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The project
In addition to the planning and realization of the required software, S&P also took over the procurement and installation of the necessary hardware. The requirements for the management and control of the warehouse areas at the old and new location as well as several external warehouses were mostly 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 operational warehouse management, from goods receipt and paperless picking to shipping, is handled by around 50 mobile radio data terminals using client/server technology. Replenishment from the replenishment bins to the picking bins is triggered automatically and according to demand once minimum stock levels have been reached. The use of barcodes and radio data transmission increases inventory accuracy and thus further enhances 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 daily processes.
Through the use of new storage technology, especially the high-turnover items are stored in a concentrated manner. At the newly built automatic tray warehouse, supplied by the Beewen company, the picker is guided at the screen workstation via the menus of the SuPCIS-L warehouse management system. Picking errors are virtually eliminated. The goods-to-man principle and the optimized design of the tray layout drastically reduce the distances and thus also the picking times per pick. This makes it possible to pick 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 the 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
- Process 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 realized via TCP/IP as a file transfer. The connection to the subordinate control 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 wood and glass bead necklaces that caused a furor in the early 1960s with the start of the hippie movement? Wolfgang Rayher, who was 21 years old at the time, ventured into self-employment with this trend and laid the roots of his company in Marbach am 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 its current location in Laupheim, Baden-Württemberg, more than 5,000 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 service. The company's philosophy attaches great importance to close partnerships with specialist retailers.
