Enhancing Warehouse Distribution with OPEX^® Perfect Pick^® AS/RS

Overcoming Manual Sorting Challenges in Apparel Warehousing to Meet Modern Demand with Scalable, Automated Solutions

Streamlined Order Fulfillment Through Automation

Distribution centers manage thousands of SKUs and face increasing labor challenges, especially during seasonal peaks. The OPEX® Perfect Pick®, a goods-to-person automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), offers a high-density storage solution with robotic picking designed to elevate the efficiency and accuracy of warehouse operations. Integrating Perfect Pick enables companies to tackle manual workflow challenges, optimize space, and reduce labor costs while supporting future growth with scalability.

Current Distribution Practices and Manual Workflow Challenges

Most traditional distribution workflows are labor-intensive, requiring employees to walk considerable distances to manually pick items from various warehouse locations. This approach is time-consuming and often causes bottlenecks, especially during peak seasons as demand outpaces available labor. Common challenges include high error rates, increased labor costs from overtime or seasonal hires, and suboptimal space utilization, sometimes requiring additional storage facilities. Additionally, outdated or non-integrated systems can hinder real-time inventory tracking, impacting overall inventory control and customer satisfaction due to delayed order fulfillment.

320

Items presented per hour per workstation

8:1

Space Savings

Orders per day*

*Knipper Case Study

How Perfect Pick Can Transform Distribution

In distribution centers, the OPEX Perfect Pick AS/RS transforms the order fulfillment process by automating the retrieval and delivery of goods to operators. Perfect Pick organizes inventory in totes or trays within racking, maximizing vertical space through a high-density storage approach. By utilizing vertical space for storage, distribution centers can manage a higher volume of SKUs without expanding floor space, which is especially beneficial in environments where space is limited.

Perfect Pick operates with iBOT^® robotic vehicles, which autonomously navigate the aisles to retrieve specific totes and deliver them directly to an operator at the pick station. Each iBOT has a payload capacity of 80 lbs. (36.6 kg), enabling it to handle a wide range of inventory efficiently. This goods-to-person approach minimizes employees walking in warehouses, reducing travel time to speed up the picking process. It also reduces repetitive lifting tasks, decreasing the risk of injury. The system’s ergonomic pick stations bring the totes to the operator’s level, making the picking process both faster and easier for the workers. Additionally, the system’s guided picking features such as the pick-to-light indicators help ensure accuracy, significantly reducing errors in manual workflows while speeding up the picking process by limiting the need to manually identify items.

Once items are picked, they are packed and prepared for dispatch. Perfect Pick’s ability to deliver items to operators quickly and accurately allows distribution centers to maintain faster order processing times, even during high-demand seasons. This streamlined approach helps warehouses meet tight delivery deadlines, supporting high throughput and improving overall efficiency. The Perfect Pick system brings several advantages to distribution warehouses, including faster throughput, reduced dependency on labor, and better space utilization. By integrating Perfect Pick, distribution centers benefit from a more efficient, accurate, and scalable order fulfillment process, which translates into lower operational costs and improved customer satisfaction.

“The Perfect Pick HD system has been received well by our
employees. They are excited about the system and see the
advantages it provides.”

Casey Harrison

Director of Operations, Ingram Micro

Benefits of Integrating Perfect Pick into the Distribution Workflow

Integrating Perfect Pick into distribution workflows provides substantial benefits. Companies experience significant labor savings as fewer employees are needed during peak seasons, lowering the dependency on temporary labor. Reducing labor helps mitigate costs while allowing operators to focus on more complex, value-added tasks, improving morale and productivity. The system’s scalability enables businesses to expand operations effortlessly, accommodating more SKUs and higher order volumes without increasing warehouse size or workforce. The result is a highly efficient, accurate, and cost-effective distribution model that can quickly adapt to changing demands, ensuring customer satisfaction through faster, error-free order fulfillment with an ROI of three years or less.

Typical Warehouse

Warehouse with Perfect Pick

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