In warehouses very very rear it is organized as You describe. It is not optimal to replenish whole LP or pallet to packing station – it simply:
- not enough please nearby, especially when You have average 1,5 SKU per container
- too much work for forklifts and reach trucks, driving between the packing station and storage racks. Or between several stations, if the same index will be needed for another sales order.
How it is resolved? More warehouses do this using organization called Dynamic Picking Area. It is a special zone or few zones with empty location mostly on flor (easy to get by worker without special equipment). Thera are at least two models (sometimes there are mixed):
1. The picking locations are between racks. Reach truck or forklift put down pallet from the rack to the floor. The employee is sent to this location on floor, (according to the picking path) takes off the appropriate quantity. After picking the system generates the work of putting the pallet back up, if there are no others requests. This requires, above all, the ability to logically connect locations from areas/zones with specific locations or other areas zones for e.g. on the floor. AX cannot handle it with location directives – it is very difficult for algorithmization.
2. The picking locations are nearby packing station. If some SKU are needed for SO, it is called do Dynamic Picking Area, to first no occupied location. The employee is sent to this location (according to the picking path) takes off the appropriate quantity. This pallet stays there as long as is needed for e.g. others SO. When zone is fulfilled about 80%, we automatically generate cleaning works – works for putting away pallets with the oldest and not reserved SKU’s for other SO. Of course it should be customizable.
Second scenario I tested in AX2012 with using normal Directives it is implemented in one firm. There are cleaning mechanism – it was modified.