System and method for order picking

An order-picking system for fully automated repacking of stock-keeping units from an inbound unit having a plurality of identical stock-keeping units to an outbound unit having a plurality of different stock-keeping units, wherein the system comprises a number of different stock-keeping units to be handled by the system and an order-picking installation comprising:

• a separating station for separating the stock-keeping units, which are delivered in an inbound unit composed of the plurality of identical items, into at least one of stock-keeping units and sub-units of several stock-keeping units;
• a small-parts store, in which is provided a storage location for each type of stock-keeping unit of the number of different stock-keeping units, with an item-storing position and an item-retrieval position, wherein the small-parts store is formed as high rack store;
• a store-operating device being located in the small-parts store for moving between the storage locations and the item-storing position or the item-retrieval position, wherein the store-operating device is formed as a rack vehicle moving between racks of the high rack store so that all storage locations of the high rack store having stored the whole number of different stock-keeping units can be reached by a single rack vehicle;
• a sub-units store adapted for storing several single-type sub-units composed of several stock-keeping units;
• and
• at least one of a stacking and packaging station for assembling different stock-keeping units in the outbound unit;
• wherein the installation is configured such that assembly of the outbound unit can occur not only direct with sub-units from the sub-units store, but also with stock-keeping units from the small-parts store;
• and
• wherein, between the separating station and the item-storing position is provided a first handling section, and between the item-retrieval position and the at least one of a stacking and packaging station is provided a second handling section, wherein at least the small-parts store, the second handling section, and the at least one stacking and packaging station are configured such that the stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units are guided with indirect target tracking such that stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units are moved along a travel route from the item-retrieval position to the at least one stacking and packaging station without requiring any direct identification of the stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units anywhere along the travel route.

A method for fully automated repacking of stock-keeping units from an inbound unit having a plurality of identical stock-keeping units into an outbound unit having a plurality of different stock-keeping units in an order-picking system, wherein the method comprises:

• providing a number of different stock-keeping units to be handled in the order-picking system;
• providing an order-picking installation, wherein the order-picking installation comprises:
• a separating station for separating the stock-keeping units, which are delivered in the inbound unit composed of the plurality of identical stock-keeping units, into at least one of stock-keeping units and sub-units of several stock-keeping units;
• a small-parts store, in which is provided a storage location for each type of stock-keeping unit of the number of different stock-keeping units, with an item-storing position and an item-retrieval position, wherein the small-parts store is formed as high rack store;
• a store-operating device being located in the small-parts store for moving between the storage locations and the item-storing position or the item-retrieval position, wherein the store-operating device is formed as a rack vehicle moving between racks of the high rack store so that all storage locations of the high rack store having stored the whole number of different stock-keeping units can be reached by a single rack vehicle;
• and
• at least one of a stacking and packaging station for assembling at least one of different stock-keeping units and sub-units in the outbound unit;
• wherein, between the separating station and the item-storing position is provided a first handling section, and between the item-retrieval position and the at least one of a stacking and packaging station is provided a second handling section, wherein at least the small-parts store, the second handling section, and the at least one stacking and packaging station are configured such that the stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units are guided with indirect target tracking such that stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units are moved along a travel route from the item-retrieval position to the at least one stacking and packaging station without requiring any direct identification of the stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units anywhere along the travel route;
• separating a delivered inbound unit composed of a plurality of identical items into stock-keeping units;
• storing the stock-keeping units in a small-parts store in which a storage location is provided for each kind of stock-keeping unit;
• retrieving the stock-keeping units from the small-parts store for forming the outbound unit in a sequence until the outbound unit is finished;
• and
• assembling the sequence of different stock-keeping units in the outbound unit.

A method for fully automated repacking of stock-keeping units from an inbound unit having a plurality of identical stock-keeping units into an outbound unit having a plurality of different stock-keeping units in an order picking system, wherein the method comprises:

• providing a number of different stock-keeping units to be handled in the order picking system;
• providing an order-picking installation, wherein the order-picking installation comprises:
• a separating station for separating the stock-keeping units, which are delivered in an inbound unit composed of the plurality of identical items, into at least one of stock-keeping units and sub-units of several stock-keeping units;
• a small-parts store, in which is provided a storage location for each type of stock-keeping unit of the number of different stock-keeping units, with an item-storing position and an item-retrieval position, wherein the small-parts store is formed as high rack store;
• a store-operating device being located in the small-parts store for moving between the storage locations and the item-storing position or the item-retrieval position, wherein the store-operating device is formed as a rack vehicle moving between racks of the high rack store so that all storage locations of the high rack store having stored the whole number of different stock-keeping units can be reached by a single rack vehicle;
• a sub-units store adapted for storing several single-type sub-units composed of several stock-keeping units;
• and
• at least one of a stacking and packaging station for assembling different stock-keeping units in the outbound unit;
• wherein the installation is configured such that assembly of the outbound unit can occur not only direct with sub-units from the sub-units store, but also with stock-keeping units from the small-parts store;
• separating a delivered inbound unit composed of a plurality of identical items into at least one of stock-keeping units and sub-units composed of several stock-keeping units;
• storing the stock-keeping units in a small-parts store in which a storage location is provided for each kind of stock-keeping unit;
• retrieving the stock-keeping units from the small-parts store for forming the outbound unit;
• assembling at least one of different stock-keeping units and sub-units into an outbound unit;
• wherein separating takes place at a separation station and assembling takes place at an assembling station;
• and
• transporting the sub-units composed of several stock-keeping units from the separation station to the assembling station without further separating at least one of the sub-units composed of several stock-keeping units;
• wherein, between the separating station and the item-storing position is provided a first handling section, and between the item-retrieval position and the at least one of a stacking and packaging station is provided a second handling section, wherein at least the small-parts store, the second handling section, and the at least one stacking and packaging station are configured such that the stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units are guided with indirect target tracking such that stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units are moved along a travel route from the item-retrieval position to the at least one stacking and packaging station without requiring any direct identification of the stock-keeping units or sub-units of several stock-keeping units anywhere along the travel route.