Waveless Picking: A Smoother Way to Handle Warehousing and Fulfillment

Traditional order processing for a large warehouse never really took the conditions in the warehouse into account when sending pick orders. Instead, the traditional way was for the warehouse management system (WMS) to send “waves” or groups of orders based on information and requirements that were determined outside of the facility. What happens is that there is a lot of activity at the beginning of the wave as the warehouse scrambles to fulfill the orders. Productivity then slows as the orders are filled and pickers are waiting for the previous wave of orders to be filled before the next wave comes. This means the volume of work is disproportionate to the resources allocated to complete it with a lot of activity at the beginning of the wave and much less at the end of it. 

With waveless operations, the WMS will continue to pull orders based on the dynamically changing conditions in the warehouse. Underutilized resources will no longer have to wait for orders and can move immediately into the next round of orders without having to wait for the previous pick to be completed. This allows orders to be assigned on a real-time basis which greatly reduces or eliminates the downtime associated with traditional wave order processing. 

This flexible, pull-based approach lowers the need for labor and reduces the equipment requirements per order which means resources are better allocated and costs are lowered.  Waveless picking also allows for real-time updates to orders meaning customers know instantly where their order is and when they can expect it to arrive. This keeps workers continuing their tasks at a steady pace that is matched to the current work-zone conditions without over-assigning or under-assigning picks. If a picker is available they can communicate that availability upstream and optimize the entire picking process. 

We live in a world where customers demand instant fulfillment and real-time updates as to where their order is and FW Logistics can help your business implement this in your warehousing processes. Our fulfillment services can be tailored to your specific needs and requirements.

We are here to take the guesswork and uncertainty out of warehousing for your business, regardless of your industry or inventory. Call us to find out more about how we can help you!