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未经允许，请勿外传～Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).The evolution of warehouse management systems (WMS) is very similar to that of many other software solutions. Initially a system to control movement and storage of materials within a warehouse, the role of WMS is expanding to including light manufacturing, transportation management, order management, and complete accounting systems. To use the grandfather of operations-related software, MRP, as a comparison, material requirements planning (MRP) started as a system for planning raw material requirements in a manufacturing environment. Soon MRP evolved into manufacturing resource planning (MRPII), which took the basic MRP system and added scheduling and capacity planning logic. Eventually MRPII evolved into enterprise resource planning (ERP), incorporating all the MRPII functionality with full financials and customer and vendor management functionality. Now, whether WMS evolving into a warehouse-focused ERP system is a good thing or not is up to debate. What is clear is that the expansion of the overlap in functionality between Warehouse Management Systems, Enterprise Resource Planning, Distribution Requirements Planning, Transportation Management Systems, Supply Chain Planning, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, and Manufacturing Execution Systems will only increase the level ofconfusion among companies looking for software solutions for their operations.Even though WMS continues to gain added functionality, the initialcore functionality of a WMS has not really changed. The primary purposeof a WMS is to control the movement and storage of materials within an operation and process the associated transactions. Directed picking, directed replenishment, and directed put away are the key to WMS. The detailed setup and processing within a WMS can vary significantly fromone software vendor to another, however the basic logic will use a combination of item, location, quantity, unit of measure, and1order information to determine where to stock, where to pick, and in what sequence to perform these operations.At a bare minimum, a WMS should:Have a flexible location system.Utilize user-defined parameters to direct warehouse tasks and uselivedocuments to execute these tasks.Have some built-in level of integration with data collection devices.Do You Really Need WMS?Not every warehouse needs a WMS. Certainly any warehouse couldbenefit from some of the functionality but is the benefit great enoughto justify the initial and ongoing costs associated with WMS? Warehouse Management Systems are big, complex, data intensive, applications. They tend to require a lot of initial setup, a lot of system resources to run, and a lot of ongoing data management to continue to run. That’s ri ght, you need to "manage" your warehouse "management" system. Often times, large operations will end up creating a new IS department with the sole responsibility of managing the WMS.The Claims:WMS will reduce inventory!WMS will reduce labor costs!WMS will increase storage capacity!WMS will increase customer service!WMS will increase inventory accuracy!The Reality:The implementation of a WMS along with automated data collectionwill likely give you increases in accuracy, reduction in labor costs (provided the labor required to maintain the system is less than the labor saved on the warehouse floor), and a greater ability to servicethe customer by reducing cycle times. Expectations of inventoryreduction and increased storage capacity are less likely. Whileincreased accuracy and efficiencies in the receiving process may reduce the level of safety stock required, the impact of this reduction will likely be negligible in comparison to overall inventory levels. The predominant factors that control inventory levels are2lot sizing, lead times, and demand variability. It is unlikely that a WMS will have a significant impact on any of these factors. And while a WMS certainly provides the tools for more organized storage which may result in increased storage capacity, this improvement will be relative to just how sloppy your pre-WMS processes were.Beyond labor efficiencies, the determining factors in deciding to implement a WMS tend to be more often associated with the need to do something to service your customers that your current system does not support (or does not support well) such as first-in-first-out, cross-docking, automated pick replenishment, wave picking, lot tracking, yard management, automated data collection, automated material handling equipment, etc.SetupThe setup requirements of WMS can be extensive. The characteristics of each item and location must be maintained either at the detail level or by grouping similar items and locations into categories. An example of item characteristics at the detail level would include exact dimensions and weight of each item in each unit of measure the item is stocked (each, cases, pallets, etc) as well as information such as whether it can be mixed with other items in a location, whether it is rack able, max stack height, max quantity per location, hazard classifications, finished goods or raw material, fast versus slow mover, etc. Although some operations will need to set up each item this way,most operations will benefit by creating groups of similar products. For example, if you are a distributor of music CDs you would create groups for single CDs, and double CDs, maintaining the detailed