Dematic introduced Voice+ Laser Trucks at the Logistics Link North Exhibition in Doncaster. The company reckons that combining voice picking and driverless trucks, upgraded with industrial grade laser guidance and safety features, delivers the maximum picking productivity possible in manual warehouses.
Voice Picking leaves the picker’s hands free allowing the picking action to become faster with additional benefits in terms of ergonomics and accuracy. However this still leaves pickers doing a lot of travel. By eliminating the non-value added tasks associated with a typical case picking operation, Dematic says that Voice+ Laser Trucks have the potential to double picking productivity, while retaining the flexibility of manual systems.
At the start of an order the laser truck delivers a new pallet directly to the picker, automatically moves with the voice-equipped picker as they verbally confirm picks, and transports the completed pallet to despatch while the next laser truck brings a new pallet to the picker.
Dematic says that are also benefits in improved safety, energy efficiency and operational transparency. System flexibility is maintained. During peak periods, pickers with manual pallet trucks can work in conjunction with Laser Trucks+ to take up the additional throughput.
