Gantry Layer PickingAutomation Software
Software-Driven Order Intelligence, Allocation, and Orchestration for High-Volume CPG Operations
What Is Gantry Layer Picking Automation?
Gantry layer picking is an automated pallet-building process where entire layers of cases are picked and placed onto mixed pallets using overhead gantry systems. It's the dominant automation strategy for CPG suppliers shipping to major grocery retailers and big-box chains.
Why Layer Picking Became the Industry Standard
Grocery retailers and large chains like Walmart and Amazon are under constant pressure to lower prices for shoppers. To do that, they push cost out of their own operations and back onto their suppliers.
The old model: Retailers accepted full pallets and did the expensive work of breaking them down and case-picking by store inside their own distribution centers. That model required massive buildings and large labor teams walking the warehouse with pallet jacks—costly and difficult to scale.
The new model: Retailers now ask CPG suppliers to ship store-ready mixed pallets instead. But for CPGs, building those pallets by manually case picking across a large warehouse is also expensive and not scalable.
Layer Picking: The Compromise That Works
Layer picking became the solution. By building pallets one full layer at a time instead of one case at a time, CPGs can automate the work, reduce labor, and lower their cost per case dramatically.
In return, retailers agree to order by layer (often taking slightly more product per store) and receive mixed pallets that can be cross-docked directly to the store without additional picking.
The result is a lower overall supply chain cost—CPGs offer better pricing, retailers maintain their low-price promise to consumers, and automation replaces manual labor at the point of highest cost.
While gantries perform the physical pick-and-place motion, gantry automation does not start with robots.
It starts with software decisions.
Before a pallet ever moves, the system must decide:
- Which orders qualify for layer picking
- Which inventory can legally and optimally be used
- How pallets must be built to remain stable and compliant
- In what sequence work must execute to avoid bottlenecks
The hardware moves.
JASCI decides.
Key Takeaways
Software First
Gantry automation succeeds or fails before execution begins
Order & Allocation
The hardest problems are order analysis and allocation, not robotics
Pallet Physics
Weight-based pallet physics must be enforced in software
Orchestration
JASCI orchestrates gantries, AGVs, and conveyors as one system
Why Layer Picking ExistsThe Retail Reality
Retailers and grocery chains are under relentless pressure to lower prices for consumers. To protect margins, they push efficiency requirements upstream to suppliers.
Historically:
- Retailers accepted full pallets
- Retail distribution centers performed case picking by store
- Retailers absorbed labor, space, and replenishment costs
That model was expensive.
Retailers changed the rules.
Today, many retailers require store-ready mixed pallets delivered to cross-dock facilities. The retailer transfers the pallet and delivers it directly to the store, eliminating case picking inside the retail DC.
This shifts to the CPG supplier:
...while still demanding lower prices.
Why CPGs Chose Layer Picking
CPG manufacturers explored multiple strategies to meet these demands.
Full Case Picking at Scale
- Requires massive labor
- Extremely expensive to automate
- Does not scale well with high SKU counts
Layer Picking
Emerged as the most viable compromise by requiring retailers to:
- Accept full layers per SKU on mixed pallets
- Slightly increase per-store quantities
CPGs can now:
Layer picking enables automation without dropping to each-level complexity.
Proven at Fortune 500 Scale
JASCI focused it's engineers in designing, implementing, and stabilizing gantry layer picking for a Fortune 500 global CPG food manufacturer whose products are sold in supermarkets around the world.
The Core Misconception:"This Is a Hardware Project"
Many CPGs believe gantry automation is primarily:
Common Assumptions (Wrong)
- A gantry vendor problem
- A conveyor controls problem
- A robotics integration problem
- A small internal IT effort
Reality
Gantry layer picking is a real-time optimization problem spanning:
- Order demand
- Inventory allocation
- Pallet physics
- Execution sequencing
- Physical automation constraints
This is where internal builds fail.
The Software Components That Actually Make This Work
Gantry automation works only because multiple software engines operate together. These are not optional features. They are foundational.
Order Demand Analysis Engine
Retail orders do not arrive gantry-ready. JASCI software continuously analyzes store-level orders, route and wave structures, ship windows, and retailer-specific pallet rules.