dimension and weight information at the group level and only needing to attach the group code to each item. You would likely need to maintain detailed information on special items such as boxed sets or CDs in special packaging. You would also create groups for the different types of locations within your warehouse. An example would be to create three different groups (P1, P2, P3) for the three different sized forward picking locations you use for your CD picking. You then set up the quantity of single CDs that will fit in a P1, P2, and P3 location, quantity of double CDs that fit in a P1, P2, P3 location etc. You would likely also be setting up case quantities, and pallet quantities of each CD group and quantities of cases and pallets per each reserve storage location group.If this sounds simple, it is…well… sort of. In reality most operations have a much morediverse product mix and will require much more system setup. And setting up the physical characteristics of the product and locations is only part of the picture. You have set up enough so that the system knows where a product can fit and how many will fit in that location. You now need to set up the information needed to let the system decide exactly which location to pick3from, replenish from/to, and put away to, and in what sequence these events should occur (remember WMS is all about “directed” m ovement). You do this by assigning specific logic to the various combinations of item/order/quantity/location information that will occur.Below I have listed some of the logic used in determining actual locations and sequences.Location Sequence. This is the simplest logic; you simply define a flow through your warehouse and assign a sequence number to each location. In order picking this is used to sequence your picks to flow through the warehouse, in put away the logic would look for the first location in the sequence in which the product would fit.Zone Logic. By breaking down your storage locations into zones you can direct picking, put away, or replenishment to or from specific areas of your warehouse. Since zone logic only designates an area, you will need to combine this with some other type of logic to determine exact location within the zone.Fixed Location. Logic uses predetermined fixed locations per item in picking, put away, and replenishment. Fixed locations are most often used as the primary picking location in piece pick and case-pick operations, however, they can also be used for secondary storage.Random Location. Since computers cannot be truly random (nor would you want them to be) the term random location is a little misleading. Random locations generally refer to areas where products are not storedin designated fixed locations. Like zone logic, you will need some additional logic to determine exact locations.First-in-first-out (FIFO). Directs picking from the oldest inventory first.Last-in-first-out (LIFO). Opposite of FIFO. I didn't think there were any realapplications for this logic until a visitor to my site sent an email describing their operation that distributes perishable goods domestically and overseas. They use LIFO for their overseas customers (because of longer in-transit times) and FIFO for their domestic customers.Pick-to-clear. Logic directs picking to the locations with the smallest quantities on hand. This logic is great for space utilization.Reserved Locations. This is used when you want to predetermine specific locations to put away to or pick from. An application for reserved locations would be cross-docking, where you may specify certain quantities of an inbound shipment be moved to specific outbound staging locations or directly to an awaiting outbound trailer.Maximize Cube. Cube logic is found in most WMS systems however it is seldom used. Cube logic basically uses unit dimensions to calculate cube (cubic inches per unit) and then compares this to the cube capacity of the location to determine how much will fit. Now if the units are capable of being stacked into the location in a manner that fills every cubic inch of4space in the location, cube logic will work. Since this rarely happens in the real world, cube logic tends to be impractical.Consolidate. Looks to see if there is already a location with the same product stored in it with available capacity. May also create additional moves to consolidate like product stored in multiple locations.Lot Sequence. Used for picking or replenishment, this will use the lot number or lot date to determine locations to pick from or replenish from.It’s very common to combine multiple logic methods to determine the best location. Forexample you may chose to use pick-to-clear logic within first-in-first-out logic when there are multiple locations with the same receipt date. You also may change the logic based upon current workload. During busy periods you may chose logic that optimizes productivity while during slower periods you switch to logic that optimizes space utilization.Other Functionality/ConsiderationsWave Picking/Batch Picking/Zone Picking. Support for various picking methods variesfrom one system to another. In high-volume fulfillment operations, picking logic can be a critical factor in WMS selection. See my article on Order Picking for more info on these methods.Task Interleaving. Task interleaving describes functionality that mixes dissimilar tasks such as picking and put away to obtain maximum productivity. Used primarily in full-pallet-load operations, task interleaving will direct a