interesting advantages of choosing wave-picking. Some of those are as follows:  

● Increased Accuracy 

  After your orders are correctly picked and go to sorting, the packing team may double-check the count of SKU. This will make sure that all orders are fulfilled correctly.

● Fewer Bottlenecks 

In the case of a single order picking, companies may face the risks of having too much equipment, too many people, or even both. 

However, wave picking can direct those people or equipment at different times while working. This usually results in greater productivity as well as less congestion.

● On-time Shipping  

Wave picking usually makes it easy to build in the required lead time to complete orders prior to shipping cut-off times. It is usually done just by analyzing resources, orders, and shipping schedules.

Disadvantages of Wave Picking 

  Though wave picking has various types of advantages to offer, it still has a few disadvantages that you have to know before using it. Some of those are as follows:

● Multiple Pickers can be Confusing 

As wave picking needs multiple workers, it may create some confusion in the warehouse if you don’t have an effective WMS.  

● May Add Another Step 

  If your orders are not picked into a carton directly, then they should be sent to get sorted and packed. This may increase another step in the entire procedure, and waste some more time

● Delay in Urgent Orders

In most situations, wave picking depends a lot on strict schedules. Thus, it can be a tough job to keep track of emergency or high-priority orders that come in an urgent basis. 

If you wish to satisfy your customers at any cost, then using this as the only procedure may disrupt the current workflow.  

Optimizing a Wave Picking Strategy: Five Important Tips 

After discussing the advantages and disadvantages of wave-picking, let us go through the most important steps to optimize your wave-picking strategy. The steps are as follows:  

1. Select an Efficient WMS 

  Wave picking needs a robust WMS, as the entire procedure needs to handle various types of complex data.

2. Finalize Delivery Commitment 

Another vital step is setting expectations regarding when your clients will get their orders. Thus, you need to plan a full-proof strategy to meet all shipping deadlines.  

3. Plan Delivery Zones 

If a big portion of your products need to go to the same zone, then you must plan waves around them to enjoy the utmost shipping efficiency.

4. Plan Strategies for Cart Handling 

You can transport all those small items using a tote on a cart. In contrast, try to transport heavy products with the help of forklifts or similar tools. Also, you must use trained workers for this task

5. Consider the Optimal Picking Options 

After going through the steps mentioned above, you must follow the most logical picking strategy. Also, you must make all your warehouse operations quite flexible to meet the needs of different situations.

Warehouse Management System: How Does It Help 

  After discussing all the vital aspects of wave picking, now let us take a close look at how does a WMS can help you out.

● Delivery Address 

Waves can help by planning to pull products that have similar or the same destination. This may increase the shipping efficiency of your company to a great extent.  

● Delivery Time  

  You can plan your waves as per the time when you need to deliver a product to your customer.

● Shipment Number 

With the shipment number of a product you can easily identify a shipment. Thus, you can even sort out your products as per their shipment numbers to enjoy efficiency in your shipping procedures.  

Conclusion 

So, you may say that, in this era of technology, many companies are enjoying lots of benefits, just by opting for wave picking. Though it has a few disadvantages, still you can use it quite successfully after effective planning. In this way, you can enjoy improved customer satisfaction and bigger revenue than before.  

FAQs Related to Wave Picking