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Business Unit
-accurately interpret policies and procedures
- Model the policies and procedures
- Establishment of objectives
- Create new marketing strategies
- Analyzing market trends
- identifying new business opportunities
-create strategies for the business unit’s promotional activities
- Strategy revision (if the goals are not met)
Where can people find you?
with Clients and Partners
Material Receiving
Automatic identification helps to identify, verify, record, communicate and store information on discrete, packaged or containerized items and retrieval process
Technologies
The most common technologies used to identify and capture data are :
1. Transparency in identification or traceability of materials (better visibility)
2. Inspection for any damages or shortages
3. Human error -manual data entry
4. Addressing Warranty management
5. Regulatory compliant
6. Rising Freight costs and labor costs
7. Lack of control
RFID is the term used for the technology to automatically identify and locate objects using radio waves.Automated tracking of components via RFID tags simplifies logistics and enables real-time management of inventory flow and quality
Overview
Lack of Visibility, lack of Control , rising freight costs and labor costs pose a major challenge in logistics
Challenges
Solutions
RFID helps reduce and eliminate waste in a variety of functional areas, such as:
Manufacturing. RFID improves accuracy, reduces labor and associated costs, and provides improved visibility as a result of real-time tracking of materials (especially raw and work-in-process inventory to support manufacturing).
Distribution. RFID boosts efficiency, visibility, and accuracy in selection and distribution processes, and reduces distribution costs. It also has significant impact on crossdock warehouses, where products from a supplier or manufacturing plant are distributed directly to a customer or retail chain with minimal to no handling or storage time in a crossdocking facility.
Retail. RFID aids in cycle counting and triggering replenishment from the store's back end to the front end, especially on expensive items and simultaneous "one shot" scanning of goods at checkout.
Impacts & benefits
Transparency in traceability and tracking of assets and materials, error reduction, Reduced labor cost. Integration With Other Systems
GHS Requirements and New Identification process
Overview
With the GHS regulations (GHS - Globally Harmonized System) the United Nations wanted to minimise the risks to human health and the environment arising from production, transport and the use of hazardous substances.
Challenges
Changeover to the new GHS regulations. Ex- Standardised danger symbols and texts have to be used for the identification of chemicals around the world.
Solutions
A suitable printing system needs to be implemented to develop customised identification solutions, customized to customer's requirements.
The development team at S+P Samson have five Lexmark laser printers -3 located in production and 2 in shipping. Using the above system and their innovative ideas, label with very special features were introduced:
• Black underneath to make them opaque when they are applied on top of other labels
• Tear-off portions for customer-specific information
Benefits and Impacts
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Cost of Receiving per receiving line
Productivity - Volume received per man-hour
Utilization - Receiving Dock door utilization %
Quality - Accurate receipts %
Cycle Time - Time taken to process a receipt.
Case Studies
Polaris saves thousands with automated manufacturing solutions
Vehicle manufacturer Polaris optimized production through a RAIN RFID solution that saved them more than $200,000 per year.
Overview
Challenges
Errors due to Manual checks , risk of missed scans due to manual scanning of VIN, accuracy of assembly materials moving through the production line and inventory management equipment costs, labor costs.
Solutions
Polaris turned to a RAIN RFID solution to address the above challenges. Developed by Impinj and Atlas RFID, the RAIN RFID solution supports Polaris' sophisticated manufacturing line by accurately identifying AGVs as they move parts through production. This allows Polaris to ensure key manufacturing processes are complete. Here’s how it works:
Benefits and Impacts
Smart Manufacturing using Rain RFID enabled solution
Volvo Simplifies Automotive Tracking Solution with RAIN RFID.
Overview
Challenges
With a system that mixed and matched multiple RFID tag types with barcodes, challenges faced are - difficulty maintaining a streamlined, cost-effective tracking system and open to errors.
Solutions
In order to uniquely and accurately identify vehicles, Volvo turned to a simplified RAIN RFID solution from Confidex and Impinj to enable asset tracking from the paint shop to the point of final assembly. Here’s how it works:
Benefits and Impacts
IIC - Track and Trace Testbed
Manage smart, hand-held tools in manufacturing, maintenance, and industrial environments
Overview
Challenges
Factory systems can detect - within a meter - the location of a tool. Misuse of tools can result in serious accident or injury; The production of many industrial and consumer goods requires exacting work - down to the precise force used to tighten a screw.
