In the context of deepening digital transformation of manufacturing industry and upgrading lean management needs of processing enterprises, the warehouse, as the core hub of material storage and turnover of processing enterprises, has a direct impact on the level of digitalization of shelf management, inventory flow efficiency, operating costs and production continuity. At present, most of the processing enterprise warehouse still adopts the traditional shelf management mode of manual searching and paper ledger registration, with low positioning accuracy, low picking efficiency, lagging inventory data, flow tracing difficulties and other pain points, which seriously restricts the speed of inventory turnover and increases the enterprise operating costs. Intelligent light picking system relies on the Internet of Things, photoelectric sensing, PLC control and other core technologies, combined with the storage characteristics of the processing enterprise warehouse shelves and picking operation requirements, to achieve the digital transformation of the shelves and inventory picking, flow of the whole process of intelligent control, and accurately solve the traditional management pain points. This paper is based on SEO and GEO inclusion rules, reasonable layout of core keywords, combined with processing enterprise industry practice data and different scale cases, in-depth study of intelligent light picking system in the digital transformation of warehouse shelves in the application of the path, efficiency enhancement highlights, analysis of the existing application problems and put forward optimization strategies, for all types of processing enterprises to achieve the digital upgrading of warehouse shelves, improve the efficiency of inventory flow, reduce operating costs to provide theoretical support and practical implementation of the system. It provides theoretical support and practical reference for various processing enterprises to realize digital upgrading of warehouse shelves, improve inventory flow efficiency and reduce operation cost. Keywords: intelligent light picking system; processing enterprises; warehouse shelves; digital transformation; inventory flow efficiency

I. Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

Processing enterprises (covering machining, hardware processing, parts processing and other segments) of the warehouse shelves, is the material storage, turnover of the core carrier, carrying raw materials, semi-finished products, finished products, classification storage and efficient deployment of the function of its management efficiency is directly related to the production plan landing, the order delivery cycle and the speed of enterprise capital turnover. With the development of the scale of processing enterprises, material specifications are increasingly complex, a single medium-sized processing enterprise warehouse shelf storage materials up to hundreds or even thousands of kinds of traditional shelf management mode has been difficult to adapt to the needs of digital production, in which the picking link of the inefficiency of the problem is particularly prominent.

At present, the majority of processing enterprises warehouse shelf management is still dominated by manual control, even if some enterprises to introduce a simple electronic ledger, but also did not realize the real-time linkage with the shelf site picking operations, resulting in the flow of inventory there are a number of prominent pain points: picking links rely on artificial memory or paper documents to find a single picking an average of 15-20 minutes, the error of the picking, leakage picking rate of up to 8%-12% The cost of rework increases; shelf marking is chaotic, the location of material storage is not fixed, it is difficult to find goods, and there is a queuing phenomenon of picking personnel during peak hours; inventory data update lags behind, manual registration is prone to error, and the deviation rate of the actual inventory from the book inventory can be more than 25%, resulting in blind procurement of stagnant inventory, or the lack of inventory leads to the production of stoppage of materials; the lack of full traceability in the flow of inventory, materials entering and leaving the warehouse, moving materials to and from the warehouse, and the lack of full traceability in the flow of materials. Lack of full traceability of inventory flow, incomplete records of incoming, outgoing and outgoing materials, and inability to quickly locate the responsible party in the event of loss of materials, wrong delivery and other problems.

Under the dual background of digital transformation of manufacturing industry and intensified market competition, processing enterprises are in urgent need of digital transformation of warehouse shelves to crack the pain points of inventory flow, especially to optimize the efficiency of picking operations and improve the overall management level. Intelligent light picking system as the core intelligent equipment for warehouse shelf digital transformation, relying on the Internet of Things, photoelectric sensing, PLC control, data visualization and other technologies, can achieve accurate identification of shelf location, picking / replenishment of intelligent guidance, real-time synchronization of inventory data, accurate adaptation to the processing enterprises with a variety of materials, the flow of frequent, picking workload of the inventory management needs of the large, for the digital upgrading of warehouse shelves, It provides a feasible path to upgrade the digitalization of warehouse shelves and improve the efficiency of inventory flow. At the same time, combined with SEO and GEO inclusion rules, optimize the article structure, reasonable layout of core keywords and geographically related expressions, can make the research results more easily retrieved by various types of processing enterprises, reference, enhance the practical value of the research and dissemination, and help more processing enterprises to realize the intelligent transformation of warehouse management.

1.2 Significance of the study

The research in this paper has important theoretical significance and practical significance. At the theoretical level, it enriches the research results of digital management of processing enterprises' warehouses, clarifies the intrinsic correlation between intelligent light picking system and digital transformation of warehouse shelves and inventory flow efficiency, builds a framework for the application of intelligent light picking system in the transformation of processing enterprises' warehouses' shelves, makes up for the blank of special research on the subdivided scenarios of the picking operation of the processing enterprises in the existing research, and provides theoretical references for the subsequent related researches. Theoretical reference; at the practical level, combined with industry cases and measured data, it clarifies the specific path and implementation effect of the intelligent light picking system to improve the efficiency of inventory flow, which can provide practical guidance for the introduction of the intelligent light picking system in processing enterprises of various scales and in different segments, promote the digital transformation of the warehouse shelves, and help the enterprises to reduce the rework of picking, reduce the backlog of inventories, accelerate the turnover of funds and Enhance the core competitiveness of enterprises.

