Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML
Efficient picking: Your partner in the Picking Lab
Find the right technology for picking
The Picking Lab is a miniature picking warehouse built at the Fraunhofer IML to test and compare various picking techniques. It is used to evaluate picking technologies and logistics IT systems for warehouse management and focuses on the person-to-goods picking principle with the process flows.
The special feature of the Picking Lab is its realistic structure: the test lab is designed to allow the examination of different picking areas, from small parts picking to load handling. To create realistic and standardized test conditions for the simulation of typical intralogistics areas, shelving racks were set up with various small load carriers and cardboard boxes, representing a wide range of items. In addition, the Picking Lab is based on a real warehouse management system (WMS), to which the technology's IT is connected via an interface. This means that the test environment enables the technologies to be examined and evaluated according to ergonomic and objective performance criteria.
Our services
Both research and industry benefit from the use of the Picking Lab. Together with Fraunhofer IML, hardware and software manufacturers can test and further develop both the suitability of their hardware as well as the functionality and performance of their software. Companies also have the opportunity to test the solutions developed by research partners or their own developments, and receive a basis for deciding on the appropriate hardware and software for their picking warehouse.
The Picking Lab offers:
- Training in the section of picking technologies (e.g. Pick-by-Scan, Pick-by-Mobile, Pick-by-Light, Pick-by-Voice, Pick-by-Vision) and logistics IT (e.g. WMS, TMS, RPS, MES)
- Training in the section of ergonomics / methods of risk assessment (e.g. healthy lifting and carrying, key indicator method, questionnaires)
- Demo in the Picking Lab & workshop for assessing potentials
- Quick Check Ergonomics (support with risk assessment of physical and mental stress)
- Testing of company-owned picking technologies or prototypes in the lab or in the company with, for example, Usability-Quick-Check for Pick-by-Technologies
- Use of infrastructure services for university and non-university research institutions (e.g. experiments, data recording, simulation games)
- AI-based analysis of processes, technologies and ergonomics with Motion-Mining®
Optimize picking with the Picking Lab
Various modern picking technologies can be tested in the Picking Lab: mobile data entry (MDE), pick-by-scan (e.g. hand-held scanners), pick-by-light with and without WMS connection.
Research in the Picking Lab also focuses on evaluating the interaction between humans and technology.
The findings from research in the Picking Lab are communicated in guided tours, workshops and training sessions.
The Picking Lab is geared towards...
- Hardware and software manufacturers who want to test and further develop both the suitability of their hardware (e.g. picking technologies) and the functionality and operability of their software (logistics IT, e.g. WMS, optimization approaches).
- Operators of production and logistics centers with a focus on picking who want to test and optimize the above-mentioned hardware and software in a practical field or have the ergonomics evaluated.
- Operators of production and logistics centers with a focus on order picking who have pain points regarding sick leave, fluctuation, KPIs (e.g. picking errors, throughput times) and need support in identifying the causes and optimizing processes
- Companies that want to measure and improve their ergonomics status (e.g. ergonomics analysis with the Quick Check Ergonomics)
Other picking methods that can be tested in the Picking Lab include pick-by-scan and a combination of pick list and scanner.
In the Picking Lab, the picking technique Pick-by-Vision can be tried out and evaluated to see if it is suitable for the company-specific processes.
At Fraunhofer IML, individual hardware and software solutions for order picking are also developed and evaluated.