Solutions
The Track and Trace testbed brings the Industrial Internet onto the factory floor. The goal is to manage handheld power tools in manufacturing and maintenance environments. This "management" involves efficiently tracking and tracing the usage of these tools to ensure their proper use, prevent their misuse and collect data on their usage and status.
The tools in Track and Trace will be able to determine its precise location and use and, therefore, will be able to determine the force and work needed to complete a task. In addition, if a tool recognizes that it is being misused, it will promptly power down to avoid accident or injury. Finally, over the two-year project, the testbed participants will look to fine-tune the localization of tools to 30 centimeters, and ideally down to five centimeters. Currently, the accuracy is approximately one meter - a gap large enough to allow mistakes. These features of Track and Trace will contribute to the safety and quality of the goods produced, as well as increase productivity in manufacturing.
Over the two-year project, four Industrial Internet Consortium members will be lending their expertise to the testbed. Bosch is supplying the necessary software; Cisco is taking care of the precision location identification feature; National Instruments will interconnect the power tools; and TechMahindra is responsible for the application programming.
IIC - Track and Trace Testbed
Impacts and Benefits
Reverse Logistics is the process of moving goods from their place of use, back to their place of manufacture for re-processing, re-filling, repairs or recycling/ waste disposal.
The Traditional approach to returns involves aggregation, sorting, and consolidation and this process may take up to several weeks. However, a modern Strategic approach leverages technology and infrastructure to provide complete data visibility throughout the returns supply chain and may be completed in days. There is an obvious need to use
big data and advanced analytics technology to drive predictive analysis that supports network planning/optimization and strategic decision-making to streamline
the reverse logistics flow. With improved analysis of a supply chain’s network design for collection and drop points, the demand can therefore be closely understood
and plans for refining and optimizing flows can be achieved.
1. Unpredictability of returns
2. Cost to manage returns
3. Transport charges, labor for assessment and reprocessing,
including packaging and handling for reverse distribution
4. Repairs, recalls and the adding of extra parts to process these returned products
5. Products recycle
Reverse logistics savings begin with demand planning
Overview
Challenges
. Difficulties forecasting demand in a high-volume repair environment caused rise in inventory costs
• Inadequate planning and execution resulted in excess and obsolete inventory and poor utilization of warehouse space
• Variability of hardware and component sourcing affected production efficiency, causing
fulfillment delays and lower customer satisfaction.
Solutions
. Implemented world-class forecasting model to improve inventory management and asset utilization while reducing costs
• Utilized advanced sourcing and materials planning to speed fulfillment cycles and improve
service levels for increased customer satisfaction
• Configured a highly structured and efficient reverse logistics program to supplement demand inventory and reduce sourcing costs
Immediately improved demand forecast accuracy from 35 percent to 99 percent
• Reduced spare parts inventory levels by 52 percent or $2.3 million in the first year
• Reduced cycle time by 70 percent from 3.35 to 1.10 days
• Improved on-time, same day ship rates from 84 percent to 99 percent
• Reduced obsolescence by 75 percent
• Improved efficiencies in supply chain related processes by approximately 15 percent
Impacts & benefits
Key Performance Indicators
Cost
1. Returns cost as a percentage of sales
2. Returns processing costs by category/channel/supplier
3. shipping costs
4. inventory levels and carrying costs
5. write-offs
Quality -
1. percentage of returns due to damage, faults, preference changes
2. Accuracy of delivery
3. PPM
Return process cycle time (days)
Reverse logistics is an opportunity to recapture value.
Overview
Challenges
Handling returned products requires a careful balance of effort and profit.
Solutions
RLG provides highly effective remanufacturing services for products and devices, especially when combined with our intelligent sorting, grading and profitable remarketing services.
Our returns recovery services are provided either by our own facilities or within our network of trusted partners.
