Oracle Warehouse Management

Dave Herring Lion Apparel, Inc. Daveh@lionapparel.com Brian Pellot Pelley Consulting, LLC Bpellot@earthlink.net

Overview

Project Status and Background WMS Basics LPN Concepts and Processing Task Processing Rules Engine Key Learnings Wrap-up

Background and Project Status

100 years plus Worlds largest maker of protective clothing Turn-out gear, helmets, boots ...

Background and Project Status

Implementing OM, Configurator, Inventory, Quality, BOM, WIP, Cost, AR and WMS Starting second round of system testing Planning to go-live March, 2004

WMS Basics

WMS augments other modules functionality (Inv, Shipping, WIP, Quality) Additional responsibility and set of forms plus forms from the other modules Rules engine Core of WMS functionality Mobile Web Applications(MWA), Mobile Supply Chain Apps (MSCA) Handheld/RF ready interface

WMS Basics - MWA

Mobile Web Applications
Intended for handheld, RF devices

Device Evaluation and Selection

Many are portable PCs with other capabilities Easily integrated with flexible setups in the application

WMS Basics - MWA

Transactions entered through a Telnet session Receiving/Putaway Shipping LPN transactions Physical/Cycle Counting Standard inventory transactions WIP Moves and Material Transactions Inquiry Screens

WMS Basics - MWA

Data can be entered, scanned or selected. Think about the amount of information to be entered(keyed) through the handheld.

Subinventory Transfer

LPN Concepts and Processing

License Plate Number unique identifier for a group of items/instances Like a box, crate, truck, basket, pallet, vat, tank, etc. LPNs can contain other LPNs, boxes in boxes, boxes in trucks Pack, consolidate, unpack Herrings law of packing (with regards to Newton)

LPN Concepts and Processing

Items Pack Consolidate Transfer the Truck LPN (one transaction)

LPN Concepts and Processing

Receive the Truck LPN (one transaction) Un-Pack Un-Pack

Task Processing

Tasks are actions performed in the warehouse. Putaway, pick Tasks assigned to WH resources (people and machines) Rules engine assigns correct task to correct resources

Task Processing
Task List Pick 2 smiles Pick 3 circles Putaway LPN X Pick 4 bolts Resources Joe in a Forklift Rules Engine

Alice on Foot
Betty in Crane

Task assignment, progress and efficiency can be directed and monitored through a control board.

Task Processing

Control Board used to monitor and manager tasks on the floor.

Rules Engine

Core of WMS is the Rules Engine Drives the functionality

Rules Engine
Daves first thoughts Rules, we dont need no stinking rules

Rules Engine

Uses Rules, Strategies and Assignments to:

Assign Tasks Allocate Material to Move Order (pick waves) Assign Cost Groups (inventory accounting) Direct Putaways Drive label printing

Rules Engine

Example Rules

If item to be putaway has a category of Frozen Goods and is larger than 200lbs, place in subinventory Bulk Frozen Goods Pick material for customer X from a Grade A lot Put internal order receipts in FG subinventories

Rules Engine

This is very flexible but can be difficult to achieve the desired result Some programming experience is necessary

Rules Engine

Example Rule: These quickly get complex and technical.

Key Learnings

WMS is fairly immature

Bugs Seemingly logical functionality is not available

Much of the functionality only available in MWA

LPNs Pick confirmation by tasks

Key Learnings

Once you go WMS, you have to use the WMS methods.

Cost groups they have to be used as assigned through the engine. Locator Control must be turned on Pick confirm must be manual and use tasks. Receiving must be done in MWA

A Lot of Setup

Cartonization Directed putaway by weight or volume

Key Learnings

Rules Engine requires functional and technical help Open interfaces do support much of the functionality for extensions. However, only briefly documented. Some features are difficult to implement since all information must be entered through MWA

Questions