PikXTRA offers an innovative and completely unprecedented method for optimizing the slotting of products in your warehouse. Two of the main objectives is distance reduction for your order pickers and replenishment reduction for your slots.
Ntico Logistics is specialized
In optimizing warehouse operations, more specifically in the order picking area. We are able to demonstrate how and how much we can help you in improving your performance.
A method, Simple
Improving performance often encounters a number of different hurdles. These can be technical, financial as well as social.
Using the PikXTRA method, you avoid all these problems.
In effect:
– The PikXTRA tool can be used without creating any interface with ERP or WMS systems. We guarantee an extraordinary simplicity.
– Using PikXTRA requires no investment: no license to be paid, no IT equipment to be acquired. Considering the almost immediate effect of our method, the positive impact on your P&L is a given.
– Most of your co-workers won’t even notice that you have started using our method. This is normal, as you do not have to change anything in your way of organizing daily operations. No need for expensive training, no need to adapt your WMS or warehouse equipment. Hence, you will not have to cope with usual the symptoms of “resistance to change”.
An innovative method
In most warehouses, product placement is done, based on a classic ABC analysis.
PikXTRA proposes an unprecedented method for optimizing your slotting.
Our main objectives are:
- – Minimizing distance for order pickers,
- – Reducing the need for replenishment of your picking locations.
In order to achieve this, PikXTRA :
- – Has found inspiration within calculations used is steel manufacturing.
- – Uses optimization techniques, stemming from genetic engineering.
- – Completes all of this with proven probabilistic algorithms.
- – Finally, the method has been developed by a number of seasoned professionals.
Most WMS systems aim to improve performance in two ways.
Most of them propose optimized picking routes, but only some of the offer a slotting function.
However, most of the time, this slotting function only determines the type of slot in which a particular product should be placed. Where exactly (on which address) the product should be placed, most of the time, is still to be determined by a local specialist.
A sustainable method
Ntico Logistics suggests a 3-phase approach in order to minimize risks.
1. A preliminary visit
During this stage, on of our engineers (generally having at least 10 years of experience in logistics operations) will visit your warehouse. This is the opportunity to collect our first impressions about your products, order structure, customers, operation methods, WMS specifics, racking, equipment used, …
Our evaluation of all these items will allow us to estimate if our method has any sense for you … or not. If the latter would be the case, everything stops here.
2. A detailed analysis
If our preliminary visit reveals sufficient potential, we will make you an offer for conducting a detailed analysis of your picking operations.
We will draw a detailed map of your picking area, including your racking system, take into account your current constraints and we will require a significant sample of customer orders (tens of thousands of order lines).
With these data, PikXTRA will generate a number of alternative product slottings. With these calculations, we can deliver a very precise measure of how much we can reduce:
- – the distance of your current picking routes,
- – the reduction of the need for replenishment.
Based on this information, we can together evaluate the impact on your logistics productivity.
At this time, you will be able to judge if you want to use PikXTRA to improve your operations.
3. Implementation
If the projected productivity gains are appealing to you, we will discuss the best method to proceed with the new product implementation. Depending of the availability of your resources we will generate “batches” of product permutations you should perform. Such a way, you will determine the speed at which you put in place your new picking.
Once, the new product slotting done, we will work with you for an agreed period of time. During this period, you can transmit to us your customer orders on a weekly basis. These data will be fed into PikXTRA and every week we will send you a limited number of product permutations, allowing your logistics productivity to stay at a top level.
Watch a demonstration :
Optimization Metrics
By far the easiest measure to explain: the shorter the distance to travel, the more efficient the picking of orders will be.
During a pick run, every single pick requires a stop of the operator in front of the location. This stop inevitably generates a waste of time.
When business is booming, orders are increasing and order pickers are very busy. However, the more orders to be picked, the more often it will be necessary to replenish the picking locations.
Order picking can affect the physical well-being of order pickers.