lift truck operator to put away a pallet on his/her way to the next pick. In large warehouses this can greatly reduce travel time, not only increasing productivity, but also reducing wear on the lift trucks and saving on energy costs by reducing lift truck fuel consumption. Task interleaving is also used with cycle counting programs to coordinate a cycle count with a picking or put away task.Integration with Automated Material Handling Equipment. If you are planning onusing automated material handling equipment such as carousels, ASRS units, AGNS, pick-to-light systems, or separation systems, you’ll want to consider this during the software selection process. Since these types of automation are very expensive and are usually a core component of your warehouse, you may find that the equipment will drive the selection of the WMS. As with automated data collection, you should be working closely with the equipment manufacturers during the software selection process.5Advanced Shipment Notifications (ASN). If your vendors are capableof sendingadvanced shipment notifications (preferably electronically) and attaching compliance labels to the shipments you will want to make sure that the WMS can use this to automate your receiving process. In addition, if you have requirements to provide ASNs for customers, you will also want to verify this functionality.Yard Management. Yard management describes the function of managing the contents (inventory) of trailers parked outside the warehouse, or the empty trailers themselves. Yard management is generally associated with cross docking operations and may include the management of both inbound and outbound trailers.Labor Tracking/Capacity Planning. Some WMS systems provide functionality relatedto labor reporting and capacity planning. Anyone that has worked in manufacturing should be familiar with this type of logic. Basically, you set up standard labor hours and machine (usually lift trucks) hours per task and set the available labor and machine hours per shift. The WMS system will use this info to determine capacity and load. Manufacturing has been using capacity planning for decades with mixed results. The need to factor in efficiency and utilization to determine rated capacity is an example of the shortcomings of this process. Not that I’m necessarily against capacity planning in warehousing, I just think most operations don’t really need it and can avoid the disap pointment of trying to make it work. I am, however, a big advocate of labor tracking for individual productivity measurement. Most WMS maintain enough datato create productivity reporting. Since productivity is measured differently from one operation to another you can assume you will have to do some minor modifications here (usually in the form of custom reporting).Integration with existing accounting/ERP systems. Unless the WMS vendor hasalready created a specific interface with your accounting/ERP system (such as those provided by an approved business partner) you can expect to spend some significant programming dollars here. While we are all hoping that integration issues will be magically resolved someday by a standardized interface, we isn’t there yet. Ideally you’ll want an integrator that has already integrated the WMS you chose with the business software you are using. Since this is not always possible you at least want an integrator that is very familiar with one of the systems.WMS + everything else = ? As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, a lot ofother modules are being added to WMS packages. These would include full financials, light manufacturing, transportation management, purchasing, and sales order management. I don’t see t his as aunilateral move of WMS from an add-on module to a core system, but rather an optional approach that has applications in specific industries such as 3PLs. Using ERP systems6as a point of reference, it is unlikely that this add-onfunctionality will match the functionality of best-of-breed applications available separately. If warehousing/distribution is your core business function and you don’t want to have to deal with the integration issues of incorporating separate financials, order processing, etc. you mayfind these WMS based business systems are a good fit.Implementation TipsOutside of the standard “don’t underestimate”, “thoroughlytest”, “train, train, train” implementation tips that apply to any business software installation ,it’s i mportant to emphasize that WMSare very data dependent and restrictive by design. That is, you need to have all of the various data elements in place for the system tofunction properly. And, when they are in place, you must operate within the set parameters.When implementing a WMS, you are adding an additional layer of technology onto your system. And with each layer of technology there is additional overhead and additional sources of potential problems. Now don’t take this as a condemnation of Warehouse Management Systems. Coming from a warehousing background I definitely appreciate the functionality WMS have to offer, and, in many warehouses, this functionality is essential to their ability to serve their customers and remain competitive. It’s just impo rtant to note that every solution hasits downsides and having a good understanding of the potential implications will allow managers to make better decisions related to the levels of technology that best suits their unique environment.仓库管理系统( WMS )仓库管理系统( WMS )的演变与许多其他软件解决方案是非常相似的。