• End-to-end returns processing
• Minimize returns
• Maximize value recovery
• Optimize stock transfer and fulfillment capabilities
• Improved efficiencies in supply chain related processes by approximately 15 percent
• Item dispositioning
Impacts & benefits
Documentation of goods received and goods returned
Digital documentation and visualization
Pain Points Addressed
Automated material handling equipments reduces the workforce needed and provides additional flexibility.
It aids in the movement, protection , storage and control of materials and products throughout manufacturing, distribution, consumption and disposal.
Technologies /Equipments
1. Shorten Delivery time
2. Overall handling costs in manufacturing, distribution and transportation (ex- labor costs)
3. Addressing Occupational health
4. Efficient and quick material traceability/ supply of products and materials at proper time (order prioritization)
5. Reduction in product damage
6. Energy consumption
7. Safety
Augmented Reality in Material handling
Implementing AR solution for all the warehouse and logistics use cases - loading and unloading, receiving, Picking & Packing, cycle counting, shipping and returns.
Overview
Visualization of stocks (in inaccessible locations), space utilization due to lack of proper visibility over materials/ stocks, storage area determination, rework and errors
Challenges
AR devices that keeps workers hands-free to increase their efficiency while keeping costs low, and gives the flexibility to upskill and reskill the warehouse staff quickly with seasonal and peak demand.
Drive improvement across the operations with a scalable AR solution that is secure and can be rapidly deployed as new use cases emerge across the warehouse and supply chain operations.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Handling costs
Downtime measurement
Productivity - man-hours per product
Utilization - Labor-Equipment Utilization . The percentage of labor & equipment out of the total labor and equipment utilized during the process
Quality - Material handling damage %
Cycle Time - Lead time
INTRALOX ARB SOLUTION
Overview
Systems integrator Invata Intralogistics specializes in fullscale, automated solutions for fulfillment and distribution centers. Invata was charged with providing a “worryfree” system that could handle several package types—
including polybags and small boxes—while achieving a throughput target of 25,000 packages per day
Sorting accurately at high through put rate is the major challenge
Challenges
Solutions
Invata designated Intralox® Activated Roller Belt™ (ARB™) technology as a critical part of its automated material handling system. ARB systems can handle a wide range of products within a small footprint, and are especially adept at handling polybags and small boxes without jams, pinches, or damage.
Positioned near the beginning of the line, the ARB Aligner S7000 aligns polybags and small boxes to allow for accurate placement of shipping labels. Further on, the ARB Sorter S7000—which measures 96 ft (29.3 m) in length—sorts bidirectionally to 12 exits, with an additional exit for exceptional items that need to be manually reprocessed. Packages are automatically sorted by weight, type, and delivery options; each exit corresponds to a different parcel carrier, price, and service level. Polybags are fed to one of eight gaylords via chutes; small boxes travel to extendable loading conveyors by way of a de-elevating spiral conveyor
Accurate sorting of various package types at high throughput rate in a small foot print
Benefits and Impacts
To separate and route items
Sortation system merges, identifies, inducts and conveys products to specific destinations. Working in conjunction with fixed conveyors, automatic identification systems and controls, sortation system transfers items off the main conveyor lines to spur tracks.
Technologies /Equipments
1. Labor Costs
2. Ergonomics
3. Sortation system speed to accommodate slow and peak demand periods
4. Reduction in product damage
5. Safety
ORDER PICKING PROCESS IN WAREHOUSE
Overview
Throughout picking orders in warehouses, the presence of human work is highly reflected, with the main goal to reduce the process time as much as possible, that is, to the very minimum. There are several different order picking methods, and the most common ones are being developed and are significantly dependent on the type of goods, the warehouse equipment., and those that stand out are scanning and picking by voice
Overall Costs - warehouse operation costs, inventory costs and transportation costs and the travel distance ,
lack of control
Challenges
Optimization of order picking : optimization includes predefining WMS data and reorganization of dedicated storage locations directly influencing the time consuming order picking, which is presented with the proposed changes in the observed company’s warehouse layout. The evaluation of effectiveness and effectivity of a certain process, such as
order picking, should be constantly supervised in the form of analysis and chronographically measured to
be controlled and reduced.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Handling costs
Downtime measurement
Productivity - man-hours per product
Utilization - Labor-Equipment Utilization . The percentage of labor & equipment out of the total labor and equipment utilized during the process
Quality - sorting error ( %)
Cycle Time - Lead time
Intralox DARB Sorter Handles Challenging Products
Intralox DARB Sorter provides multi-destination sorting for difficult-to-handle product types and sizes. This 60 divert system sorts plastic totes, buckets, rolls of hose, long products, unevenly loaded boxes, and plastic-covered boxes.