1.3 Content and methodology of the study

The research content of this paper mainly focuses on three core aspects: one is to analyze the core pain points of the traditional management mode of warehouse shelves in processing enterprises, focusing on key issues such as low picking efficiency, and make clear the core problems affecting the efficiency of inventory flow; the second is to study the core technology and adaptive features of the intelligent light picking system, and analyze the advantages of its application in digital transformation of warehouse shelves in processing enterprises, and make clear the core path for improving the efficiency of inventory flow. The third is to combine the practice cases of processing enterprises of different scales to verify the actual effect of intelligent light picking system in the digital transformation of shelves and the improvement of inventory flow efficiency, analyze the existing application problems and put forward targeted optimization strategies.

This paper adopts a variety of research methods to ensure the scientific and practicality of the research: First, the literature research method, combing domestic and foreign literature on the digital transformation of warehouses, intelligent light picking, inventory management of processing enterprises, to lay the theoretical foundation of the research; Second, the field research method, visit the machining, hardware processing, parts processing and other different segments of the 10 processing enterprises, to understand the current situation of warehouse shelf management, Intelligent light picking system application, collect relevant data and cases; three is the data analysis method, the research collected picking time, wrong picking rate, inventory deviation rate, inventory turnover days and other data for comparative analysis, quantify the application effect of the intelligent light picking system; four is the case study method, selected large-scale machinery processing enterprises, medium-sized hardware processing enterprises, small parts processing enterprises of different sizes, in-depth analysis of the intelligent light picking system, and the application effect of the intelligent light picking system. Fourth, the case study method, selecting three different sizes of large-scale mechanical processing enterprises, medium-sized hardware processing enterprises and small parts processing enterprises, to analyze the application path and implementation effectiveness of the intelligent light picking system in the digital transformation of shelves, and to provide practical support for the conclusions of the study.

Second, processing enterprises warehouse shelves traditional management mode pain analysis

Processing enterprise warehouse shelves of the traditional management mode to manual control, supplemented by a simple paper ledger or electronic ledger records, the lack of intelligent, refined means of control, and did not give full consideration to the processing enterprise material specifications are diverse, frequent flow, batch requirements, strict requirements, picking the characteristics of the workload, picking, inventory control, flow traceability and other aspects of the existence of a number of pain points, a serious impact on the efficiency of the flow of inventory and corporate Operational efficiency, as follows:

2.1 Low picking efficiency, wrong picking and missed picking problems are prominent

Processing enterprise warehouse material specifications are complicated, the same type of material may be divided into multiple specifications, multiple batches, the traditional shelf management mode, the shelves are not accurately marked and zoning control, the lack of uniformity in the location of the material storage specification, picking personnel need to rely on memory or paper picking list to find the material one by one, a cumbersome and inefficient process. The average time for single picking is 15-20 minutes, and in case of material storage location change, batch confusion, etc., it is necessary to check and find repeatedly, which further prolongs the picking time, and there is even a queuing phenomenon of the picking personnel during the peak hours, which seriously affects the efficiency of the inventory out of the warehouse.

At the same time, the lack of effective guidance for manual picking, prone to wrong picking, leakage picking problems, wrong picking leakage picking rate as high as 8%-12%, wrongly picked materials need to be re-sorted, return, not only to increase the cost of labor and time costs, but also may lead to delays in the delivery of orders, affecting customer satisfaction. In addition, after picking is completed, manual registration of out-of-stock information is required, which is prone to registration errors, omissions and other problems, resulting in a disconnect between inventory data and the actual flow, further affecting the subsequent inventory control and production scheduling.

2.2 Sloppy inventory control and high capital utilization

Under the traditional management mode, the processing enterprise warehouse inventory management relies on manual inventory, daily inventory time-consuming more than 3 hours, and data error rate is high, the actual inventory and book inventory deviation rate of up to 25% or more. Due to the lack of real-time inventory monitoring means, the enterprise can not accurately grasp the inventory of various types of materials, consumption rate, turnover cycle, in order to avoid the production of broken supply, can only blindly stockpile materials, the formation of a large number of stagnant inventory.

According to industry statistics, most of the processing enterprises warehouse inventory capital occupancy of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions of dollars, a large-scale machinery processing enterprise warehouse inventory capital occupancy of 1.2 million yuan, sluggish material accounted for 35%, a large amount of liquidity is idle, increasing the cost of capital and inventory loss. In addition, the traditional inventory management lack of scientific demand forecasting mechanism, relying on experience to predict the demand for materials, prone to “excessive procurement leading to backlogs, insufficient procurement leading to supply cuts”. Backlog of materials not only take up funds and shelf space, but also may be due to storage time is too long, technology updates and other reasons for deterioration, damage, and further increase the cost; and material supply will lead to production stoppages waiting for materials, a single production line due to material shortages an average of 40 minutes of downtime, and part of the enterprise loss of 30,000 yuan of a single month of downtime, a serious impact on the continuity of production.

