Plockområde

Plockområde, in Swedish logistics terminology, refers to a defined area within a warehouse or distribution center where items are picked from storage to fulfill customer orders. The term distinguishes picking activities from other tasks such as replenishment, packing, and shipping. A plockområde is usually positioned to minimize travel distance and is often adjacent to packing stations or receiving zones to streamline flow.

The layout and organization of a plockområde vary with the picking strategy used. It can be organized into zones, pick faces, or aisles. In zone picking, each zone has dedicated pickers responsible for items within that area. In batch picking, several orders are collected together before being separated in a later stage. The choice of strategy affects how efficiently items are located, picked, and prepared for packing.

Technologies commonly deployed in a plockområde include handheld barcode scanners, voice-picking systems, pick-to-light or pick-by-light solutions, and a warehouse management system (WMS) that coordinates tasks and inventory. Automated options such as conveyors or autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can feed items into the plockområde or move picked goods toward packing.

Performance in a plockområde is typically measured by metrics such as pick rate (units per hour), picking accuracy, travel distance, and order cycle time. Layout optimization, slotting, replenishment frequency, and ergonomic design are important for maximizing throughput and reducing errors.

The plockområde is interconnected with replenishment zones, packing stations, and shipping, and its efficiency substantially influences overall warehouse throughput and inventory accuracy.