Overview
Challenges
Sorting difficult- to handle products with a wide variety of package types,sizes and shapes pose a major challenge in material handling process.
Solutions
DARB Sortation System Provides Gentle Sorting of Virtually Any Product in a Small Footprint
The DARB Sorter S4500 is designed to sort, sequence, and divert products at a 90-degree angle to the belt’s direction of travel without the use of rails or other devices that touch the product. It has pneumatic activated divert zone(s) with patented Dual-Stacked Angled Roller Belt (DARB) technology.Once this zone is activated, the product moves sideways
IDEAL SOLUTION FOR:
• High-rate sorting at 90° with tight divert spacing
• Feeding multiple palletizers
• Sorting into accumulation lines (such as mixed pallet building operations)
• Carton sequencing
• Single 90° divert (reject) stations
• When changing carton orientation during high-rate sorting
Benefits and Impacts
By tying all the technologies together, a properly designed system ensures complete handling process .
To ensure that all the material handling systems in a facility—whether manual, semi-automated or automated—works together as a unified, integrated material handling system provide engineering services to design and implement a complete handling process.
Typical material handling systems include:
1. improve customer service
2. reduce inventory level
3. shorten delivery time
4. lower overall handling costs in manufacturing, distribution and transportation.
Augmented Reality in Material handling
Implementing AR solution for all the warehouse and logistics use cases - loading and unloading, receiving, Picking & Packing, cycle counting, shipping and returns.
Overview
Visualization of stocks (in inaccessible locations), space utilization due to lack of proper visibility over materials/ stocks, storage area determination, rework and errors
Challenges
AR devices that keeps workers hands-free to increase their efficiency while keeping costs low, and gives the flexibility to upskill and reskill the warehouse staff quickly with seasonal and peak demand.
Drive improvement across the operations with a scalable AR solution that is secure and can be rapidly deployed as new use cases emerge across the warehouse and supply chain operations.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Handling costs
Downtime measurement
Productivity - man-hours per product
Utilization - Labor-Equipment Utilization . The percentage of labor & equipment out of the total labor and equipment utilized during the process
Quality - Material handling damage %
Cycle Time - Lead time
Pain Points Addressed
1. Customer satisfaction
2. Outdated (obsolete) stock analysis
3. Quality control improvement
4. Warranty Issuance and Control
5. Availability of Most Recent Product Iterations
6. Storage space utilization
7. Reduction in product damage
Elevating Rack Guarding for Warehouse Pallet Racks
Overview
In order to avoid the damages to the valuable auto part stock as well as to employees, the netting system needs to be fitted to the pallet racks to prevent the falling of the loose products on the pallet shelves , into the aisles of the warehousing floor.
The challenge was to create a safety net barrier acting as a door to protect both products as well as employees in a warehouse setting.In addition the door needs to be accessible to the driver of a fork lift from the ground/
Challenges
Combining pallet rack safety netting with a pallet stop system.The steel stops prevented pallets from being pushed off the shelf while the plastic netting ensured that loose items couldn’t fall into aisles or into flue areas between racks.
Pallet stops were off-set three inches behind shelves, giving a conventional 48-inch pallet room to
balance evenly on standard 42-inch shelves. Plastic netting was then attached to the pallet stops
creating a vertical “wall” to contain loose parts and boxes.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Holding costs (This KPI measures the costs related to storing unsold inventory. This includes the cost of damaged and spoiled goods, as well as the cost of storage space, labor and insurance.)
Productivity - Inventory turn over , Gross Contribution Margin (GCM) performance
Efficiency -Return on Assets (ROA) (Net Income/ Total Assets)
Quality - Inventory Accuracy rate, rate of return
Lead Time , Average Days to Sell Inventory (DSI)
FIFO Pallet Racking System
FIFO pallet flow storage system can double or triple the capacity of a warehouse and is an ideal alternative to drive-in, static racks or storing pallets on the floor, as well as allowing for FIFO stock control. FIFO warehouse racking systems are one of the most efficient types of warehouse storage racks.
