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 t

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