|
|
|
|
"TYING IT ALL TOGETHER" (Continued) AUTOMATED INDUCTION Automated induction lines are traditionally found in high volume distribution environments. The lines are set up to feed conveyor sortation, tilt-tray devices, busy outbound staging areas or direct trailer loads. At automated induction lines, shippable containers are conveyed over a scanner and scale, thus capturing data like carton number, destination ZIP code, weight, and SKU. No shipping label is printed and no operator is in routine attendance. When combined with a sortation device, discrepancies can be systematically rejected and sent to exception lanes for further processing at manual induction stations. Bear Creek, better knows as Harry and David, is one of the nation's highest volume shippers during the Christmas season. Bear Creek batches and runs orders on a series of automated induction lines equipped with built-in conveyors and in-motion scales. The automated lines feed trailers and outbound staging areas. The same componentized automated induction process is used in remote and temporary agricultural distribution sites. MANUAL INDUCTION Manual induction is used as a component in distribution environments where ship volumes are relatively low and product types being shipped are either single SKU or pre-packed items, so no packing is required. However, manual induction stations are also used at high-volume facilities to handle exceptions--processing conditions like jackpots, delivery methods changes, cross docks, ship to address changes or non-conveyable package processing. Manual stations usually consist of a workstation, scanner, scale, and label printer. Here, operators manually scan the package barcode, determine the method of shipment, and affix or verify a shipping label. These containers are then moved directly into outbound trailers or staged for later loading. PRINT AND APPLY In a print and apply process, shipping containers move over conveyors where scanners and scales capture and validate carton data including product ID or carton ID. Printer applicators then print and apply shipping labels based on order data and business rules. The containers are then automatically routed using automated sortation or manually placed in a staging area or outbound trailer. AUTOMATED SORTATION With automated conveyor sortation processes, conveyable shipping containers are processed for shipping and then automatically routed to sort locations based on delivery method, carrier, weight, etc. Inline scanners and scales capture carton information automatically during processing. Automated sortation systems are heavily used in the fulfillment/ third-party logistics provider's environments. At Quebecor World, a third-party sortation, manifesting, and distribution service for book publishers, automated induction and sortation equipment is used to ship as many as 130,000 items a day to bulk mail centers and delivery services. Through a series of automated lines, batches of product are weighed, scanned, and conveyed through an automated re-circulating tilt-tray sortation system. Exception stations are used to handle jackpot and non-conveyables. Eddie Bauer/Spiegel, two of the largest retailers in the nation, fulfill out of a single warehouse in Columbus Ohio. The solution to their volume shipping needs incorporates a high-throughput sortation control application that manages over 24 miles of conveyor system. The sortation device diverts packages to staging locations or directly into trailers. Their sortation control system provides a multi-threaded solution, which increased Eddie Bauer/Spiegel's ability to ship over 480,000 units in a single day. AUDIT STATION An audit station is used at any point in the shipment process (pre- or post-manifest) where a supervisor wants to verify the accuracy of the manifest and/or sortation applications. An audit processing station enables shippers to review shippable units and verify that the carton information actually matches the information recorded during the induction, sortation, and manifesting processes. Audit stations can also complete the daily audits and reports needed by facility and carrier personnel. MIXING AND MATCHING COMPONENTS These components can be mixed and matched within each facility or workgroup within the facility. Mixing and matching requires the ability to move components to the most effective point for that function within the workflow. This will provide the highest level of flexibility, the least amount of labor and most accurate execution of each operational work point. Examples of mixing and matching operational components abound. They can cover setting up pick-to-pack or batch pick-to-pack environments, using single order picking with pack verification, batch picking with a de-consolidation or order verification environment--and have all of these combinations ending in parcel carrier compliant shipping. No matter how well you mix and match your operational components, no solution will be effective unless it incorporates data from upstream information systems to drive the fulfillment and facility levels. Today's complex carrier and customer requirements as well as business rules demand uniformity on an enterprise level and flexibility on a facility level. Your distribution processes must have the ability to communicate via standard interfaces with ERPs and MRPs, existing in-house host systems and carrier compliance systems. No matter what approach you use to interface with the upstream systems, your ability to apply these data sets will determine both the effectiveness of your components and features of a componentized system.
|
|
Send mail to
raworkman@scandata.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