Overview
Available warehouse space, operational efficiency,potential for inventory write-offs due to expirations and Availability of Most Recent Product Iterations
Challenges
In the FIFO pallet flow system, pallets load at the top end of an inclined rack, which allows them to glide at a controlled pace to the other side of the storage rack. These pallet rack systems ensure that the face along the aisles always remains stocked, maximizing the available storage space and using available vertical space to minimize the overall footprint.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
Automated storage and retrieval systems provides dense storage that maximizes floor space.
(AS/RS) integrate automated hardware and software for accurate picking and replenishment. These systems automatically locate and deliver the required inventory to a conveyor system, manual outfeed, or an ergonomic operator station.
Types
Pain Points Addressed
1. Space utilization
2. Reduction in inventory levels
3. Reduction in labor requirements
4. product security
5. Ergonomics
6. Increased accuracy levels
7. Increased throughput capabilities
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Carrying Cost of Inventory
Storage Productivity - Volume of inventory stored per square foot
Space Utilization - Percentage of space occupied by inventory out of the total space available for storage.
Inventory Turnover
Inventory to Sales Ratio
Automated Storage and Retrieval System Increases Storage Density 40%
Overview
A leader in the private label bottled water industry has installed an Automated Storage and Retrieval
System (AS/RS) and Warehouse Management System (WMS) for their Douglas, Georgia plant.
They chose an AS/RS for its technological efficiency and cost benefits, after initially considering a pallet
flow system.
Challenges
Achieving high through put and efficiency . For better storage density and utilization of space,a need for better solution of warehouse management arised.
Solutions
To meet the demand for high throughput, the AS/RS includes two Storage/Retrieval Machines (S/RMs)operating in one aisle, each capable of handling two pallets at a time. Rack entry vehicles quickly and smoothly store and retrieve pallets from the racks.The four-level rack system holds over 6,500 pallet positions in 10 pallet deep storage lanes.
To handle the peak production and order selection times, Air Chain Accumulation Conveyors are at both the in-feed and discharge of the AS/RS. These low-energy use conveyors provide a buffer for smoothing peak operations, and cut the average S/RM travel distance, especially when compared to end of aisle in-feed systems.
Benefits and Impacts
For short- or long-term holding of materials, products and loads in a manufacturing or distribution facility
Choosing the right type of storage system depends on
Designing the configuration of the storage system depends on
Shelving
Convenient and cost-effective, this type of storage system is comprised of more than one shelf for storage of non-palletized loads, typically hand-loaded, light loads.
Mezzanines or work platforms
A structure built within an existing facility that is designed to maximize clear space under and above it.Accessed by steps or integrated personnel or load lifts, a mezzanine’s construction depends on the amount of load, the clear distance it is required to span and types of activities it will support
Types
Rack Systems
Rack systems are often used for buffering, or holding, of reserved stock to ensure that enough components or products are on hand to meet anticipated demands.
Pallet Racks
Pallet racks are single or multi-level structural bulk storage systems. They support high stacking of single items or palletized loads which usually remain in the original packaging of shipping containers or boxes.
Types
Compartmentalized storage
A variety of small-scale systems can be used—either alone or in conjunction with racks, shelving and mezzanines—for secure storage of small items.
Types
1. Better space utilization
2. Right-sizing to accomodate multiple sizes of products
3. Security - Lockable storage solutions keep contents safe from unauthorized access
4. Reduction in product damage
Elevating Rack Guarding for Warehouse Pallet Racks
Overview
In order to avoid the damages to the valuable auto part stock as well as to employees, the netting system needs to be fitted to the pallet racks to prevent the falling of the loose products on the pallet shelves , into the aisles of the warehousing floor.
The challenge was to create a safety net barrier acting as a door to protect both products as well as employees in a warehouse setting.In addition the door needs to be accessible to the driver of a fork lift from the ground/
Challenges
Combining pallet rack safety netting with a pallet stop system.The steel stops prevented pallets from being pushed off the shelf while the plastic netting ensured that loose items couldn’t fall into aisles or into flue areas between racks.
