BHFO worked with Bastian to install a perfect pick system to speed up order fulfillment
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Perfect Pick
- ZiPline conveyor
- Exacta warehouse control system (WCS)
- RetailOps warehouse management system (WMS)
Tech Stack
- PC/PLC based human machine interface (HMI)
- Goods-to-person storage and retrieval system
- Live roller zero pressure, DC powered conveyor
- Belted zero pressure, DC powered conveyor
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Customer Satisfaction
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Automation & Control - Human Machine Interface (HMI)
- Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
- Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Applicable Industries
- E-Commerce
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Supply Chain Visibility
- Warehouse Automation
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
BHFO is a leading e-commerce retailer specializing in fashion and accessories. They operate a high-volume warehouse that handles millions of small SKU lots. The company is committed to providing fast and accurate order fulfillment to maintain high customer satisfaction. BHFO's business model relies heavily on efficient warehouse operations to meet the demands of their online marketplace, including platforms like eBay. With a goal to scale their operations and improve efficiency, BHFO sought advanced technological solutions to streamline their order fulfillment process.
The Challenge
BHFO faced several challenges in their order fulfillment process. They aimed to meet the goal of same-day shipping instead of the existing two-day shipping. Additionally, they needed to increase the picking rate to 250 items per person hour while reducing overall labor requirements. Another significant challenge was to increase throughput with a smaller system footprint and reduce the number of picking errors. Furthermore, BHFO needed an efficient way to manage millions of small SKU lots, which was becoming increasingly difficult with their existing system.
The Solution
To address these challenges, BHFO collaborated with Bastian Solutions to implement a comprehensive warehouse automation system. The solution included the installation of four aisles of Perfect Pick, a goods-to-person storage and retrieval system, with five robots per aisle. This system was designed to speed up the picking process and reduce errors. Additionally, 440 feet of ZiPline conveyor were installed, featuring various types of zero pressure, DC powered conveyors, including RZPDC, BZPDC, and RZCDC. These conveyors facilitated smooth and efficient movement of goods within the warehouse. The system was integrated with a PC/PLC based human machine interface (HMI) and the Exacta warehouse control system (WCS), which worked in conjunction with the RetailOps warehouse management system (WMS). This integration ensured seamless coordination between different components of the warehouse automation system, enhancing overall efficiency and accuracy.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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