The introduction of Axelot WMS X5 allowed AlemAgro to automate warehouse operations taking into account industry specifics

2022: Introduction of Axelot WMS X5 to AlemAgro warehouse

AXELOT announced on December 2, 2022, the introduction of AXELOT WMS X5 into the AlemAgro warehouse, which allowed the company to optimize warehouse business processes and obtain detailed information about the movement of goods in the warehouse.

Illustration: agriastana.kz

From the implementation of WMS, AlemAgro management expected to improve the performance and quality of order processing, speed up document flow and eliminate the impact of the human factor at all stages of work. It also needed full control over the work of warehouse personnel. The AXELOT WMS X5 system was chosen as a solution that can cope with the tasks.

Storage in seed warehouses microfertilizers , and SPR has its own characteristics that affect warehouse business processes. For example, there are different levels of product hazard and the need for strict adherence to remaining shelf life when shipping orders to customers. The project team had to customize the system according to these features. In addition, during time the introduction of AXELOT WMS X5 into the AlemAgro warehouse construction , the third closed warehouse was conducted on the territory of the complex. Therefore, the system also had to be configured with an eye on how it would be used at the time of launch of the third room.

Before automation, the warehouse worked on "paper." AXELOT specialists studied in detail the warehouse business processes of the AlemAgro warehouse and took them into account when implementing AXELOT WMS X5.

• Since in the warehouse there is a need to divide goods by hazard classes, in order for the system to take this parameter into account during the automatic placement of goods, the "Hazard Class" attribute is used in the item of the "Storage Objects" directory.
• For the "Batch" reference book element, the "Defective series" props with the "Boolean" type are used. This characteristic is filled exclusively from the ERP side, then translated into the WMS system. In this way, the ERP side can temporarily suspend the ability to ship a particular batch without using the WMS interfaces.
• A mechanism has been implemented for filling out the document "Marking" with actually accepted goods both as a whole for the document and within the framework of the specified storage place. The peculiarity of this mechanism is that the filling of the tabular part of the document was carried out by the actual accepted product, taking into account the accepted batch, scanned packaging and the number of accepted packages. That is, if the same product was accepted, but in different packages, then the number of labels for printing must be sent not in the number of pieces, but in the number of packages.
• To correctly register services for each performed task of the type "Acceptance (recalculation)" and "Shipment," an arbitrary algorithm was implemented to identify the base unit of measure. Thus, upon completion of the transaction, the system analyzed the basic unit of the article and registered the corresponding service.

The integration of the WMS with the CIS was done using the DATAREON ESB data service bus. A single loop made it possible to automate the transfer of data between systems and thereby maintain up-to-date data in the accounting system without the need to transfer them manually each time. At the same time, all work related to setting up on the CIS side was carried out by the customer's project team. Another feature of the warehouse operation is the existence of different tariffs for services that also need to be registered. If the operation is carried out in the "day" time, then the price is one, and if the operation is carried out in the "out-of-hours" time, then the price is another. For implementation in WMS, it was decided to dispense with dividing into different queues of tasks, i.e. the tariff of the registered service depends on which queue of tasks the operation was performed in.

The implementation of AXELOT WMS X5 has made adjustments to warehouse business processes, optimizing them. So, now, upon arrival of the vehicle, warehouse employees perform unloading, and at the same time one of the employees checks the availability of the document in the system and performs acceptance with quality and quantity check and recording of received batches through the automated workplace according to the following algorithm:

• Depending on which gate the acceptance will take place, selects the appropriate queue of tasks;
• Scans the barcode of the label of the storage location, which will be used for acceptance and recalculation;
• Selects an article from the list, indicates the corresponding state, the corresponding package and batch (if there are no available batches in the list, creates another);
• If the acceptance of one pallet is completed, proceeds to the acceptance of the next;
• Upon completion of the acceptance, creates the "Marking" document and prints the labels of the accepted goods for subsequent marking.

The system automatically schedules the goods for selection in accordance with the FEFO principle. From the CIS to the WMS, the "expenditure order for goods" is unloaded, and after the system selects the goods suitable for the selection conditions, the formed tasks fall on the shipping documentation and are then performed by the warehouse employee. After selection, if necessary, the personnel can "reorganize" the selected goods, that is, move part of the goods from one place of storage to another in order to reassemble the pallets before shipment. Shipment tasks are created automatically when you specify the corresponding characteristic in the document "shipment order."

Since it is very important for the customer to monitor the shelf life of the goods, the system automatically checks the remaining shelf life, and if it is 9 months or less, changes the condition of the goods in this batch to "Expired LG." Thanks to this, the sales department receives a "signal" that the product needs to be sold as quickly as possible. Further, upon expiration of the remaining shelf life, the condition will automatically change to "Scrap." This avoids shipment to customers of an item with an unsuitable remaining shelf life.

Preparation of documents on the services of responsible storage provided to customers is now carried out automatically, since all operations in the system are marked with the sign of the adjuster, including due to the fact that the product in WMS is tied to a particular owner. The "resale" procedure is automated: a pair of initiating documents are unloaded from the CIS - a shipment order and an expected receipt. The ability to operate with non-unique bar codes allows you to transfer goods between the controllers without applying other markings, and the warehouse event mechanism - to plan placement in the storage area of ​ ​ the owner-buyer immediately after the completion of the preparation for shipment.

The implementation of AXELOT WMS X5 has solved all the tasks. The automation of warehouse processes has significantly increased their accuracy, speed and efficiency. The system helps you monitor all processing and controls the processes in the warehouse based on the specified parameters. The impact of the human factor is minimized, and all actions of personnel with goods are recorded in WMS.