Pallet stops were off-set three inches behind shelves, giving a conventional 48-inch pallet room to
balance evenly on standard 42-inch shelves. Plastic netting was then attached to the pallet stops
creating a vertical “wall” to contain loose parts and boxes.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Carrying Cost of Inventory
Storage Productivity - Volume of inventory stored per square foot
Space Utilization - Percentage of space occupied by inventory out of the total space available for storage.
Inventory Turnover
Inventory to Sales Ratio
Records Storage with Pallet Racks
Overview
Pallet racks are the most popular type of storage system for warehouse storage. Warehouse pallet racks can be designed for pallets, boxes, cartons, furniture, carpet, records archives, crates, bulk storage, and almost any other type of raw goods and finished products.
Our engineering department can design a storage system for almost any application in the material handling industry, from heavy duty pallet racks to light duty pallet racks, and everything in between.
Challenges
Manage a large volume of incoming records involving a digital scanning process and the destruction of unneeded files.
Solutions
All of the incoming files would arrive as palletized record archive boxes. Designing a high-density pallet rack system maximized the storage capacity, while providing an efficient management system to storing and retrieving files.
Benefits and Impacts
to measure how many times stock is sold (or used) within a fixed period of time.
Demand Forecasting
Inventory Redistribution
Track Inventory Obsolescence
Data Integration
ABC Analysis
Pain Points Addressed
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Carrying Cost Of Inventory
Productivity - Inventory turn over , Gross Contribution Margin (GCM) performance
Efficiency -Return on Assets (ROA) (Net Income/ Total Assets)
Quality - Supplier Quality Index
Order Cycle Time
SML Intelligent Inventory Solutions
SML Intelligent Inventory Solutions LLC develops, tests, sells, and deploys RFID and software solutions for large and small organizations worldwide.
Overview
Challenges
SML Intelligent Inventory's customers, some retail and supply chain businesses wanted a cost-efficient way to improve their inventory management so that they can increase their revenue.
Solutions
The Clarity Application Suite uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to enable customers to see their entire supply chain, end to end, with greater precision and granularity than ever before, driving better insights, analytics, and decision making. Microsoft Azure App Service and Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines are used as supporting software.
Hardware Components
- RFID
Software Components
- Microsoft Azure App Service
- Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines
Benefits and Impacts
When Inventory or stock is held in a warehouse for any period of time it is important to have a correct way of tracking this inventory throughout the warehouse, supply chain, and when it gets shipped to customers. This becomes an important issue when the value to weight ratio of the products is quite high and/or when the products are perishable.
Correct stock/inventory rotation is important with perishable products
Stock rotation systems
Pain Points Addressed
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Holding costs (This KPI measures the costs related to storing unsold inventory. This includes the cost of damaged and spoiled goods, as well as the cost of storage space, labor and insurance.)
Productivity - Inventory turn over , Gross Contribution Margin (GCM) performance
Efficiency -Return on Assets (ROA) (Net Income/ Total Assets)
Quality - Inventory Accuracy rate, rate of return
Lead Time , Average Days to Sell Inventory (DSI)
FIFO Pallet Racking System
FIFO pallet flow storage system can double or triple the capacity of a warehouse and is an ideal alternative to drive-in, static racks or storing pallets on the floor, as well as allowing for FIFO stock control. FIFO warehouse racking systems are one of the most efficient types of warehouse storage racks.
Overview
Available warehouse space, operational efficiency,potential for inventory write-offs due to expirations and Availability of Most Recent Product Iterations
Challenges
In the FIFO pallet flow system, pallets load at the top end of an inclined rack, which allows them to glide at a controlled pace to the other side of the storage rack. These pallet rack systems ensure that the face along the aisles always remains stocked, maximizing the available storage space and using available vertical space to minimize the overall footprint.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
LIFO Pushback Pallet Flow System
Overview
Last in, first out (LIFO) pushback pallet racking systems are ideal for any company that needs to maximize storage and has products that are not subject to expiration, deterioration or obsolescence. This is because LIFO pushback racking works by positioning the most recently stored inventory to be picked first and enabling high storage density.
