How To Choose the Right Order Picking Equipment

Most information you find when searching for order picking focuses on the various order picking methods, such as comparing each versus batch, or zone versus wave. However, what isn’t covered well is the variety of picking equipment available to facilitate these methods—along with their strengths and weaknesses. Let’s dive in further.

Pick Carts: Simple, Flexible, and Cost-Effective

The most basic of picking equipment is the cart. Some are elaborate, some are shopping carts, some have multiple shelf levels, some are pushed one at a time, and some are moved in tandem – but all are inexpensive ways to increase picking efficiencies by reducing the number of trips and reducing muscle fatigue.

Pick Cart Advantages:

• Easy maneuverability in tight aisles
• Low cost
• Able to hold multiple orders

Pick Cart Limitations:

• Weight restrictions
• Worker fatigue from pushing loaded carts
• Limited picking speeds (typically 30 to 50 picks per hour)

The world of pick carts is very broad and diverse. Abel Womack can help support you by figuring out the best type of cart to use based on pick path, flow, product size, SKU velocity, etc.

Pallet Picking: Manual vs. Electric

If your orders typically ship on pallets rather than individual packages, pick to a pallet is the most practical approach.

Manual Pallet Jacks

• Pros: Low cost, simple and highly maneuverable
• Cons: Weight limitations and operator fatigue

Electric Pallet Jacks

• Ideal when weight and distance become challenges
• Small walk-behind models (e.g., Raymond 8250 lithium-ion pallet jack, Lift Rite Edge pallet jack) work well for short travel distances
• Rider models (e.g., Raymond 8410 Rider Jack) reduce fatigue and increase productivity on long pick paths or lengthy treks to the shipping dock
• Widely used in grocery distributors where speed and efficiency are critical for picking operations

Walk-Behind Stackers and Reach Trucks

Another option for low-level picking, which is less common, is the walk-behind stacker (e.g., Raymond 6210) or other reach trucks. Although unconventional, some customers require walk-behind stackers or reach trucks to retrieve pallets from racking to pick pieces off them and onto a pallet or cart.

• Pros: Ergonomic advantages with adjustable pallet heights
• Cons: Higher cost and larger turning radius for maneuverability

Going Vertical: Orderpickers for Space Optimization

If you are running out of space and don’t have enough floor-level pick slots, consider going up. Orderpickers, like Raymond’s Model 5600, allow people to pick at heights over 40 feet.

• Benefits: Vastly expands available pick slots and optimizes space utilization
• Cons: Higher upfront investment, but quick payback through better space utilization to offset the costs

If you don’t need extreme heights, the J1-TSV and Sprint 2.0 allow people to pick in a single-person unit that is nimble but without a pallet.

When it’s Time to Automate

If you need to increase pick speeds and efficiencies for small orders—such as direct-to-consumer orders—and currently pick to a cart, the next logical step is some form of automation. Options include:

• Pick-and-pass system using a conveyor for streamlined workflows
• Picking robots (e.g., Locus Robotics) for flexible automation
• Goods-to-person picking (e.g., Kardex, Geek+)

Emerging technologies are creating a wide range of options to maximize picking efficiency for most applications.

Whether you are moving out of a small operation or running a large, well-established warehouse, selecting the right picking equipment can make a significant impact on efficiency, safety and costs.

To find the best solution for your application, contact an experienced material handling partner like Abel Womack. We’ll help you evaluate your operations and recommend picking equipment that maximizes both productivity and ROI.