文献出处: Bindley C. The research of Internet of things and intelligent logistics warehousing system [J]. Industrial Marketing Management, 2016, 1(3): 45-55.原文The research of Internet of things and intelligent logistics warehousing systemBindley CAbstractLogistics is a very important link in the supply chain of flow of goods, has an important role in the economy, and storage is the key link in modern logistics. In the process of warehouse management activities will produce large amounts of storage information. This information is often associated with the warehouse orders, cargo warehousing, cargo management and the occurrence of outbound goods, general with frequent data operation and data volume and complex information content. Efficient and reasonable storage can carry on the effective control and management to the goods. How to reduce inventory investment, strengthen the inventory control and supervision, improve the distribution of space, personnel and equipment and shorten inbound and outbound process and inspection time is the key to reduce costs and improve their competitiveness. Information technology has become the important pillar of storage technology, the combination of automatic warehousing and information acquisition decision system, and the use of wireless radio frequency technique makes the storage in the direction of the intelligent development. IOT (Internet of things) pointed out the direction for the development of intelligent warehouse system is put forward, it is linked to the Internet, the goods that all items can be remote sensing and control. Therefore, research content intelligent storage system is of great significance.1 The Internet of thingsInternet of things was proposed in 1999, is the concept of Internet of things is the network connection objects, its definition is: through the radio frequency identification RFID (radio frequency identification), infrared sensors, global positioning system (GPS) and information sensing equipment such as the laser scanner, according to the contract agreement, connect the item with the Internet for information exchange and communication, in order to realize intelligent identification, location, tracking and monitoring and management of a network. Discussing the Internet of things, often referred to the concept of M2M, M2M can explain become people to people, people to the machine, machine to machine.1.1 Internet network systemThe Internet of things has been in logistics, warehousing, guard against counterfeit products, intelligent building, street lamp management, smart meters and urban water network infrastructure and health care and other fields. But as a result of the present stage of research and application of the Internet of things is still in its infancy, so no unified standard for the Internet of things, and to further study the architecture of Internet of things, you must first research the Internet of things has been build application systems and application examples. At present, the Internet of things has not been widely accepted by a system structure, also does not have a unified technical standards and protocols, is the most representative IOT architecture is Europe and the United States supports the electronic product code of EPC (electronic product code) Global Internet architecture and Japan's Ubiquitous ID (UID) Internet system. IOT perception layer includes sensors, data acquisition equipment and data before access to the gateway of the sensor network and intelligent terminal. The network layer is established on the basis of the existing mobile communication network and the Internet, through a variety of devices connected to the mobile communication network and Internet access, it also includes information storage, query and network management functions. Internet of things application layer using after analysis and processing of sensory data, to provide users with specific services.1.2 Based on EPC system of Internet of thingsAt present, the Internet of things I OT application are mostly based on radio frequency identification RFID electronic product code of the EPC network. RFID is a non-contact automatic identification technology, its working principle is: the use of radio frequency electromagnetic wave, the reader and classified tracking mobile objects between the RFID tag is attached to) on (item, through space coupling (alternating magnetic field or electromagnetic field) no contact information, and through the passed the identification information to achieve. EPC IOT system main components include: EPC labels, EPC is a worldwide, the standard definition of product digital identification, storage in the tag. RFID reader, it is a kind of using RFID technology to read information stored in electronic tag and passed to the logistics warehouse management information system of device. The EPC middleware, this is a set of program modules with special properties or services, users can customize according to certain application requirements and integration in the EPC middleware different features, one of the most important part is theapplication layer event the ALE (application layer events), it is used for processing the application layer related events. Information service (EPC as-is), EPC - IS including two functions, one IS to store the information of the EPC middleware processing, 2 it IS to query the relevant information. Object name service ONS (objects name service), similar to the domain name server, the information can be used to point to a store of EPC middleware information - IS the server.2 Intelligent logistics warehousing systemIntelligent logistics warehousing system should not only be able to put in storage management, warehouse management, mobile library, inventory management, allocating and return management and reporting analysis, but also to monitor the position offset in the goods and the surround environment of temperature, humidity, video monitoring and fire alarm on warehouse, etc. Intelligent logistics warehousing system includes both hardware and software. Software part mainly for the warehouse management system, it shall, in accordance with the business requirement of the logistics, warehousing, information, resources, behavior, manage and allocate goods and staff, etc, to make them effective operation reasonably, and