- Which orders qualify for layer picking
- Which must be deferred or resequenced
- How orders should be grouped to maximize automation efficiency
- This analysis happens continuously, not once at order release
Allocation & Inventory Selection Logic
Allocation is where most automation attempts break. JASCI allocation logic decides which physical inventory is allowed to be used for each pallet build before execution begins.
- FIFO and FEFO rules
- Expiration-date compliance
- Lot and batch integrity
- Customer-specific constraints
- No spreadsheets. No manual overrides. No last-minute firefighting.
Weight-Aware Pallet Build Engine
Heavy on the Bottom, Light on the Top. Layer picking introduces pallet physics that must be enforced automatically during allocation and sequencing.
- Case weight by SKU and layer weight calculation
- Pallet center of gravity analysis
- Heavy SKUs on bottom layers, lighter on top
- Height and weight limits enforcement
- Retailer and grocery compliance rules
Advanced Cartonization & Palletization Logic
Even with layer picking, cartonization still matters. JASCI determines how cases combine into layers and how layers combine on mixed pallets.
- Cases per layer by SKU
- How layers combine on mixed pallets
- Maximum pallet height and weight
- Retailer-specific packaging rules
- Dynamic adaptation as packaging, SKUs, or rules change
Short-Horizon Forecasting for Execution
This is one of the most misunderstood areas. Gantry automation requires execution-aware forecasting, not supply planning.
- Looks hours and shifts ahead
- Predicts upcoming SKU demand for the gantry
- Pre-positions pallets just in time
- Prevents flooding the gantry with the wrong inventory
- Prevents congestion and wasted AGV cycles
Build Sequencing & Optimization Engine
Once orders are analyzed and inventory allocated, sequencing begins. The goal is to maximize throughput, minimize gantry idle time, and avoid deadlock.
- Layer build order optimization
- SKU transition management
- Gantry travel time minimization
- Source and destination pallet availability
- Continuous re-evaluation as conditions change
Orchestrating Multiple Technologies as One System
Only after all software decisions are made does orchestration begin. Execution spans multiple technologies, each with local logic but no global awareness.
JASCI provides the orchestration layer that synchronizes them into a single, seamless system.
Technologies Orchestrated by JASCI
Each executes tasks only when authorized by the software.
End-to-End Orchestration Flow
Execution Plan Release
Work is released only after allocation, weight, and compliance rules are validated.
Coordinated Pallet Induction
AGVs and conveyors induct pallets just in time to avoid congestion.
Synchronized Gantry Execution
Layer picks align with pallet availability and downstream capacity.
Continuous Pallet Flow
Pallets move gantry → conveyor → wrap → label → buffer without stopping.
Real-Time Feedback & Adjustment
Every system reports status back. Execution is throttled, resequenced, or redirected as needed.
Conveyor & WCS Automation(Embedded in Software)
JASCI includes embedded WCS logic to control the entire conveyor ecosystem:
Conveyors do not push pallets.
Software authorizes every move.
Closed-Loop Validation & Recovery
Real automation fails constantly in small ways. JASCI handles:
When issues occur:
This is required for 24/7 CPG operations.
ERP Integration Is Mandatory
This system is fully ERP-driven.
Why Internal Builds Fail
CPGs consistently underestimate:
They discover too late that this is not a controls project.
It is a software platform problem.
How This Enables Pallet-to-Person and Robotic Arms
The execution logic built here is not gantry-specific.
The same software foundation supports:
Pallet-to-Person
Robotic Arms
for layer or case picking
Flexible Automation
without fixed rails
Only the execution resource changes.
The software stays the same.
Learn more about GTP Pallet BuildingThe JASCI Advantage
Most automation projects focus on hardware.
JASCI focuses on decision intelligence at execution time.
Hardware moves pallets.
JASCI makes the system work.
Calculate Your ROI
Gantry layer picking automation delivers measurable returns across labor, accuracy, throughput, and compliance.
Automated layer picking eliminates manual pallet building labor
Software-driven allocation eliminates mis-picks and compliance errors
Continuous automated operation vs. manual shift-based work
Weight-based pallet builds meet all retailer requirements
Payback Period: 12-18 Months
Enterprise CPG operations typically achieve full ROI within 12-18 months through labor savings, reduced compliance penalties, and increased throughput capacity.
- Eliminate manual pallet building shifts
- Reduce retailer chargebacks from compliance failures
- Increase daily pallet output without adding labor
- Lower facility footprint requirements
Ready to Calculate Your Savings?
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