Challenges
Available warehouse space, operational efficiency, potential for inventory write-offs due to expirations and Availability of Most Recent Product Iterations
Solutions
LIFO pushback pallet racking uses gravity to move the pallets on a flow rack where the pallets are pushed back into the system when new pallets are added to the rack. Then, when the front pallets are unloaded, gravity moves the rear pallets forward to the aisle, eliminating the need for drive-in racks or manual handling. Lanes are equipped with either series 2300 wheels or wheeled pallet carts for quiet, frictionless movement. With LIFO systems from Westfalia Technologies, there is always a pallet at the front of the rack for picking.
Benefits and Impacts
Inventory control systems used for identifying inventory items and their information including barcode labels or asset tags; hardware tools for scanning barcode labels or RFID tags; a central database for all inventory in addition to the ability to analyze data, generate reports, and forecast demand; and processes for labeling, documenting, and reporting inventory along with a proven inventory methodology like just-in-time, ABC analysis, first-in, or first out (FIFO), or last-in-first-out (LIFO)
Types
Pain Points Addressed
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Holding costs (This KPI measures the costs related to storing unsold inventory. This includes the cost of damaged and spoiled goods, as well as the cost of storage space, labor and insurance.)
Productivity - Inventory turn over , Gross Contribution Margin (GCM) performance
Efficiency -Return on Assets (ROA) (Net Income/ Total Assets)
Quality - Inventory Accuracy rate, rate of return
Lead Time , Average Days to Sell Inventory (DSI)
SML Intelligent Inventory Solutions
SML Intelligent Inventory Solutions LLC develops, tests, sells, and deploys RFID and software solutions for large and small organizations worldwide.
Overview
Challenges
SML Intelligent Inventory's customers, some retail and supply chain businesses wanted a cost-efficient way to improve their inventory management so that they can increase their revenue.
Solutions
The Clarity Application Suite uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to enable customers to see their entire supply chain, end to end, with greater precision and granularity than ever before, driving better insights, analytics, and decision making. Microsoft Azure App Service and Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines are used as supporting software.
Hardware Components
- RFID
Software Components
- Microsoft Azure App Service
- Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines
Benefits and Impacts
- safe movement of loads
Automated Computer-controlled load carriers that travel along the floor of a facility without an on board operator or driver. The automated guided vehicles aids in transportation of raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods in support of manufacturing production lines, and storage/retrieval or other movements in support of picking in warehousing and distribution applications
Technologies /Equipments
1. Lower labor costs and operating costs
2. Ergonomics
3. safe movement of loads
4.Reduction in product damage
5. Scalability - expand capacity and throughput
Autonomous Transportation in Logistics
Overview
Autonomous transportation describes systems that provide unmanned, autonomous transfer of equipment, baggage, people, information or resources from point-to-point with minimal intervention.
Labor costs, more work force, Human error , inventory efficiency and accuracy, delivery accuracy, materials and products supply at the right time are the major challenges faced in Logistics.
Challenges
Autonomous vehicles use system information to supply material and products at the right time efficiently (optimal routes, order prioritization). The system handles the transportation of parts and finished goods between the warehouse and production zone and takes over tasks that otherwise need to be done manually.AGVS pick up the ordered components and deliver them to buffers at the assigned lines.AIVs that are similar to traditional automated guided vehicles (AGVs), but feature next-generation technology. Unlike AGVs, which travel along predefined paths on a factory floor, AIVs are self-learning devices. They are able to automatically adjust their routes to avoid people or obstacles.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
Route Optimization
Overview
In order to get an optimal route for warehouse intelligent vehicle, routing optimization in complex global dynamic environment is studied.A new evolutionary ant colony algorithm based on RFID and knowledge-refinement is proposed. The new algorithm gets environmental information timely through the RFID technology and updates the environment map at the same time.
Changing customer needs, time sensitivity, capacity restraints as well as historical and real-time data flows such as traffic and navigation ― all contribute to the complexity of executing the perfect delivery
Challenges
Route planning software solution balances all of the business constraints around workers, orders, vehicles, and compliance to create the most efficient routes possible. These routes are then monitored via real-time execution in order to understand how the day is unfolding.
