The project
In addition to the planning and realisation of the required software, S&P also took over the procurement and installation of the necessary hardware. The requirements for the administration and control of the warehouse areas at the old and new location as well as several external warehouses were largely covered by the standard modules SUPCIS-L. Some functions were added to the warehouse management software due to industry-specific requirements. SUPCIS-L was closely linked to the existing Navision HOST system. In a further project phase, Navision was replaced by SQL-Business.
In terms of material flow and inventory, the following process-organisational systems are managed:
- Order matching
- Incoming goods
- Storage preparation
- Automatic small parts warehouse as picking and reserve area
- Picking warehouse operated by MDE
- Provisioning areas
The entire operative warehouse management from goods receipt, paperless order picking to dispatch is handled with about 50 mobile radio data terminals in client/server technology. Replenishments from the replenishment stations to the picking compartments are automatically triggered according to demand when minimum stock levels are fallen short of. The use of barcode and radio data transmission increases stock accuracy and thus the level of service in delivery. The flow of goods and information from goods receipt to goods issue, including stock transfers, is accelerated. Furthermore, the new system ensures the desired transparency of the daily processes.
Thanks to the use of new storage technology, the high-turnover items in particular are stored in a concentrated manner. The order picker is guided through the menus of the SuPCIS-L warehouse management system at the newly built automatic tray warehouse, supplied by the Beewen company, at the monitor workstation. Picking errors are virtually eliminated. The goods-to-man principle and the optimised design of the tray layout drastically reduce the distances and thus also the picking times per pick. This makes it possible to have well over 25,000 picks on peak days, despite time-consuming counting work.
In addition to the distribution of customer orders, production and external service providers are also supplied with raw materials. These stocks are also managed in the WMS.
From a data processing point of view, the warehouse management computer is embedded in the following hierarchy
- Corporate and operational management level: SQL-Business
- System control level:
Warehouse management computer with SUPCIS-L - Plant and process level: a subordinate Siemens control system for controlling Beewen's automatic small parts warehouse.
The application software
- Notification of orders from the HOST
- Storage preparation with repacking
- Transport specification for the AKL
- Transport specification via MDE
- Storage location determination for fixed bin storage in the picking warehouse and chaotic storage in the reserve area
- Inventory management by part number, container, batch, ownership, QP status, origin
- Transmission of delivery note data from HOST
- Manual and automatic stock reservation according to strategies
- Route-optimised order picking via MDE
- Bypass treatment
- permanent inventory
- Operations management functions
- comprehensive information system
Radio data modules
- Edit goods receipt
- Form loading unit
- Store loading unit (LE)
- Order picking
- Replenishment
- Inventory
The hardware
An IBM pSeries Unix server is used as the warehouse management computer. About 30 stationary and 50 mobile workstations are connected via the TCP/IP network. The HOST connection is realised via TCP/IP as a file transfer. The connection to the subordinate control system is also a network solution via TCP/IP.
The mobile radio data terminals PPT8846, SPT1846 and PDT8146 with integrated barcode scanners as well as notebooks for mobile incoming goods registration are connected via the wireless LAN Spectrum24 from Symbol.
About Rayher Hobby
Who doesn't remember the wooden and glass bead necklaces that caused a furore at the beginning of the 60s with the start of the hippie movement? The then 21-year-old Wolfgang Rayher ventured into self-employment with this trend and laid the roots of his company in Marbach/Neckar in 1961. With a sure feeling for trends, with foresight and not least with a willingness to take risks, the company boss led the company to a market leader position in the European hobby and handicraft industry over the past decades.
From today's location in Laupheim, Baden-Württemberg, more than 5,000 specialist craft retailers throughout Europe are supplied with Rayher Hobby products. On the 12,000 m² company premises, a team of around 200 employees ensures personal and flexible customer care. The company's philosophy places great emphasis on close partnership with the specialist trade.