make the whole system and the Internet relative to meet. Hardware part mainly supports warehouse management system of a variety of hardware equipment and a variety of tools, etc. Intelligent logistics warehousing system of information release of the goods in to the Internet of things. Over the Internet, information query, order the goods, whether goods can be easy to move goods or remote operation and monitoring. The goods in intelligent storage system processing steps are as follows. Put in storage process, the first use of RFID electronic tag for inbound identity verification, and to transfer the information of the goods to the data center to register the goods, and distribution route to calculate the shelves positions, and then send a forklift on instruction, tracking and locating the goods, to ensure that the goods to the correct positions. Inventory management, inventory goods for internal operation process, mainly including guidance and in place of goods inspection, the goods number automatic identification and automatic calibration, distribution, the reservoir is correct, returns, processing, transfer processing, packaging, handling and disposal, and other functions. Outbound process, first brought the people to the warehouse for outbound application information system, intelligent warehouse management system according to the priority of goods information and positions, and then sent a forklift scheduling command, forklift truck reach positions to check the goods after the information is correct, began to transport goods. Each unit operation, between thereader information the goods will be sent back to the data management center in a timely manner, when, and to determine the operation of each link is accurate and correct.3 The research of intelligent warehouse system structure3.1 WSN based on EPC and feasibility analysisWireless sensor network (WSN (wireless sensor network is composed of a large number of tiny sensor nodes deployed in monitoring area, through wireless communication mode to form a multiple hops self-organizing network system, its purpose is collaboration to perceive, collection and processing network coverage area perceived object information, and sent to management center. At present, the research of Internet of things has not been thorough, the connotation of Internet of things technology is the lack of professional research, some professional or non-professional reporting usually put the wireless sensor network (WSN and IOT confused, often called the Internet of sensor network in our country, but it is not the same as the wireless sensor network. Look from the network architecture and protocol, IOT and WSN is completely different. Look from the target feature, IOT is known objects detection and networking, and WSN is to detect the unknown things or its parameter information. But there are inseparable, RFID technology is one of the core technology of the Internet of things, the RFID module in the Internet of things can or combined with WSN complementary integrated sensor technology, so as to get goods in the logistics process of environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity, it can also through the WSN data transmission of the RFID reader, weaken the WSN sensor function; And in some extension of the WSN applications, the RFID protocols may also be a one of the wireless communication protocol, or detect known objects properties. At present, the existing intelligent warehouse management system based on EPC and logistics warehouse management system based on WSN demonstration case, but real to attain the request of "intelligent". For intelligent warehouse management system based on EPC, like forklift and handheld devices such as portable reader, set up special wireless transmission network. For the warehouse management system based on WSN, due to the node cost is higher than the EPC tags, and node hasn't really realize miniaturization volume, making it not like the label on the surface, the movement has a great influence on items. Intelligent storage system based on EPC can be combined and WSN, combined with the system after the use of WSN for EPC.3.2 Intelligent logistics warehousing system research designIn every process, the reader first reading the information of the goods from the RFID technology, and then as a WSN node to send out the information, the WSN data to the data management center, dispatch instructions after the final analysis data management system. Forklift truck on-board reader can be used as the center of the WSN nodes at the same time, read the item information in electronic tag and receive environmental inspection data, realize the storage and application management, specific target monitoring and environmental monitoring data. WSN is the role of data transmission in the system, at the same time, it can be on the warehouse environment for testing and monitoring, can also be used for the goods. The RFID reader is in logistics warehousing into mobile and stationary. Portable RFID reader is mainly installed on the handset, is suitable for the operating location is not fixed, using methods similar to the bar code reader. Fixed reader installed mainly in access and operation platform, suitable for the automatic identification and tracking check. Application in portable terminal and the mobile RFID reader on the forklift need combined with relevant equipment, at the same time, also set up covering the operating range of the wireless network, ensure operation data real-time transmission. RFID handset except with the RFID reader is fully functional also should have with the warehousing business operating system and the function of the WSN nodes. RFID intelligent forklift to integrate RFID wireless car terminal, speaking, reading and writing, center of WSN nodes and car terminal business operating system, etc., it can automatically find the task of position and has the function of warning error, for all kinds of business operation can be automatically in real time, and can through the RFID system of cargo status and current to location information such as management, provide different kinds of queries to the existing warehouse inventory, such as goods to query and query would be, etc.译文物联网与智能物流仓储系统研究Bindley C摘要物流是商品流通供应链中非常重要的环节,在经济中占据重要地位,而仓储是现代物流的核心环节。

