Order picking systems

Fast order assembly with short travel distances

What is a order picking system?

An order picking system is designed for more than inventory storage. Its primary function is to rapidly assemble individual items for production, shipping or customer orders. This is where it differs from a traditional warehouse: the focus is not purely on stock management, but on efficient access to individual items.

An order picking warehouse plays a central role in the flow of materials. Items must be readily available and easily to retrieve. Warehouse organization is crucial to speed and cost-effectiveness, particularly where there are a high number of SKUs.

Automated systems are being used increasingly within modern picking operations. Instead of walking long distances along the aisles, operators receive goods directly at the picking point. An automated order picking warehouse reduces search times and maintains predictable material flow. When planning an order picking warehouse, it is not just the available floor space that counts. Access frequency, product characteristics, and digital processes also determine how efficiently the warehouse will operate in the future.

Order picking methods

Several methods are commonly used to pick goods. Under the ‘user-to-goods’ principle, users move through the warehouse and pick the orders. This method is simple but time-consuming due to the long distances involved.

Under the ‘goods-to-user’ principle, the vertical lift system handles the movement. Items are automatically delivered to the picking point. This method is frequently used in automated picking warehouses to ensure high speed.

In addition, there are strategies such as single item picking, batch picking, or zone picking. The most suitable method depends on order volume, product mix and operational requirements. The objective remains the same: fast, accurate order fulfillment with low error rate.

Also suitable as a picking warehouse – the Hänel Lean-Lift®

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Advantages of Automated Order Picking Systems

Modern storage systems are replacing traditional shelving to make order picking significantly faster.

Systems such as the Hänel Rotomat® storage carousel or the Hänel Lean-Lift® vertical lift module handle the retrieval of goods and guide access to specific items.

The biggest advantage lies in the speed. Items are ready directly at the retrieval opening, eliminating the need for any walking distances. At the same time, the system maximizes vertical storage space, creating more storage capacity within the same footprint.

Guided access also reduces picking errors by clearly assigning item locations for easy access in the future. This improves the quality of the entire order-picking warehouse logistics.

Another advantage is the system integration with digital warehouse management, and inventory systems which provide real-time inventory visibility.

Examples of order picking systems

Real-world applications show how automated order picking systems improve storage density, inventory control, and fast order fulfillment.

Cochran Automotive uses a Hänel Lean-Lift® vertical lift module and Hänel Rotomat® storage carousel to centralize parts storage within its service department. The automated system improves inventory access, reduces search time, and increases storage capacity without expanding the facility.

Stiles Machinery implemented Hänel Lean-Lift® vertical lift modules (VLM) to organize thousands of parts in a compact footprint. The wide variety of machinery parts remains clearly organized, and every item is accessed in a structured and rapid manner.

As a result, processes run quick and smooth, and order picking can be carried out according to plan.

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Parallel provisioning in two lifts allows particularly fast picking of fittings

Hänel – Your point of contact for automated order-picking warehouses

Hänel is one of the most experienced suppliers in the field of automated order-picking warehouses. The systems are designed for rapid access and reliable operations, and can be integrated directly into existing processes. Both the Hänel Lean-Lift® vertical lift module and the Hänel Rotomat® storage carousel support efficient order picking and ensure that warehouse processes run smoothly and quickly.