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The application of Wi-Fi RTLS in automatic warehouse management system
Abstract
With the world economy warmer, new opportunities for development of logistics industry have been brought. Under this new situation, how to improve the productivity and reduce the operating costs are very important issues for enterprises. Wireless Fidelity and Real Time Location Systems used in automatic warehouse management system can make the management of storage, transportation and distribution more efficient, and it also can accurate and logical. It can helps the enterprises to reduce the operation costs, and put itself in a dominate position in the competition. Establishing the warehouse management information system based on this technology, can make the distribution of information more smoothly, which is beneficial to control and reduce inventory, and it can improve the turnover and reduce the costs including the human resource costs. It is an important segment for the enterprise to facing the financial crisis and improving the productivity. In the same time, the application of this system can provide the technical foundation for logistics warehouse management system based on the Internet of Things.
... WSN is an infrastructure-less and self-configured wireless network used to monitor environmental or physical conditions such as pressure, sound, pollutants, temperature, or motion [57]. The data is then sent to a main sink or location through the network, where it is analyzed and observed. ...
... The sink acts like the link between the network and its users, and users can then get information by querying and retrieving results from the sink. This technology requires sensor nodes that communicate using wireless signals [57]. ...
... RTLS uses various wireless technologies ranging from RFID to inertial navigation system (INS)/differential global positioning system (DGPS), and ports and container terminals implement real-time location services. Today, auto handoff, extended real-time monitoring, and terminal equipment position systems are being applied in ports [57]. ...
Blockchain is one of the technologies that can support digital transformation in industries in many aspects. This sophisticated technology can provide a decentralized, transparent, and secure environment for organizations and businesses. This review article discusses the adoption of blockchain in the ports and shipping industry to support digital transformation. It also explores the integration of this technology into the current ports and shipping ecosystem. Besides, the study highlighted the situation of the supply chains management in ports and shipping domain as a case study in this field. The investigated studies show that blockchain can be integrated into processes such as financial and document workflow. This review contributes to research by focusing on the adoption of blockchain in the ports and shipping industry to support digital transformation. It also aims to understand the existing port practice and map it with current tendencies based on blockchain. This study gives insight analysis to incorporate blockchain technology into ports and shipping processes globally.
... Alternatively, Wi-Fi is low-cost and ubiquitous since it is present in most buildings, including factories, thus it is an ideal technology for deployments that take advantage of already existing infrastructure. Wi-Fi has been explored for localization in industrial environments to improve productivity in [11] and [12], and explored for vehicle tracking in [13] and [14]. The IPS for vehicles based on Wi-Fi fingerprinting [14] uses a raw data smoothing technique to feed a classifier based on neural networks, which can deal with noisy Wi-Fi signal strength measurements. ...
... A simple model based on LDPL was used to calculate signal strength values of APs. A signal strength value is defined as RSSI = RSSI 0 − 10 × η × log 10 (ξ ) + n rssi (12) where RSSI 0 represents the RSSI value at 1 m distance of the AP, η represents the path loss exponent, ξ represents the distance between the AP and the point where the signal strength is estimated, and n rssi is a zero-mean Gaussian distributed random variable. We defined RSSI 0 = −40 dBm, n rssi = N(0, 4 dBm), and η = 2. ...
Localization and tracking of industrial vehicles have a key role in increasing productivity and improving the logistics processes of factories. Due to the demanding require- ments of industrial vehicle tracking and navigation, existing systems explore technologies, such as LiDAR or ultra wide-band to achieve low positioning errors. In this article we propose TrackInFactory, a system that combines Wi-Fi with motion sen- sors, achieving submeter accuracy and a low maximum error. A tight coupling approach is explored in sensor fusion with a parti- cle filter (PF). Information regarding the vehicle’s initial position and heading is not required. This approach uses the similarity of Wi-Fi samples to update the particles’ weights as they move according to motion sensor data. The PF dynamically adjusts its parameters based on a metric for estimating the confidence in position estimates, allowing to improve positioning performance. A series of simulations were performed to tune the PF. Then the approach was validated in real-world experiments with an industrial tow tractor, achieving a mean error of 0.81 m. In com- parison to a loose coupling approach, this method reduced the maximum error by more than 60% and improved the overall mean error by more than 20%.