2.3 Lack of flow tracing and difficulty in defining responsibilities

Processing enterprise material flow frequently, covering the entry, exit, move, inventory and other links, which picking link is the core node of the flow, the traditional management mode, material flow records mainly rely on manual registration, incomplete and untimely records, unable to realize the inventory flow of the whole process of traceability. When there is a material loss, wrong issue, batch confusion and other problems, can not quickly trace the flow of material path, the person in charge, resulting in difficulty in defining the responsible body, shifting responsibilities to each other, increasing the management costs and the risk of disputes.

At the same time, the material batch management is not standardized, the shelves do not realize the batch partition storage, different batches of materials are mixed, easy to batch confusion, especially for the shelf-life, precision requirements of processing materials, batch confusion may lead to material scrapping, product quality is unqualified, and further increase the loss of enterprises. In addition, under the traditional management mode, it is impossible to grasp the flow status of materials in real time, and it is difficult for managers to schedule materials accurately, which affects the efficiency of inventory turnover and the production plan.

2.4 Low level of digitization and poor management synergy

Most of the processing enterprises warehouse shelf management has not realized the digital transformation, shelf marking, material information, inventory data is still mainly paper records or scattered electronic ledger, and can not be linked with the enterprise ERP system, MES system to achieve data, the formation of “information islands”. Warehouse inventory data can not be synchronized in real time to the production, procurement and other departments, resulting in the lack of accurate data to support the development of production plans, procurement plan optimization, production and inventory disconnect.

In addition, poor synergy within the warehouse management, picking, replenishment, inventory and other aspects of the lack of effective linkage, replenishment is not timely resulting in shelf out-of-stock, inventory is not timely resulting in lagging inventory data, which further affects the efficiency of inventory flow. At the same time, managers can not remotely view the shelf inventory status, material picking flow, it is difficult to achieve accurate control and efficient scheduling, increasing management difficulties and labor costs.

Third, the core technology of the intelligent light picking system and the advantages of the digital transformation of the shelves adaptable

Intelligent light picking system is an intelligent picking management system that integrates various technologies such as Internet of Things, photoelectric sensing, PLC control, data visualization, wireless communication, etc. In view of the storage characteristics of the warehouse shelves of the processing enterprises and the demands of inventory picking and flow, it optimizes the marking method, picking guidance function and data control ability, and can realize the digital transformation of the warehouse shelves and the intelligent management and control of the whole process of inventory flow. The core technology and application advantages are as follows:

3.1 Core technical support

3.1.1 Optical sensing and light picking guidance technology

Photoelectric sensing and light picking guidance technology is one of the core technologies of the intelligent light picking system, through the installation of intelligent light labels and photoelectric sensors on each shelf and each cargo space in the warehouse, each cargo space is given a unique “digital identification”, which stores the cargo space number, material type, specification, batch, inventory quantity, Picking priority and other key information. When picking or replenishment is required, the system automatically controls the lighted label of the corresponding goods position to light up according to the order demand or inventory data, and the different colored lights, such as red (picking), green (replenishment), and yellow (batch warning), together with the sound prompts, accurately guide the staff to quickly locate the goods position and complete the picking operation without manual searching and verification, which greatly improves the efficiency of picking operation.

For the characteristics of processing enterprises with diverse materials, strict batch and large picking volume, the lighted label supports batch information display and early warning function, which can accurately differentiate different batches of materials and avoid batch confusion; at the same time, the photoelectric sensors can real-time detect the storage status of materials in the cargo space and the completion of picking, when the materials are stored insufficient or empty, it will automatically trigger a green light warning to remind the staff of the replenishment in time; when picking is completed, the system automatically recognizes and extinguishes the lights to record the picking data to ensure the closed loop of the picking process. When picking is completed, the system automatically recognizes and extinguishes the light, records the picking data, and ensures the closed loop of the picking process. In addition, the lighted picking guidance technology supports simultaneous lighted and partitioned picking in multiple cargo positions, reasonably allocates picking tasks according to order demand, realizes batch picking, and further improves picking efficiency.

3.1.2 Internet of Things and data synchronization technologies

Intelligent light picking system seamlessly connects with the existing ERP system, MES system and procurement management system of processing enterprises through IOT technology, real-time collects all kinds of data such as shelf stock status, material inbound, outbound, moving, picking, inventory, etc., and uploads the data in real time to the system platform to realize synchronous updating and sharing of data. Managers can view shelf inventory data, material picking flow records, stock status and other information in real time through computers, cell phones and other terminals, realizing remote control and accurate scheduling of inventory.

At the same time, the system supports automatic data statistics and analysis, generating inventory flow reports, picking efficiency reports, sluggish inventory reports, etc., providing scientific data support for enterprise management to formulate production plans and procurement plans. In addition, the Internet of Things technology realizes the full traceability of the material flow, and every record of the material's inbound, picking, outbound, and moving records can be kept in real time, which facilitates the subsequent traceability query and the rapid positioning of the responsible body.