外文翻译——自动化立体仓库自动化立体仓库是一种先进的仓储系统，通过应用自动化技术和立体结构设计，实现对仓库内物品的高效存储和管理。

本文将详细介绍自动化立体仓库的定义、特点、工作原理以及应用领域。

一、定义自动化立体仓库是指利用自动化设备和技术，通过立体结构设计，实现对物品的自动存储、取货和管理的仓储系统。

它能够最大限度地提高仓库的存储密度和工作效率，实现自动化、智能化的仓库管理。

二、特点1. 高度自动化：自动化立体仓库采用先进的自动化设备和技术，实现对物品的自动存储和取货，减少人工操作，提高工作效率。

2. 立体结构设计：仓库内采用立体结构设计，通过垂直提升设备将物品存储在不同层次的货架上，最大限度地提高存储密度，节约仓库空间。

3. 智能化管理：自动化立体仓库配备智能化管理系统，能够实时监控仓库内物品的存储情况，进行库存管理、订单处理等操作，提高仓库管理的精确性和效率。

4. 高速运输：自动化立体仓库内的物品存储设备能够实现高速运输和快速取货，大大缩短了物品的存储和取货时间。

5. 安全可靠：自动化立体仓库配备完善的安全保护装置，能够确保仓库内物品的安全存储和管理，减少人为错误和事故的发生。

三、工作原理自动化立体仓库的工作原理主要包括物品存储、取货和管理三个过程。

1. 物品存储：物品通过输送设备进入仓库，根据其属性和尺寸被自动存储在相应的货架上。

仓库内的立体结构设计使得每个货架都能够充分利用空间，提高存储密度。

2. 取货：当需要取出某个物品时，系统根据订单信息自动定位到该物品所在的货架，并通过垂直提升设备将物品取出。

取货过程快速高效，减少了人工操作的时间和错误率。

3. 管理：自动化立体仓库配备智能化管理系统，能够实时监控仓库内物品的存储情况和库存量，进行订单处理、库存管理等操作。

管理系统能够提供详细的报表和数据分析，帮助企业进行仓库管理决策。

四、应用领域自动化立体仓库广泛应用于各个行业的物流和仓储领域，特别适用于以下场景：1. 电商物流：随着电商行业的快速发展，物流需求急剧增加。

英文原文Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).The evolution of warehouse management systems (WMS) is very similar to that of many other software solutions. Initially a system to control movement and storage of materials within a warehouse, the role of WMS is expanding to including light manufacturing, transportation management, order management, and complete accounting systems. To use the grandfather of operations-related software, MRP, as a comparison, material requirements planning (MRP) started as a system for planning raw material requirements in a manufacturing environment. Soon MRP evolved into manufacturing resource planning (MRPII), which took the basic MRP system and added scheduling and capacity planning logic. Eventually MRPII evolved into enterprise resource planning (ERP), incorporating all the MRPII functionality with full financials and customer and vendor management functionality. Now, whether WMS evolving into a warehouse-focused ERP system is a good thing or not is up to debate. What is clear is that the expansion of the overlap in functionality between Warehouse Management Systems, Enterprise Resource Planning, Distribution Requirements Planning, Transportation Management Systems, Supply Chain Planning, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, and Manufacturing Execution Systems will only increase the level of confusion among companies looking for software solutions for their operations.Even though WMS continues to gain added functionality, the initial core functionality of a WMS has not really changed. The primary purpose of a WMS is to control the movement and storage of materials within an operation and process the associated transactions. Directed picking, directed replenishment, and directed put away are the key to WMS. The detailed setup and processing within a WMS can vary significantly from one software vendor to another, however the basic logic will use a combination of item, location, quantity, unit of measure, and order information to determine where to stock, where to pick, and in what sequence to perform these operations.Have a flexible location system.Utilize user-defined parameters to direct warehouse tasks and use liveHave some built-in level of integration with data collection devices.Do You Really Need WMS?Not every warehouse needs a WMS. Certainly any warehouse could benefit from some of the functionality but is the benefit great enough to justify the initial and ongoing costs associated with WMS? Warehouse Management Systems are big, complex, data intensive, applications. They tend to require a lot of initial setup, a lot of system resources to run, and a lot of ongoing data management to con tinue to run. That’s right, you need to "manage" your warehouse "management" system. Often times, large operations will end up creating a new IS department with the sole responsibility of managing the WMS.The Claims:WMS will reduce inventory!WMS will reduce labor costs!WMS will increase storage capacity!WMS will increase customer service!WMS will increase inventory accuracy!The Reality:The implementation of a WMS along with automated data collection will likely give you increases in accuracy, reduction in labor costs (provided the labor required to maintain the system is less than the labor saved on the warehouse floor), and a greater ability to service the customer by reducing cycle times. Expectations of inventory reduction and increased storage capacity are less likely. While increased accuracy and efficiencies in the receiving process may reduce the level of safety stock required, the impact of this reduction will likely be negligible in comparison to overall inventory levels. The predominant factors that control inventory levels are lot sizing, lead times, and demand variability. It is unlikely that a WMS will have a significant impact on any of these factors. And while a WMS certainly provides the tools for more organized storage which may result in increased storage capacity, this improvement will be relative to just how sloppy your pre-WMS processes were.Beyond labor efficiencies, the determining factors in deciding to implement a WMS tend to be more often associated with the need to do something to service your customers that your current system does not support (or does not support well) such as first-in-first-out, cross-docking, automated pick replenishment, wave picking, lot tracking, yard management, automated data collection, automated material handling equipment, etc.SetupThe setup requirements of WMS can be extensive. The characteristics of each item and location must be maintained either at the detail level or by grouping similar items and locationsinto categories. An example of item characteristics at the detail level would include exact dimensions and weight of each item in each unit of measure the item is stocked (each, cases, pallets, etc) as