Strategic territory and route optimization solutions allow to balance overall workload while decreasing costs and adhering to business constraints. Create the optimal sales and delivery territories using route planning software's powerful algorithms that encompass customer needs and available resources while considering geographic areas, capacity, and more.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Transportation cost
Productivity - Process conformity with planned processes (%), Transport Schedule compliance (%)
Utilization - Transport capacity utilization (%), Resource utilization capacity (%)
Quality - Perfect Order rate, Rejection rates %
Cycle Time - Order Lead Time
The percentage of labor & pick/pack equipment out of the total labor and equipment utilized during the process
Special AGV
Overview
Internal, floor-supported material handling systems with automatically controlled vehicles whose main purpose is materials handling with the advantage of utmost flexibility
The client faces complex material handling due to non-standard load dimensions and weight, increasing safety risks and load handling damages.
Challenges
Axter delivered a dedicated special stacker forklift with precise and reliable automatic handling abilities.
Axter Supervisor supports operators in production lines providing real-time 'Quality Control' buffering areas' availabilities in order to allocate accordingly the new cargo entry. AGV handle automatically their requests navigating in a tight and narrow environment to reach their final destination efficiently and safely while AGV Control Supervisor updates timely operators.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
- Intelligent Packaging
With proven technologies in RFID, UHF and NFC tags on the packages or individual items, the packaging can become intelligent. RFID readers and antennas can identify several hundred items per second, with much higher accuracy than barcodes.
1. Inventory accuracy
2. Slash out-of-stocks, shrinkage and mark-downs
3. Aid product authentication – prevent loss and counterfeiting
4.Reduce manual labour and costs, and errors due to inaccuracies and inefficiencies
5. Increase profit margins
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Handling costs, Packaging material costs
Productivity - No.of deliverables per head
Quality - Packaging errors %
Order Cycle Time
The percentage of labor & pick/pack equipment out of the total labor and equipment utilized during the process
Starving Packer
Overview
Engineers at a large consumer packaging company believe they have an problematic code problem with a laner. Engineers look at four possible scenarios to solve the riddle:
1. Change PLC code for laner
2. Add buffer after laner
3. Add buffer before laner
4. Change slug size
Challenges
Unbalanced lanes at a downstream packer are causing big problems for a large packaging line. The photo eye is getting tripped, shutting down the upstream wrapper, but the packer is starved.
Using PolySim, the team can emulate the effect of product design variables on the working line, so system changes
can be created and tested without impacting production. The team decides to emulate the movement of the photo
eye upstream to emulate adding buffer before the laner.
The emulation provided significant improvements to the line: a 19% jump in average throughput of the laner – and no shutdowns of the wrapper
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
1.Better inventory management, lower inventory levels, reduced carrying costs
2.Improved on-time deliveries
3.Less handling and damage, efficient receiving
4.Proactive notification of disruptions
5.Administrative efficiency
6.Increased customer satisfaction
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - Transportation cost
Productivity - Labor Productivity
Revenue yield
Quality - Rejection rates %
On-time pickup and delivery , Loading or unloading time
The percentage of labor & pick/pack equipment out of the total labor and equipment utilized during the process
Freight Cost Savings
The client was shipping multiple, individual packages from a common origin to the common destination. The client had been taking advantage of our pre-audit and payment services and had succeeded in reducing freight costs through audit recoveries and automation of the freight billing process.
Overview
Challenges
High Freight costs, error proofing freight billing process, Improvement in on-time deliveries, better inventory management (inventory levels)
With the information made available by utilizing our Data2InformSM intelligence tool the client was able to identify an opportunity to consolidate packages and ship in bulk, thereby reducing the number of shipments being generated and sent to customers. By consolidating individual shipments with common origins and destinations, and instead shipping in bulk, the client realized a reduction in freight costs of over $350,000 per year.
Solutions
Benefits and Impacts
- Audit
Second- party Audit
establishing sustainable quality standards and providing constant access to reliable information.
The audit is performed when
Pain Points Addressed
Key Performance Indicators
Cost - follow up audits
Quality - No.of non conformities
Pro active measures
Cycle Time - frequency of the audit