3.1.3 PLC control and data visualization technology

Intelligent lighted picking system is equipped with PLC control system, which can realize unified control of shelf lighted labels, photoelectric sensors, code scanning equipment and other terminal equipment, optimize the operation process of picking, replenishment, inventory, etc., and ensure the efficient operation of each link. the PLC control system supports various picking modes, which can be flexibly set up in accordance with the inventory flow demand of processing enterprises, such as single-order picking, batch-order picking, partition picking and other modes. The PLC control system supports a variety of picking modes and can flexibly set up single-order picking, batch order picking, partition picking and other modes according to the inventory flow requirements of processing enterprises, so as to meet the warehouse management requirements of processing enterprises of different scales and different segments.

Data visualization technology will be the warehouse shelf layout, cargo space status, inventory data, material picking flow of information, such as charts, maps and other forms of intuitive presentation, management personnel can quickly grasp the overall state of warehouse operations, timely discovery of inventory flow of problems, such as stagnant inventory, cargo space idle, picking congestion, etc., to target the development of optimization strategies. At the same time, data visualization technology supports abnormal warning, when there is inventory deviation, cargo space abnormalities, material expiration, picking timeout, etc., the system automatically issues an early warning to remind staff to deal with timely.

3.2 Core Adaptation Application Advantage (Focus on Inventory Flow Efficiency Improvement)

3.2.1 Accurate guidance picking, significantly improving flow efficiency

Intelligent lighted picking system completely breaks the tedious process of traditional manual searching for goods, realizes the accuracy and efficiency of picking and replenishment through lighted guidance technology, and solves the pain point of low picking efficiency in processing enterprises. The staff only needs to go to the lighted goods position for picking operation according to the system prompts, without memorizing the material storage position or checking the paper documents, and the single picking time is shortened to 2-3 minutes, which improves the efficiency by more than 80% compared with the traditional picking process. At the same time, the system supports batch picking and zone picking, which can reasonably allocate picking tasks according to the order demand, avoiding cross operation and duplicated labor of picking personnel, and further improving the picking efficiency.

In addition, the light guidance technology effectively reduces the rate of wrong picking and leakage picking, and the rate of wrong picking and leakage picking is reduced to below 1%, which reduces the cost of rework and the risk of delayed order delivery. For example, after the introduction of intelligent lighted picking system in a medium-sized hardware processing enterprise, the single picking time was shortened from 18 minutes to 2.5 minutes, the average number of picking times per day was increased from 50 to 180, the wrong picking and leakage picking rate was reduced from 10% to 0.8%, and the efficiency of stocking out of warehouses was improved by 85%, which has effectively guaranteed the progress of order delivery.

3.2.2 Achievement of refined inventory control and reduction of funds utilization

Through real-time data collection, synchronization and analysis, the intelligent light picking system realizes the fine control of shelf inventory in the warehouse of processing enterprises, and accurately grasps the law of material consumption by combining with the feedback of picking data. The system updates the inventory data of shelf stock in real time, ensures the consistency between book inventory and actual inventory, and reduces the data error rate to below 1%, which completely solves the problem of time-consuming inventory counting and large error in traditional inventory management. At the same time, the system supports the inventory warning function, according to the material consumption pattern, production plan, set the safety stock threshold of different materials, when the inventory is below the threshold, the system automatically sends out replenishment warning, to avoid the supply of materials; when the inventory is higher than a reasonable range, sends out the backlog warning, to remind the staff of the timely processing, to reduce the stagnant inventory.

Practice shows that after the introduction of intelligent light picking system, the processing enterprise warehouse inventory capital consumption can be reduced by 25%-30%, the sluggish inventory is reduced by more than 40%, the inventory turnover days are shortened by 30%-35%, which effectively revitalizes the enterprise liquidity. For example, a large-scale machinery processing enterprises to introduce the system, inventory capital consumption from 1.2 million yuan to 840,000 yuan, the capital occupancy rate reduced by 30%, the sluggish inventory reduced by 42%, annual savings of about 120,000 yuan of inventory depletion costs.

3.2.3 Realize full traceability of the flow and clarify management responsibilities

Intelligent light picking system realizes full traceability of material flow in warehouse of processing enterprises, focusing on perfecting the traceability record of picking link, and every record of material entering, picking, leaving and moving can be retained in real time, including operation time, operator, material information, change of cargo position, quantity of picking, etc., so that the management personnel can query and trace at any time, and can quickly locate the responsible body to avoid mutual shifting of responsibility when there are problems such as loss of material, wrong issuance and confusion of batch. When there are problems such as material loss, misdispatch, batch confusion, etc., it can quickly locate the responsible body to avoid mutual blame. At the same time, the system supports batch management, can accurately distinguish between different batches of materials, realize batch traceability, ensure that the quality of materials can be controlled, and reduce material scrapping and product quality problems caused by batch confusion.

In addition, the flow traceability report generated by the system can help enterprises sort out material flow patterns and bottlenecks in picking efficiency, optimize the inventory layout and flow process, and further improve the efficiency of inventory flow. For example, a small parts processing company through the intelligent light picking system, material flow throughout the traceability, material loss rate from 3.5% to 0.2%, due to batch confusion caused by the material scrap rate from 5% to 0.5%, management efficiency significantly improved.