well as information such as whether it can be mixed with other items in a location, whether it is rack able, max stack height, max quantity per location, hazard classifications, finished goods or raw material, fast versus slow mover, etc. Although some operations will need to set up each item this way, most operations will benefit by creating groups of similar products. For example, if you are a distributor of music CDs you would create groups for single CDs, and double CDs, maintaining the detailed dimension and weight information at the group level and only needing to attach the group code to each item. You would likely need to maintain detailed information on special items such as boxed sets or CDs in special packaging. You would also create groups for the different types of locations within your warehouse. An example would be to create three different groups (P1, P2, P3) for the three different sized forward picking locations you use for your CD picking. You then set up the quantity of single CDs that will fit in a P1, P2, and P3 location, quantity of double CDs that fit in a P1, P2, P3 location etc. You would likely also be setting up case quantities, and pallet quantities of each CD group and quantities of cases and pallets per each reserve storage location group.If this sounds simple, it is…well… sort of. In reality most operations have a much more diverse product mix and will require much more system setup. And setting up the physical characteristics of the product and locations is only part of the picture. You have set up enough so that the system knows where a product can fit and how many will fit in that location. You now need to set up the information needed to let the system decide exactly which location to pick from, replenish from/to, and put away to, and in what sequence these events should occur (remember WMS is all about “directed” movement). You do this by assigni ng specific logic to the various combinations of item/order/quantity/location information that will occur.Below I have listed some of the logic used in determining actual locations and sequences.Location Sequence. This is the simplest logic; you simply define a flow through your warehouse and assign a sequence number to each location. In order picking this is used to sequence your picks to flow through the warehouse, in put away the logic would look for the first location in the sequence in which the product would fit.Zone Logic. By breaking down your storage locations into zones you can direct picking, put away, or replenishment to or from specific areas of your warehouse. Since zone logic only designates an area, you will need to combine this with some other type of logic to determine exact location within the zone.Fixed Location. Logic uses predetermined fixed locations per item in picking, put away, and replenishment. Fixed locations are most often used as the primary picking location in piece pick and case-pick operations, however, they can also be used for secondary storage.Random Location. Since computers cannot be truly random (nor would you want them to be) the term random location is a little misleading. Random locations generally refer to areas where products are not stored in designated fixed locations. Like zone logic, you will need some additional logic to determine exact locations.First-in-first-out (FIFO).Directs picking from the oldest inventory first.Last-in-first-out (LIFO).Opposite of FIFO. I didn't think there were any real applications for this logic until a visitor to my site sent an email describing their operation that distributes perishable goods domestically and overseas. They use LIFO for their overseas customers (because of longer in-transit times) and FIFO for their domestic customers.Pick-to-clear. Logic directs picking to the locations with the smallest quantities on hand. This logic is great for space utilization.Reserved Locations. This is used when you want to predetermine specific locations to put away to or pick from. An application for reserved locations would be cross-docking, where you may specify certain quantities of an inbound shipment be moved to specific outbound staging locations or directly to an awaiting outbound trailer.Maximize Cube. Cube logic is found in most WMS systems however it is seldom used. Cube logic basically uses unit dimensions to calculate cube (cubic inches per unit) and then compares this to the cube capacity of the location to determine how much will fit. Now if the units are capable of being stacked into the location in a manner that fills every cubic inch of space in the location, cube logic will work. Since this rarely happens in the real world, cube logic tends to be impractical.Consolidate. Looks to see if there is already a location with the same product stored in it with available capacity. May also create additional moves to consolidate like product stored in multiple locations.Lot Sequence. Used for picking or replenishment, this will use the lot number or lot date to determine locations to pick from or replenish from.It’s very common to combine multiple logic methods to determine the best location. For example you may chose to use pick-to-clear logic within first-in-first-out logic when there are multiple locations with the same receipt date. You also may change the logic based upon current workload. During busy periods you may chose logic that optimizes productivity while during slower periods you switch to logic that optimizes space utilization.Other Functionality/ConsiderationsWave Picking/Batch Picking/Zone Picking. Support for various picking methods varies from one system to another. In high-volume fulfillment operations, picking logic can be a critical factor in WMS selection. See my article on Order Picking for more