Crate order picking system

TGW’s system incorporates an efficient order picking solution for fresh fruit and vegetables, which utilises picking robots in the form of overhead gantry ASR machines. To manage over 300 varieties of fresh goods at the DC, TGW installed eight overhead gantry ASR machines capable of handling up to 30,000 totes per day.

The process begins with fresh goods arriving on pallets at the DC then being de-palletised by TGW equipment and divided into four stacks per pallet. The goods are then transported by conveyor to a picking area. As soon as they arrive at the picking area the overhead gantry ASR machines collect the stacks and place them on the floor – each stack containing only one SKU.

Individual orders from Mercadona stores are placed at the logistics centre and the overhead gantry ASR machines automatically start to pick tote per tote. These are stacked on top of each other again until the entire order is completed in one or more stacks. When a stack is complete it is buffered for a later dispatch procedure or immediately loaded onto a pallet for transportation to the designated supermarket.