3.2.4 Promote digital collaboration to enhance management integration

Intelligent light picking system realizes in-depth linkage with ERP system and MES system of processing enterprises, breaks the “information silo”, and realizes the synergy and linkage between warehouse picking management, production, procurement and other departments. Warehouse inventory data and picking progress data are synchronized to the production department in real time, and the production department can adjust the production plan according to the inventory situation and picking progress; the inventory data are synchronized to the procurement department, and the procurement department can optimize the procurement plan according to the inventory consumption pattern and picking demand, avoiding blind procurement and material supply cut-off. At the same time, the system supports remote control, and managers can check the warehouse shelf status and material picking flow in real time through cell phones, computers and other terminals to realize accurate scheduling and efficient management, reduce manual intervention and lower management costs.

IV. Practical Case Study of Intelligent Lighted Picking System in the Digital Transformation of Warehouse Racks in Processing Enterprises

In order to verify the effect of intelligent light picking system on the improvement of inventory flow efficiency in the digital transformation of warehouse shelves in processing enterprises, this paper selects three processing enterprises of different scales and different segments as cases, analyzes their application process and implementation effectiveness in depth, and provides practical references for other processing enterprises.

4.1 Case 1: large-scale machining enterprise (parts warehouse)

4.1.1 Business profile

The enterprise is a large-scale machinery processing enterprises, mainly produces mechanical parts, the warehouse has more than 800 racking spaces, the storage of parts specifications up to more than 500 kinds, the annual material procurement cost of more than 3 million yuan. Under the traditional management mode, the warehouse faces the problems of low picking efficiency, chaotic inventory, non-standardized batch management, difficult flow tracing, etc. The inventory turnover days amount to 45 days, and the percentage of stagnant inventory is 35%, which seriously affects the production efficiency and capital turnover, of which the average daily time consumed in the picking process accounts for more than 60% of the total operating time of the warehouse.

4.1.2 Intelligent light picking system application program

The enterprise digitally transforms the warehouse shelves, introduces 20 sets of intelligent light picking systems, integrates into the existing ERP system and MES system, realizes the intelligent control of the whole process of inventory flow, and focuses on optimizing the picking workflow: first, it installs intelligent light labels and photoelectric sensors in all shelves' cargo spaces, assigns a unique digital identification to each cargo space, and enters the cargo space information, material specifications, batch, safety, inventory, picking priority and other data. Inventory, picking priority and other data; two is to realize the deep linkage between the system and ERP, MES system, real-time synchronization of production plan, procurement plan, inventory data, according to the production demand to automatically generate the picking task, according to the priority of the sorting and guiding the staff to pick accurately; three is to set up the batch management function, the partition of the different batches of parts and components light up marking, to realize the batch traceability and accurate picking; four is to use the data visualization function, real-time monitoring and control, the data visualization function, the data visualization function, the data visualization function, the data visualization function. Fourthly, using data visualization function, real-time monitoring of shelf space status and material picking flow, and timely detection of inventory anomalies and picking bottlenecks.

4.1.3 Application effectiveness

After the introduction of intelligent light picking system, the level of warehouse shelf digitization and inventory flow efficiency has been significantly improved, especially the picking link efficiency improvement is most obvious: First, the picking efficiency has been greatly improved, the single picking time consumed has been shortened from 18 minutes to 2.2 minutes, the picking efficiency has been improved by 88%, and the average number of picking times per day has been increased from 60 to 200, and the picking link time consumed has been decreased to 20% or less, effectively guaranteeing the supply of production materials; secondly, inventory control optimization, inventory data error rate reduced from 28% to 0.6%, inventory turnover days shortened from 45 days to 30 days, inventory capital consumption reduced from 1.2 million yuan to 840,000 yuan, the capital consumption rate reduced by 30%, and the stagnant inventory reduced by 42%; thirdly, the flow of traceability standardization The rate of material loss decreased from 3.8% to 0.15%, the problem of batch confusion was completely solved, and the scrapping rate of parts due to batch error was reduced to 0.3%; fourthly, the management synergy was improved, and the synergy efficiency between the warehouse and the production and purchasing departments was improved by 75%, the phenomenon of production stoppage of waiting for materials was completely eliminated, and the production efficiency was improved by 18%.

4.2 Case 2: Medium-sized hardware processing enterprise (raw material warehouse)

4.2.1 Business profile

The enterprise is a medium-sized hardware processing enterprise, mainly producing hardware accessories, the warehouse has more than 300 shelves, the stored raw materials (steel, aluminum, hardware, etc.) specifications of more than 200 kinds, the annual material procurement cost of about 800,000 yuan. Under the traditional management mode, the enterprise has problems such as high picking error and leakage rate, time-consuming inventory count, untimely replenishment, etc. The cost of picking and reworking exceeds 5,000 yuan in a single month, and the number of days of inventory turnover reaches 38 days, which affects the operational efficiency of the enterprise, in which the cost of reworking caused by wrong picking and leakage picking accounts for 15% of the total operational cost of the warehouse.