info on these methods.Task Interleaving. Task interleaving describes functionality that mixes dissimilar tasks such as picking and put away to obtain maximum productivity. Used primarily in full-pallet-load operations, task interleaving will direct a lift truck operator to put away a pallet on his/her way to the next pick. In large warehouses this can greatly reduce travel time, not only increasing productivity, but also reducing wear on the lift trucks and saving on energy costs by reducing lift truck fuel consumption. Task interleaving is also used with cycle counting programs to coordinate a cycle count with a picking or put away task.Integration with Automated Material Handling Equipment. If you are planning on using automated material handling equipment such as carousels, ASRS units, AGNS, pick-to-light systems, or separation systems, you’ll wa nt to consider this during the software selection process. Since these types of automation are very expensive and are usually a core component of your warehouse, you may find that the equipment will drive the selection of the WMS. As with automated data collection, you should be working closely with the equipment manufacturers during the software selection process.Advanced Shipment Notifications (ASN). If your vendors are capable of sending advanced shipment notifications (preferably electronically) and attaching compliance labels to the shipments you will want to make sure that the WMS can use this to automate your receiving process. In addition, if you have requirements to provide ASNs for customers, you will also want to verify this functionality.Yard Management. Yard management describes the function of managing the contents (inventory) of trailers parked outside the warehouse, or the empty trailers themselves. Yard management is generally associated with cross docking operations and may include the management of both inbound and outbound trailers.Labor Tracking/Capacity Planning. Some WMS systems provide functionality related to labor reporting and capacity planning. Anyone that has worked in manufacturing should be familiar with this type of logic. Basically, you set up standard labor hours and machine (usually lift trucks) hours per task and set the available labor and machine hours per shift. The WMS system will use this info to determine capacity and load. Manufacturing has been using capacity planning for decades with mixed results. The need to factor in efficiency and utilization to determine rated capacity is an example of the shortcomings of this process. Not that I’m necessarily against capacity planning in warehousing, I just think most operations don’t really need it and can avoid the disappointment of trying to make it work. I am, however, a bigadvocate of labor tracking for individual productivity measurement. Most WMS maintain enough data to create productivity reporting. Since productivity is measured differently from one operation to another you can assume you will have to do some minor modifications here (usually in the form of custom reporting).Integration with existing accounting/ERP systems. Unless the WMS vendor has already created a specific interface with your accounting/ERP system (such as those provided by an approved business partner) you can expect to spend some significant programming dollars here. While we are all hoping that integration issues will be magically resolved someday by a standardized interface, we isn’t there yet. Ideally you’ll want an integrator that has already integrated the WMS you chose with the business software you are using. Since this is not always possible you at least want an integrator that is very familiar with one of the systems.WMS + everything else = ? As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, a lot of other modules are being added to WMS packages. These would include full financials, light manufacturing, transportation management, purchasing, and sales order management. I don’t see this as a unilateral move of WMS from an add-on module to a core system, but rather an optional approach that has applications in specific industries such as 3PLs. Using ERP systems as a point of reference, it is unlikely that this add-on functionality will match the functionality ofbest-of-breed applications available separately. If warehousing/distribution is your core business function and you don’t want to have to deal with the integration issues of incorporating separate financials, order processing, etc. you may find these WMS based business systems are a good fit.Implementation TipsOutside of the standard “don’t underestimate”, “thoroughly test”, “train, train, train” implementation tips that apply to any business software installation ,it’s important to emphasize that WMS are very data dependent and restrictive by design. That is, you need to have all of the various data elements in place for the system to function properly. And, when they are in place, you must operate within the set parameters.When implementing a WMS, you are adding an additional layer of technology onto your system. And with each layer of technology there is additional overhead and additional sources of potential problems. Now don’t take this as a condemnation of Warehouse Management Systems. Coming from a warehousing background I definitely appreciate the functionality WMS have to offer, and, in many warehouses, this functionality is essential to their ability to serve their customers and remain competitive. It’s just important to note that every solution has its downsides and having a good understanding of the potential implications will allow managers to make better decisions related to the levels of technology that best suits their unique environment.中文译文仓库管理系统（ WMS ）仓库管理系统（ WMS ）的演变与许多其他软件解决方案是很像的。