We are an industrial company and are looking for warehouse management software. The software should support the management of high-bay warehouses with up to 5,000 storage locations as well as comparatively simple floor storage concepts. We currently use a logistics software, mainly on MS Windows Server and web servers via MS Edge and MS IE.
Integration into the system landscape
In a shipping system, fully assembled or pre-assembled parts are buffered, assembled into deliveries in single or multiple load carriers as required, and delivered to specified unloading points. In addition to the regular processes of storing and retrieving parts, there are various special processes. The shipping system is also able to support the implementation of actions (= quality assurance measures) during ongoing operations.
In a special module, manufactured or partially assembled components are automatically buffered and, as required, automatically retrieved again in the correct sequence as individual parts or packed in load carriers. All components are managed with precise identification. The functional scope of a parts storage system essentially represents a subset of a shipping system.
- Warehouse management is connected to higher-level host systems such as ERP, MES, etc.
- In automatic storage systems, it is linked to a subordinate system – additional peripheral devices, such as large displays, can also be connected.
- The fixed operating stations at the workstations, as well as the mobile clients, are connected to the server via the network (LAN or WLAN).
Overview of core processes
To provide an overview of the general processes in shipping systems and certain components, the core processes are presented and briefly described below.
- Storage
- Internal warehouse processes
- Retrieval
- Shipping processing
- (Administrative processes)
Storage from assembly in high-bay warehouse
- Notification of delivered products by host system via assembly order
- Feeding product to loading area
- Feeding empties (load carriers) to loading area
- Transferring product to load carriers
- Marrying load carriers/products and collecting
- Storage in high-bay warehouse
Internal warehouse processes
Correction function
- Aisle occupancy optimization
- Optimization of aisle occupancy with full or empty containers according to user specifications (transfer criterion: load carrier type or material number)
- Storage compartment optimization
- Optimization of the occupancy of multi-depth compartments through compaction or separation
- Load carrier occupancy:
- Change the occupancy of load carriers via manual booking (manual bookings must be permitted in the area where the products are located)
Lock function - storage location lock
- Manual removal lock
- Storage locations can no longer be removed
- Manual storage lock
- Storage locations are no longer used for storage
- Static long-term lock
- Storage compartments are not used for either putaway or pick
- Aisle entry and aisle exit lock
- Lock storage location (aisle is no longer considered during putaway) and lock pick location (products within the aisle are no longer found during material determination)
Conversion
Products within the warehouse can be converted. A conversion always changes the product number and thus also the product barcode.
- Conversion is only permitted for products in appropriately marked areas
- Triggered by the host system
- Request for the affected assembly orders by the WMS
- Activation of the products by the host system
- Further processing as part of action processing
Transfer
Products that have a customer reference can be transferred. The transfer changes the customer reference of the product and the reference to the delivery schedule. The transfer process corresponds to the conversion process. The requested assembly order contains the new customer reference and the reference to the delivery schedule.
Deletion
- In principle, stock levels are based on the assembly orders from the MES.
- The stocks are located in different areas.
- Deletion is only possible in defined areas.
- For cleanup purposes, a deletion order can be placed in the MES host system.
- If possible, the WMS deletes the assembly order and acknowledges this to the MES host system.
- If deletion is not permitted, the deletion request is acknowledged with the status telegram “NOK,” otherwise with “OK.”
- For normally shipped products, the assembly orders are deleted immediately after shipping or cyclically as part of data reorganization.
- However, deletion from the warehouse itself is also necessary. For example, if products are returned from the shipping system to assembly and are deleted in that section by the host system, the local assembly order must be deleted via dialog.
- If the WMS sends a request for an assembly order to the MES host system and this request is acknowledged with the message ‘Order not available’, the internally created assembly order is deleted immediately.
Action processing
- For quality assurance measures or product blocking, so-called ‘actions’ are created on the MES host system.
- The system is informed of this via a notification or an identifier in the assembly order.
- Upon request by the system via a request list, the MES host system sends the actions.
Customer removal
- The order is placed by the host system.
- Creation of the removal order.
- The products are determined and removed based on the stored material determination strategy.
- The shipping carriers are moved to the shipping lane.
Removal from the module
- The building blocks are always removed for each product in accordance with the received or manually generated calls.
- If the corresponding material is available, the WMS automatically creates a removal order based on the call.
- The set material determination strategy determines a suitable product.
- The WMS informs the caller about the result of the call request (acknowledgment).
Removal - Clearing
- Clearing is used to clean up inconsistent or blocked compartments in the high-bay warehouse.
- The WMS creates a list of blocked and inconsistent compartments.
- Each selected compartment is approached by the storage and retrieval machine.
- Empty compartments are booked as empty and available.
- If there are load carriers or products in a compartment, they are transported to the selected destination.
Quality requirements
Reliability and security - Fail-safe
- 24/7 operation
- No function that requires idle operation
- Except for inventory
- Software installations/updates, configuration changes
- System switchover during operation without data loss
- Central monitoring of interfaces to external systems + log
- Central monitoring of various app processes + log (avoidance of failure or malfunctions)
- Avoidance of data loss and protection against unauthorized access
- Measures - Data mirroring, suitable backup procedures
- Start-up and restart behavior consistent and without data loss -> Telegrams are not lost
Ease of maintenance
- Software maintainability
- Ease of maintenance is one of the top priorities!
- For control and troubleshooting during the development phase and productive operation
- Trace levels
- Parameters for tracing (trace medium, trace level, etc.)
- Requirements for trace system (general switching on and off, trace level change, parameterization via configuration file)
Simulation - Interface test tool
- An interface simulation must be provided for integration and system tests
- Must be able to replicate all peripherals of the subordinate controllers addressed via interfaces
- Generation of time-controlled automatic reception acknowledgments and execution acknowledgments based on telegram specifications
- Must be able to replicate the entire width of the host interfaces
The software provider is expected to provide excellent IT support, including everything that goes with it (e.g., maintenance, response times, updates).
Between 10 and 50 software workstations are planned.