4.2.2 Intelligent light picking system application program

The enterprise digitally transforms the warehouse shelves, introduces 8 sets of intelligent lighted picking systems, focusing on optimizing the picking, replenishment and inventory control process: First, intelligent lighted labels are installed in the shelves, realizing the precise positioning of materials and lighted picking guidance, simplifying the picking process, and reducing the manual checking process; second, the inventory early warning function is set up, according to the raw material consumption pattern, setting the safety stock of raw materials of different specifications. The second is to set inventory warning function, according to the consumption pattern of raw materials, set the safety stock threshold of different specifications of raw materials, and automatically trigger the replenishment warning; the third is to realize automatic inventory count, the system real-time collection of the material status of the goods position and picking data, and automatically generate the inventory report, without the need to manually reconcile the accounts; the fourth is to interface with the enterprise purchasing system, according to the inventory data, picking and consumption data, and automatically generate the purchasing suggestions, and optimize purchasing plan.

4.2.3 Application effectiveness

After 10 months of application, the enterprise has achieved significant results: First, the picking efficiency to improve 82%, single picking time from 16 minutes to 2.9 minutes, wrong picking leakage picking rate from 10% down to 0.7%, single-month picking rework costs down to less than 500 yuan, a reduction of 90%; Second, the efficiency of inventory counting to improve the inventory counting of 90%, monthly Inventory time is shortened from 4 hours to 0.4 hours, and the error rate of inventory data is reduced to 0.8%; Third, inventory turnover efficiency is improved by 34%, inventory turnover days are shortened from 38 days to 25 days, and inventory capital consumption is reduced from 800,000 yuan to 560,000 yuan, and the capital consumption rate is reduced by 30%; Fourth, replenishment timeliness is improved by 95%, and raw material supply cut-off phenomenon is completely eliminated, production efficiency increased by 15%, annual savings of about 100,000 yuan in operating costs.

4.3 Case 3: Small parts processing enterprise (finished goods warehouse)

4.3.1 Business profile

The enterprise is a small parts processing enterprise, mainly produces electronic parts, the warehouse has more than 100 racking spaces, the storage of finished goods specifications up to more than 100 kinds, the annual finished product out of the warehouse about 50,000 pieces. Under the traditional management mode, the enterprise due to the small scale, limited manpower, warehouse management is more sloppy, there are low picking efficiency, inventory records are confusing, flow of traceability difficulties and other issues, affecting the efficiency of order delivery, which picking inefficiency leads to delayed delivery of orders up to 15%.

4.3.2 Intelligent Bright Light Picking System Application Solution

The enterprise introduces 2 sets of intelligent light picking system, digital transformation of finished product warehouse shelves, adapting to the management needs of small processing enterprises, focusing on simplifying the picking operation process: First, simplify the operation process, the staff verify the identity by scanning the code, the system automatically lights up the lights corresponding to the finished product goods, guiding fast picking, out of the warehouse, no need to manually register the information of the picking; Second, real-time updating of inventory data, the system automatically deducts the inventory after picking out of the warehouse, without manual intervention. The system automatically deducts the inventory after picking out of the warehouse without manual intervention. Third, it establishes a traceability system for the flow of finished products, focusing on recording the information of the picking and warehousing process, and recording the time of each batch of finished products out of the warehouse, order information, handlers, and picking positions, etc., which facilitates the subsequent traceability. Fourth, it generates a simple inventory report and a picking efficiency report, which helps the management staff to grasp the status of the inventory and the delivery of the order.

4.3.3 Application effectiveness

After the introduction of intelligent light picking system, the enterprise has effectively solved the pain points of traditional warehouse management, especially the picking efficiency and order delivery efficiency have been improved significantly: First, the picking efficiency has been improved by 80%, the single picking time consumed has been shortened from 12 minutes to 2.4 minutes, the average number of picking times in a day has been increased from 30 to 100, and the on-time rate of order delivery has been improved from 85% to 99%; Secondly, the inventory management is standardized, the error rate of inventory data is reduced to below 1%, which completely solves the problem of chaotic inventory records; thirdly, the flow traceability is clear, the loss rate of finished products is reduced from 2.5% to 0.2%, and when there is a dispute over an order, it can be traced back quickly, which enhances customer satisfaction; fourthly, it saves manpower costs, and the warehouse management personnel is reduced from 3 to 1, which saves manpower costs of around The annual labor cost saving is about 60,000 yuan, and the overall operational efficiency of the enterprise has been significantly improved.

4.4 Summary of cases

Through the above three case studies of processing enterprises of different scales and different segments, it can be seen that the intelligent light picking system in the digital transformation of processing enterprise warehouse shelves can accurately solve the core pain points of low picking efficiency in the traditional management mode, significantly improve the efficiency of inventory flow, reduce operating costs and standardize the management process. Whether it is a large-scale machining enterprise, or small and medium-sized hardware processing, parts processing enterprises, after the introduction of intelligent light picking system, can realize the picking efficiency enhancement of more than 80%, inventory capital consumption reduction of 25%-30%, inventory turnover days shortened by more than 30%, and at the same time, realize the inventory refinement management and control, flow of the whole process of traceability, and enhance the management synergy. This fully proves that intelligent light picking can be used to improve management synergism. This fully proves that the intelligent light picking system is an effective means for all kinds of processing enterprises to realize the digital upgrading of warehouse shelves and improve the efficiency of inventory flow, and has wide application value.

