Radio Frequency and Voice-Activated Picking in a Distribution Center R.
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Transcript of Radio Frequency and Voice-Activated Picking in a Distribution Center R.
Presentation Overview
• Tractor Supply Company
• RF Transactions
• Hardware / Software• WM Functionality
• Pendleton Distribution Center
• Voice-Activated Picking• Intangible / Tangible Gains• Lessons Learned
TSC Overview
“Stores are located in rural communities and in the outlying areas of large cities where the rural lifestyle is a significant factor in the local economy.”
447 Stores in 30 States
6565
66
88
77
66
11 44 44
2525
883232 1919
33
111717
1515
2222
77
6060
171777
1010 3131
44441199
5544
8811
Distribution Center
Store Count
Big Bang Go-Live January 6, 2003
Project Overview
Timeline – Approximately 6 months
Paper Based Environment
Goals - Increase Productivity, Accuracy, and Real Time Inventory
DC Overview
500,00 Square Feet under roof (12 acres)
33,000 Bin Locations
265 Floor Associates
17 Clerical Positions
Pendleton, Indiana – North East of Indy
DC Daily Overview
40-60 Inbound Trailers
50-100 Outbound Loads
315 Stores Serviced
1000 Letdowns
40,000 – 60,000 Pick Lines
1000 Putaways
RF Backbone
Hardware Overview
• 802.11b• Cisco Aironet 350 Access Points
RF Devices• Handhelds – Symbol PDT 6846• Vehicle Mounts – Symbol VRC 6946
Vocollect Hardware
• Proprietary Talkman Units w/Cisco RF Card
Zebra Z6000 Label Printers - Thermal
• SAP Retail Version 4.6c Hotpack 21
Software Overview
• SAPConsole Version 4.6d
• Georgia Softworks Telnet ver. 6.27.0003
• Vocollect Quick Pick
• Veritas Cluster Services ver. 2.0.1
TSC WM Overview
Putaway Strategies Picking Strategies
• Fixed Bins
• Bulk Storage
• Near Picking Bin
• Addition to Stock
• Open Storage
• Fixed Bins
• FIFO
• 8 Physical/Logical Storage Types
TSC WM Overview
• Handling Units (HU) as Shipping Units
• Fixed Bin Auto Replenishment
• 1 Storage Type divided into 2 Sections
Our RF Transactions
• LTL Receiving• Bulk Receiving• Putaway by TO• Manual Letdown• System Letdown• HU Consolidation
Our RF Transactions
• HU Inquiry
• Picking
• Bin/Article Inquiry
• Enter Inventory Counts
• Create Inventory Document
• Master Data Correction
Some RF Extras
• Print Handling Unit Labels from Transaction
• HU Consolidation with Master Label
• Bulk labels – not TO Labels
• Loading by Store rather than Delivery
• LTL TO Labels
Voice Activated• Implementation Partner
• Voice Advantages
• Voice Architecture
• Voice and RF - Cost Differences
• Voice in Action
• Our Interface to Vocollect
Voice-Activated Advantages
• Improved accuracy • Increased productivity
• Reduced training time
• Voice communication is natural
• Eliminates paper
• Hands-Free Operation
Voice-Activated Additional Expense?
Minimum differences:• Server for Pick Manager Database• Additional cost per Unit • Training Devices• Software• SQL License
Vocollect – Our WM Interface
• Extract data from SAP
• Record entry in Z table
• Generate .dat file on Server
• Upload file every 10 minutes
The Download from SAP:
Vocollect – Our WM Interface
• Oracle Procedure extracts Completedpicks from SQLServer (2.5
minutes)• Z Program feeds WMTOCO Idoc from
table above (5 minutes)
The Upload to SAP:
Vocollect – Our WM Interface
• Group TO’s by TO number for Idoc processing to avoid Delivery Locking
• Schedule Re-processing Job for Idocs
The Caveats:
• Delivery Locking Fix from SAP
• Purging Strategies for Z tables
• Overall DC – 8-10% Improvement in Lines/Hr
Tangible Gains
• Receiving – 6% increase in PO’s/Hr
• Put away/Letdown – Elimination of 4 clerical.
• Billing – Went from 7 to 4 clerical
•Gravity Flow – 18% Improvement in Lines/Hr
• Seattle Labs Telnet User Limitations
Lessons Learned
• MASTER DATA, MASTER DATA, MASTER DATA
• End-User Process Training
• SAP Picking Function Modules
• Monitor Table Sizes – HU’s, etc.