On the first floor, product is kept above and opposing the rolling conveyer. The product is grouped by frequency of purchase, not by type of product, so you will see items like motherboards on all three floors, not all grouped together in one area.

Beneath every product is a numerical readout as well as a red "Confirm" button:


Click to Enlarge

When a tub rolls by product that it needs the system stops the tub and starts blinking the confirm button beneath the product in the immediate area that needs to be put in the tub. The display next to the confirm button will give the closest worker a readout of how many of that item are needed.


Click to Enlarge

Next to every stopped tub there is a similar button and readout combination, this time telling you how many of that product have to be put in the tub. You may have two tubs roll by that both require the same motherboard, so while the counter by the motherboards will tell you that you need two, the displays by the two tubs will keep you from placing too many of the wrong item in one tub.


Click to Enlarge

Once everything is filled at this stop there's one last confirm button to hit and then the tubs move along.

The Picker Newegg - The Green e-Tailer
Comments Locked

122 Comments

View All Comments

  • Rapsven - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link

    What's that for?
  • peldor - Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - link

    I just want some stats.

    You know like megapeanuts/s.
  • Jynx980 - Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - link

    The peanut guns are employed by security at the New Egg facility. They shoot about 15 peanuts in a tight grouping which leave painful welts for slacker employees and persons accused of theft.
  • Howard - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link

    Strange.
  • creathir - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link

    Though Anand, use your sway to get them to GET RID OF PEANUTS!
    I would MUCH rather get those plastic bags of air than messy peanuts...
    - Creathir
  • CheesePoofs - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link

    Same here. Air bags are much cleaner and don't get everywhere like peanuts have a tendency to do.
  • johnsonx - Thursday, February 16, 2006 - link

    yeah, hate those peanuts. They're so hard to pick up if you happen to spill some.

    BUT, I bet peanuts are a good bit cheaper for such a high volume shipping operation. Do you want to pay more for bags of air?
  • F22 Raptor - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link

    Nice in depth article and pitures, it was very interesting!

    I also entered the giveaway!

    :)

  • Cygni - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link

    I have to say, im pretty impressed. I didnt expect that level of automation and technology. Guess i shouldnt be surprised. It IS newegg, afterall.
  • gerf - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link

    I expected a little more automation. Of course, I work for a company that makes things like this (similar at least). Mostly we do automotive machines though.

    But, there are a few factories in the world that are completely automated similar to this warehouse, but even more so.

    Pallets can be tracked and moved to the exact part of the plant that the parts are needed, automatically loaded, and automatically assembled, including a multitude of safeguards for people, quality, machine production...

    Yeah, it's neat stuff.

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now