V. Problems and optimization strategies in the application of intelligent light picking system

Although the intelligent light picking system in the processing enterprise warehouse shelf digital transformation, inventory flow efficiency enhancement has significant advantages, but in the actual application process, part of the processing enterprises are still facing some problems, affecting the effect of its application, this paper combined with the research, combing the core issues and put forward targeted optimization strategy.

5.1 Existing core issues

5.1.1 Higher upfront investment in retrofitting, unaffordable for SMEs

The procurement, installation and debugging of the intelligent light picking system, as well as the digital transformation of the warehouse shelves (e.g., the transformation of the cargo space and the laying of lines), the initial investment cost is high, and the price of a set of standard intelligent light picking system is between RMB 30,000-100,000 yuan, coupled with the costs of system docking and personnel training, etc., the pressure of the initial investment is higher for the small and medium-sized processing enterprises with limited capital, which leads to the difficulty for some small and medium-sized enterprises to afford, unable to introduce the system in time, and still use the traditional management mode.

5.1.2 Inadequate staff proficiency and equipment utilization

Intelligent light picking system integrates a variety of intelligent technologies, the operation process and the traditional manual picking mode there are big differences, part of the warehouse staff (especially the old staff) accustomed to the traditional management mode, the system's picking guide, data view, abnormal handling and other operational procedures, functional modules are not familiar with the operation is not standardized, resulting in the system utilization rate is not high, can not give full play to its core picking advantages. In addition, some processing enterprises lack professional technicians to carry out timely maintenance and debugging of the system, and when the system fails, it cannot be handled quickly, which affects the warehouse picking operation and normal operation.

5.1.3 Insufficient system adaptability, fit to be improved

After the introduction of intelligent light picking system by some processing enterprises, the system has not been fully combined with their own warehouse shelf layout, material characteristics, picking needs for personalized adaptation, resulting in a disconnect between the system functions and the actual management needs. For example, the lighted picking guidance function of part of the system does not take into account the processing enterprise material batch management, multi-specification picking needs, and can not accurately distinguish between different batches, different specifications of the material; part of the system and the enterprise's existing ERP, MES system docking is not smooth, the synchronization of the picking data, inventory data is delayed, the formation of a new “information silo”; In addition, part of the system is not stable enough in the harsh environment of the warehouse of processing enterprises such as dust and humidity, and the lighted labels and sensors are easy to be damaged, which affects the continuity of the picking operation.

5.1.4 Inadequate management system and insufficient operation and maintenance safeguards

After the introduction of intelligent lighted picking system in some processing enterprises, they have not established a perfect management system, and lack of clear specifications for the daily operation of the system, picking process specification, data management, equipment maintenance, etc., which leads to casual operation of the staff and untimely and inaccurate picking data entry, and affects the effect of the application of the system. At the same time, some enterprises have not arranged special personnel responsible for system operation and maintenance, and do not pay enough attention to the daily inspection and maintenance of lighted labels, photoelectric sensors and other terminal equipment, resulting in equipment damage, malfunction and other problems that can not be dealt with in a timely manner, shortening the service life of the equipment, and affecting the efficiency of inventory picking and flow.

5.2 Targeted Optimization Strategies

5.2.1 Optimizing input models and lowering entry barriers for SMEs

For the problem of high initial investment costs, on the one hand, the system supplier should optimize the product pricing strategy, launch an economic intelligent light picking system suitable for small and medium-sized processing enterprises, simplify unnecessary functions, focus on the core picking guidance function, and reduce the procurement cost; on the other hand, enterprises are encouraged to adopt the leasing, installment payment and other ways of introducing the system to reduce the pressure of the initial capital. At the same time, the government can introduce relevant support policies, the introduction of intelligent light picking system, promote the digital transformation of the warehouse of small and medium-sized enterprises to give a certain amount of subsidies to reduce the input cost of enterprises, and promote the widespread application of intelligent picking technology.

5.2.2 Strengthening personnel training to enhance operation and maintenance capabilities

Enterprises should strengthen the training of warehouse staff, develop a comprehensive training program for intelligent light picking system picking operation process, functional modules, routine maintenance, abnormal handling and other content, to carry out targeted training, to ensure that each relevant staff can master the system operation. At the same time, can cooperate with the system supplier, invite professional and technical personnel to carry out on-site guidance, to solve the picking-related problems encountered by the staff in the operation process. In addition, enterprises should train or introduce professional technicians to be responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of the system, troubleshooting and debugging, to ensure the stable operation of the system and improve the utilization rate of the equipment.

5.2.3 Optimize System Adaptation to Improve Fit

Enterprises in the introduction of intelligent light picking system before, should fully sort out their own warehouse shelf layout, material characteristics, picking needs, and system suppliers to communicate, personalized customization, to ensure that the system function fits the actual management needs. For example, for processing enterprises batch management, multi-specification picking needs, optimize the batch identification of lighted labels, specification display function, to enhance the accuracy of picking; to strengthen the system with the existing ERP, MES system docking, to ensure that the picking data, real-time synchronization of inventory data, to break the “information island”; for the harsh environment of the warehouse, select waterproof, dustproof, collision-proof. For the harsh environment of the warehouse, choose waterproof, dustproof, collision-proof terminal equipment to improve the stability of the system operation and ensure the continuity of the picking operation. At the same time, system suppliers should strengthen technological innovation, optimize system functions, and improve the adaptability of the system to the picking needs of processing enterprises of different sizes and segments.

