Robotic piece picking uses an AI-guided robotic arm to select individual items, or eaches, from a bin and place them into an order container. A 3D vision system identifies each item and its best grip point, so the robot handles a wide SKU mix without per-item programming. Mounted at a storage port, it can pick and consolidate complete orders unattended, around the clock.

Key facts

•   Robotic arm selects individual items (eaches) into order containers

•   3D AI machine vision identifies each item and its optimal pick point

•   Self-learning vision handles new SKUs with no programming or training

•   Typical throughput 300 to 800 picks/hour; port-mounted arms about 650 per workstation

•   Runs lights-out for 16 or more hours, picking to a consolidation tote

•   Inline code reading verifies each pick to cut shipping errors

How does robotic piece picking work?

Robotic piece picking pairs a robotic arm with 3D machine vision and AI. A bin or tote of mixed items arrives at the pick station, often delivered by conveyor, a goods-to-person port, or an AMR. A camera images the bin, and AI vision software identifies each item and calculates the best point and angle to grip it, even for items it has never seen before. The arm picks the selected item with a vacuum or multipad gripper and places it into the correct order container, switching grippers automatically when the SKU calls for it. Many systems read a barcode on each item mid-pick to verify accuracy. Because the vision handles unknown SKUs, the system adapts to new products without reprogramming.

How does robotic piece picking run lights-out?

The newest approach mounts the picking arm directly on a goods-to-person port fed by a high-density cube-storage grid. Storage robots deliver inventory bins to the port, the arm picks the required items into an order bin, and that order bin is re-inducted into the grid for overnight buffering or staged for shipment. The arm does the consolidation step a person used to handle, so a completed order comes off the line with no operator present. A single workstation picks around 650 items per hour and runs 16 hours or more without a break, which is why this configuration is where high-volume fulfillment is heading. HOJ integrates this approach using Kardex automation on the AutoStore cube-storage grid.

Robotic piece picking specifications

Where is robotic piece picking used?

•   E-commerce and omnichannel order fulfillment

•   eGrocery and high-SKU retail picking

•   Lights-out picking and order consolidation at storage ports

•   Tote and order consolidation

•   Pharmaceutical and health-and-beauty fulfillment

•   Operations facing picking labor shortages or accuracy targets

How does piece picking differ from goods-to-person and sortation?

These three are distinct steps that often work together. Goods to person brings the stock to a station so a picker does not walk. Robotic piece picking is the robot arm at that station selecting the individual item and placing it into the order. Sortation then routes the finished order or item to its destination. A fully automated line can use all three: a cube-storage grid or AMR delivers the bin, a piece-picking arm selects the eaches and consolidates the order, and a sorter sends it to shipping. Piece picking is the selection and consolidation step, not the transport or routing step.

Plan a robotic piece picking system

HOJ engineers and integrates robotic piece picking as an independent integrator, pairing it with Kardex and AutoStore cube storage, goods-to-person ports, AS/RS, or AMR delivery and your WMS to match your SKU profile. Talk to an automation specialist.