仓库管理系统外文翻译英文文献WarehouseManagementSystems(WMS).Theevolutionofwarehousemanagementsystems(WMS)isverysimilartothatofmanyothersoftwaresolutions.Initiallyasystemtocontrolmovementandstorageofmaterialswithinawarehouse,theroleofWMSisexpandingtoincludinglightmanufacturing,transportationmanagement,ordermanagement,andcompleteaccountingsystems.Tousethegrandfatherofoperations-relatedsoftware,MRP,asacomparison,materialrequirementsplanning(MRP)startedasasystemforplanningrawmaterialrequirementsinamanufacturingenvironment.SoonMRPevolvedintomanufacturingresourceplanning(MRPII),whichtookthebasicMRPsystemandaddedschedulingandcapacityplanninglogic.EventuallyMRPIIevolvedintoenterpriseresourceplanning(ERP),incorporatingalltheMRPIIfunctionalitywithfullfinancialsandcustomerandvendormanagementfunctionality.Now,whetherWMSevolvingintoawarehouse-focusedERPsystemisagoodthingornotisuptodebate.WhatisclearisthattheexpansionoftheoverlapinfunctionalitybetweenWarehouseManagementSystems,EnterpriseResourcePlanning,DistributionRequirementsPlanning,TransportationManagementSystems,SupplyChainPlanning,AdvancedPlanningandScheduling,andManufacturingExecutionSystemswillonlyincreasethelevelofconfusionamongcompanieslookingforsoftwaresolutionsfortheiroperations.EventhoughWMScontinuestogainaddedfunctionality,theinitialcorefunctionalityofaWMShasnotreallychanged.TheprimarypurposeofaWMSistocontrolthemovementandstorageofmaterialswithinanoperationandprocesstheassociatedtransactions.Directedpicking,directedreplenishment,anddirectedputawayarethekeytoWMS.ThedetailedsetupandprocessingwithinaWMScanvarysignificantlyfromonesoftwarevendortoanother,howeverthebasiclogicwilluseacombinationofitem,location,quantity,unitofmeasure,andorderinformationtodeterminewheretostock,wheretopick,andinwhatsequencetoperformtheseoperations.Atabareminimum,aWMSshould:Haveaflexiblelocationsystem.Utilizeuser-definedparameterstodirectwarehousetasksanduselivedocumentstoexecutethesetasks.Havesomebuilt-inlevelofintegrationwithdatacollectiondevices.1DoYouReallyNeedWMS?NoteverywarehouseneedsaWMS.CertainlyanywarehousecouldbenefitfromsomeofthefunctionalitybutisthebenefitgreatenoughtojustifytheinitialandongoingcostsassociatedwithWMS?WarehouseManagementSystemsarebig,complex,dataintensive,applications.Theytendtorequirealotofinitialsetup,alotofsystemresourcestorun,andalotofongoingdatamanagementtocontinuetorun.That’sright,youneedto"manage"yourwarehouse"management"system.Oftentimes,largeoperationswillendup
creating a new IS department with the sole responsibility of managing
the WMS.
The Claims:
WMS will reduce inventory!
WMS will reduce labor costs!
WMS will increase storage capacity!
WMS will increase customer service!
WMS will increase inventory accuracy!
The Reality:
The implementation of a WMS along with automated data collection
will likely give you increases in accuracy, reduction in labor costs
(provided the labor required to maintain the system is less than the
labor saved on the warehouse floor), and a greater ability to service
the customer by reducing cycle times. Expectations of inventory
reduction and increased storage capacity are less likely. While
increased accuracy and efficiencies in the receiving process may reduce
the level of safety stock required, the impact of this reduction will
likely be negligible in comparison to overall inventory levels. The
predominant factors that control inventory levels are lot sizing, lead
times, and demand variability. It is unlikely that a WMS will have a
significant impact on any of these factors. And while a WMS certainly
provides the tools for more organized storage which may result in
increased storage capacity, this improvement will be relative to just
how sloppy your pre-WMS processes were.
Beyond labor efficiencies, the determining factors in deciding to
implement a WMS tend to be more often associated with the need to do
something to service your customers that your current system does not
support (or does not support well) such as first-in-first-out, cross-
docking, automated pick replenishment, wave picking, lot tracking, yard
management, automated data collection, automated material handling
equipment, etc.
2
Setup
The setup requirements of WMS can be extensive. The characteristics
of each item and location must be maintained either at the detail level
or by grouping similar items and locations into categories. An example
of item characteristics at the detail level would include exact
dimensions and weight of each item in each unit of measure the item is
stocked (each, cases, pallets, etc) as well as information such as