... Waste of Inventory Camera [30]; RFID [62,66]; IPS [72] high Tracked items in inventory areas [77,78]. ...
... Less inventory inventory value RFID [66]; IPS [72] high Improved control of the inventory level [78] and e-kanban solutions reduce internal inventories [82]. ...
The powerful combination of lean principles and digital technologies accelerates wasteidentification and mitigation faster than traditional lean methods. The new digital lean (also referredto as Lean 4.0) solutions incorporate sensors and digital equipment, yielding innovative solutionsthat extend the reach of traditional lean tools. The tracking of flexible and configurable productionsystems is not as straightforward as in a simple conveyor. This paper examines how the informationprovided by indoor positioning systems (IPS) can be utilised in the digital transformation of flexiblemanufacturing. The proposed IPS-based method enriches the information sources of value streammapping and transforms positional data into key-performance indicators used in Lean Manufacturing.The challenges of flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing require a dynamic value stream mapping.To handle this problem, a process mining-based solution has been proposed. A case study isprovided to show how the proposed method can be employed for monitoring and improvingmanufacturing efficiency.
... This transformation is mainly ascribed to AI's swift data processing capabilities, which enable real-time decision-making (Wu and Lin, 2018). AI's capability to forecast demand accurately, streamline inventory management and optimise delivery routes, as highlighted by Ma and Liu (2011), has been a game-changer. Further, the efficacy of AIpowered predictive analytics in reducing downtime, enhancing inventory supervision and optimising resource distribution has been observed recently by Belhadi et al. (2021), Ghouati et al. (2022), Javaid et al. (2022). ...
Purpose
Artificial intelligence (AI) usage improves e-commerce logistics efficiency. However, many actors can play significant roles, such as supply chain consistency (SCC), last-mile logistics (LML) performance and collaboration and coordination among logistics firms. This study aims to assess how SCC and LML performance mediate and collaboration and coordination moderate the relationship between AI usage and logistics efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. A total of 245 valid responses were received from Indian e-commerce businesses. The data were then analysed using AMOS v25 and structural equational modelling using SPSS for regression, PROCESS macro for mediation and moderated mediation analysis.
Findings
The findings show that AI usage independently impacts logistics efficiency, with SCC and last-mile delivery performance as mediating variables. Collaboration and coordination among logistic firms are also critical moderators in enhancing AI’s efficacy in logistic operations. The study findings suggest the integration of AI into logistic operations and provide implications to managers on the urgency of fostering a collaborative and synchronised environment to utilise the full potential of AI in e-commerce businesses.
Originality/value
This study not only contributes to the field of logistics theory by presenting empirical data on the various ramifications of AI but also offers practical guidance for logistics firms, particularly those operating in developing economies, on how to strategically employ AI to enhance operational efficiency and attain a competitive advantage in the era of e-commerce logistics in the digital age.
... Alternatively, Wi-Fi is low-cost and ubiquitous since it is present in most buildings, including factories, thus it is an ideal technology for deployments that take advantage of already existing infrastructure. Wi-Fi has been explored for localization in industrial environments to improve productivity in [78,79], and explored for vehicle tracking in [3,80] ...
