Rapido Pick to Light System: Paperless Warehouse Picking

Technology Overview

The Rapido Pick to Light System, introduced by Addverb, is an innovative automation solution designed to enhance traditional person-to-goods picking in warehouses. It addresses the core challenges of manual picking: inefficiency, error-proneness, and reliance on paper-based instructions. By digitizing the pick instruction and providing intuitive visual guidance directly at the storage location, Rapido transforms the picking process into a faster, more accurate, and entirely paperless operation. It is positioned as a key technology for operations seeking to maximize throughput without moving to a fully automated goods-to-person system, making it ideal for high-speed environments where workers move to pick faces.

How It Works

Core Principles

The core principle is light-directed, error-proofed picking triggered by order identification. The system replaces paper lists with dynamic light indicators that guide the picker through the exact sequence and quantity of items required for a specific order.

Key Features & Capabilities

The complete paperless picking operation is a fundamental feature, eliminating the cost, environmental impact, and potential errors associated with paper pick lists. The integrated LED display and confirmation button on each Rapido module creates a closed-loop process, ensuring each action is verified before moving on. The system is specifically engineered for high-speed operations, minimizing the cognitive load on pickers to allow them to move quickly and accurately between locations. Its application extends beyond simple picking to support kitting and sortation processes by visually guiding the assembly of component sets or the sorting of items into specific order containers.

Advantages & Benefits

The primary advantage is the simultaneous maximization of throughput and accuracy. By eliminating search time and providing unambiguous instructions, pick rates increase significantly while errors are drastically reduced. This leads directly to faster order fulfillment cycles and improved customer satisfaction. The system optimizes the overall workflow by creating a standardized, guided process that reduces training time and worker fatigue. In kitting and sortation applications, it brings new levels of efficiency and precision to complex manual assembly tasks, reducing mis-kits and shipping mistakes.

Implementation Considerations

Implementing the Rapido system effectively requires an analysis of the order profile and SKU velocity to ensure it's the right fit for a high-speed, person-to-goods environment. Integration with the existing Warehouse Management System (WMS) is necessary to stream real-time order data to the Pick-to-Light controller. Physical layout planning is crucial to optimally position the light modules for ergonomic access and to ensure scanners and network connectivity cover the required area. The total cost of ownership, including hardware, software, installation, and maintenance, should be weighed against the expected gains in productivity and accuracy.

Use Cases & Applications

Ideal For

This system is ideal for distribution centers, fulfillment warehouses, and manufacturing facilities that operate a person-to-goods model and face challenges with pick speed, accuracy, and paper-based processes.

Performance Metrics

While specific numerical KPIs are not provided beyond the general goals, the system is designed to deliver significant improvements in key areas: Maximized Throughput, Maximized Accuracy, and the complete elimination of paper. Performance would typically be measured by increases in picks per hour (PPH), reductions in pick error rates, and the elimination of costs associated with paper pick lists and error correction.

Conclusion

The Addverb Rapido Pick to Light System represents a smart, incremental automation step for warehouses committed to the person-to-goods model but needing major efficiency gains. By providing a clear, digital, and verified guide for every pick, it directly attacks the largest sources of waste in manual operations: time and errors. For operations looking to boost productivity, improve accuracy, and modernize their processes without a complete overhaul of their layout or material flow, implementing a tailored Pick-to-Light solution like Rapido offers a proven and rapid return on investment.