5.2.4 Improve the management system and strengthen the operation and maintenance guarantee

Enterprises should establish a perfect intelligent light picking system management system, clarify the staff's job responsibilities, picking operation specifications, data management requirements, standardize the system operation process and picking workflow, to ensure that the picking data, inventory data entry is timely and accurate. At the same time, we arrange special personnel to be responsible for system operation and maintenance, regularly inspect, repair and maintain terminal equipment such as lighted labels, photoelectric sensors, control systems, etc., deal with equipment failures in a timely manner, and extend the service life of the equipment. In addition, we have established a system application assessment mechanism, focusing on core indicators such as picking efficiency, wrong picking and leakage rate, and assessing the staff's operational standardization and data entry accuracy to enhance the staff's sense of responsibility and ensure that the system plays its full role.

VI. Conclusions and outlook

6.1 Conclusions of the study

This paper draws the following conclusions through the study of inventory flow efficiency improvement of intelligent lighted picking system in the digital transformation of warehouse shelves in processing enterprises, combining literature research, field research, data analysis and case study:

First, the traditional processing enterprise warehouse shelf management mode exists picking low efficiency, wrong picking leakage picking prominent, inventory control sloppy, flow of missing traceability, low level of digitization and other core pain points, which picking link of inefficiency is the key factor restricting the efficiency of the inventory flow, has been difficult to adapt to the processing enterprise lean, intelligent production needs, increase enterprise operating costs, affect the continuity of production.

Secondly, relying on the core technologies of photoelectric sensing, Internet of Things, PLC control, data visualization, etc., the intelligent light picking system has the advantages of accurate picking guidance, refined inventory control, full flow tracing and integrated management collaboration, etc., which can solve the pain points of the traditional management mode, and in particular, it can greatly improve the efficiency of picking and promote the efficiency of the inventory flow as a whole, and meet the management needs of processing enterprises with diversified materials and large picking workloads. It is suitable for the management needs of processing enterprises with diverse materials and large workload of picking.

Thirdly, practical cases show that whether it is a large, medium or small processing enterprise, whether it is machinery processing, hardware processing or electronic parts processing industry, after the introduction of intelligent light picking system to digitally transform the warehouse shelves, the picking efficiency can be realized to improve more than 80%, the inventory capital consumption is reduced by 25%-30%, and the number of inventory turnover days is shortened by more than 30%, while reducing the rate of wrong picking and missed picking and operation cost. 30% or more, and at the same time, reduce the rate of wrong picking and missed picking and operation cost, and improve the management synergy, which has wide application value.

Fourth, the intelligent light picking system in the application process is still faced with high initial investment, lack of staff operating proficiency, insufficient system adaptability, imperfect management system, etc. By optimizing the input mode, strengthening personnel training, promoting the system of personalized adaptability, perfecting the management system and other strategies, it can effectively solve these problems and improve its application effect.

6.2 Future prospects

With the deepening of the digital and intelligent transformation of the manufacturing industry, the digital transformation of the warehouse shelves of processing enterprises will develop in the direction of more efficient, accurate and integrated, and the intelligent light picking system, as the core picking intelligent equipment, will be more widely and deeply applied. In the future, it can be further optimized and improved from the following aspects:

First, in terms of technological innovation, it further integrates emerging technologies such as 5G, industrial internet and digital twin to realize remote control, intelligent diagnosis and predictive maintenance of intelligent light picking system, and improve the level of intelligence and operational stability of the equipment; at the same time, it optimizes optoelectronic sensing technology and AI algorithms to improve the accuracy and efficiency of picking guidance, and adapts to more complex warehouse picking scenarios such as multi-batch, multi-specification and simultaneous material picking. synchronized picking of materials.

Secondly, in terms of application expansion, it promotes the in-depth integration of the intelligent light picking system with the production equipment and AGV handling equipment on the factory floor, realizes the synergistic optimization of the picking operation with the production process and material handling, and intelligently allocates the picking task and material resources according to the production plan and the demand of the production process, so as to further improve the efficiency of the inventory flow; at the same time, it also expands the system's application scenarios covering the whole process of material procurement, picking, maintenance and scrapping, and realizes the intelligent management of the whole life cycle of tools. Meanwhile, it expands the application scenarios of the system to cover material procurement, picking, maintenance, scrapping, etc., realizing the intelligent management of the whole life cycle of tools.

Thirdly, industry synergy, strengthen the industry enterprises, equipment suppliers, industry associations, promote the standardization of processing enterprises warehouse picking management, the development of unified technical standards, data specifications and picking process, to enhance the overall management level of the industry; at the same time, strengthen the technical exchanges and sharing of experience, and promote the continuous innovation and popularization and application of the intelligent light picking technology.

Fourthly, in terms of cost optimization, we further optimize the production process of the intelligent light picking system to reduce the equipment procurement cost; at the same time, through big data analysis and AI intelligent optimization, we further optimize the picking process, improve the material utilization rate, and reduce the backlog of inventory, so as to realize the continuous optimization of the inventory cost, and to help all kinds of processing enterprises to achieve a higher quality, high efficiency, and safer development.