Goals:
- Process innovation
- Reduction of picking errors
- Retrievals executed at greater speed
- Improvements in ergonomics, safety and sustainability
Results:
- Increase in total picked items whilst maintaining the same number of staff
- Mirror reduction and elimination of paper
- Faster training of new employees
- Assessment of the possibility of extending voice picking to other warehouses
CGT chose KFI’s consulting and enabling technologies to improve the productivity and quality of its order fulfillment operations in its spare parts warehouses.
The challenge
Innovating processes in the name of continuous improvement and ergonomics
CGT’s principles promote innovation geared towards process improvement, efficiency and the highest quality whilst maintaining a top priority of environmental protection as well as the well-being and safety of personnel. This same philosophy leads the operations of the spare parts warehouse; it aims to ship all components requested by customers within the same day, in addition to the 28 CGT branches located throughout Italy. These demands and perspectives inspired the consulting activities that first led KFI to analyze and optimize warehouse workflows and, subsequently, to implement of new technologies aimed at improving operator comfort, reducing errors and increasing productivity in this pivotal area of the company.
The solution
A tailored technology for each activity
About 30 operators in CGT’s spare parts warehouse work double shifts and must process over 3,000 order lines daily. Previously, this process was guided by paper lists and required operators to move among different warehouse areas before reconvening in the Put-to-Store area to consolidate and complete packaging operations.
After thoroughly examining the entire process, KFI suggested for a revision in the sequencing of activities and recommended implementing wireless Pick-By-Light technology with electronic labels (ESL) in the area dedicated to small items and using the VOCALIZE system to manage the medium-sized items area.
The shelf layout in the first area was restructured to improve the visibility and efficiency of the ESLs. Here, the operator can choose the list of items needing preparation
using a handheld device; then, multicolored lights embedded in electronic labels indicate the locations where the components must be picked and stored. At this stage, the Put-to-Store activity is synchronized with picking operations. After confirming the retrieval using a handy ProGlove wearable reader, employees move with a cart and distribute the items by following the LED lights on the ESLs that identify the boxes corresponding to each customer’s orders.
Voice technology was also introduced in the area that holds medium-sized products. Thanks to the flexibility deriving from the native Android technology, VOCALIZE lets
operators make use of the same devices (in this case, paired with a headset) to set a Voice-by-Light process, allowing them to do the work in a hands and eyes-free way. This
integration permits the use of voice for picking operations as well as using lights for Put-to-Store. In addition to optimizing movement, the integration also ensures a high
concentration level in activities; this is an essential element, especially when forklift support is needed.
The results
The corporate philosophy lies within the heart of the warehouse
The implementation of new technologies has significantly accelerated picking operations, ensuring a significant reduction in errors, so much so that extending the use of VOCALIZE to the heavy-items warehouse is currently under consideration.
Further, adopting projects focused on digital transition has allowed CGT to minimize waste and take significant steps towards an ecologically sustainable approach, such as by eliminating the use of paper in processes and achieving a notable reduction in the overall environmental impact.
New technologies have also led to ergonomic improvements and made tasks increasingly intuitive. Through user-friendly screens that highlight only essential information or through targeted messages stemming directly from the headset, work has become easier; this has ultimately sped up the training time needed for new operators.
Cutaia Sung Jae
Head of Procurement and
Spare Parts Distribution at CGT S.p.A.