Industry 4.0 is driving change for new forms of production and real-time optimization in factories, which benefit from the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities to locate industrial vehicles for monitoring, improving safety, and operations. Most industrial environments have a Wi-Fi infrastructure that can be exploited to locate people, assets, or vehicles, providing an opportunity for enhancing productivity and interconnectivity. Radio maps are important for Wi-Fi-based Indoor Position Systems (IPSs) since they represent the radio environment and are used to estimate a position. Radio maps comprise a set of Wi-
Fi samples collected at known positions, and degrade over time due to several aspects, e.g., propagation effects, addition/removal of Access Points (APs), among others, hence they should be periodically updated to maintain the IPS performance. The process to build and maintain radio maps is usually time-consuming and demanding in terms of human resources, thus being challenging to perform. Vehicles, commonly present in industrial environments, can be explored to help build and maintain radio maps, as long as it
is possible to locate and track them. The main objective of this thesis is to develop an IPS for industrial vehicles with self-healing radio maps (capable of keeping radio maps up to date). Vehicles are tracked using sensor fusion of Wi-Fi with motion sensors, which allows to annotate new Wi-Fi samples to build the self-healing radio maps. Two sensor fusion approaches based on Loose Coupling and Tight Coupling are proposed to track vehicles. The Tight Coupling approach includes a reliability metric to determine when Wi-Fi samples should be annotated. As a result, this solution does not depend on any calibration or human
effort to build and maintain the radio map. Results obtained in real-world experiments suggest that this solution has potential for IoT and Industry 4.0, especially in location services, but also in monitoring and analytics, supporting autonomous navigation, and interconnectivity between devices.
... The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to an increase in the need for accurate indoor localization systems. A few applications of the location tracking system include robotics [1], location-based services [1], automatic warehouse management system [2], location-based authentication algorithms [3], and surveillance [4]. The information associated with the location of the device is important for indoor as well as outdoor navigation systems in both small-scale and large-scale areas. ...
The localization system has been extensively studied because of its diverse applicability, for example, in the Internet of Things, automatic management, and unmanned aerial vehicle services. There have been numerous studies on localization in two-dimensional (2D) environments, but those in three-dimensional (3D) environments are scarce. In this paper, we propose a novel localization method that utilizes the gated recurrent unit (GRU) and ultra-wideband (UWB) signals. For the purpose of this study, we considered that the UWB transmitter (Tx) and many UWB receivers (Rx) were placed inside a confined space. The input of the proposed model was generated from the UWB signals that are sent from the Tx to the Rxs, and the output was the location of the Tx. The proposed GRU-based model converts the localization problem into a regression problem by combining the ranging and positioning phase. Thus, the proposed model can directly estimate the location of the Tx. Our proposed GRU-based method achieves 15 and four times shorter execution times for the training and testing, respectively, compared to the existing convolutional neural network (CNN)-based localization methods. The input data can also be easily generated with low complexity. The rows of the input matrix are the downsampled version of the UWB received signal. Throughout numerous simulation results, our novel localization method can achieve a lower root-mean-squared error up to 0.8 meters compared to the recently proposed existing CNN-based method. Furthermore, the proposed method operates well inside a confined space with fixed volume but varying width, height, and depth.
... Production Cycle time optimization UWB [51] Production Position data-based decision making UWB [52]; RFID [53,54] Production Activity-Time monitoring in production line UWB [55] Production Digital Facility Layout Planning Independent [56] Logistics Logitics management RFID [57]; Hybrid [21]; Independent [20] Logistics Warehouse management RFID [58]; WiFi [59] Logistics Pallet management RFID [31] Logistics Material/component and production tracking WiFi [60]; UWB [31,61]; RFID [31,[62][63][64][65]; Hybrid [66]; Laser [30]; Barcode [67] Logistics Assets tracking Bluetooth [68]; RFID [69][70][71][72]; Hybrid [73]; UWB [74,75]; Laser [29]; Barcode [67]; ZigBee [46] Quality Weak spot analyzis in production UWB [76] Safety Safety management RFID [33] Safety Collision avoidance UWB [77] ...
Real-time monitoring and optimization of production and logistics processes significantly improve the efficiency of production systems. Advanced production management solutions require real-time information about the status of products, production, and resources. As real-time locating systems (also referred to as indoor positioning systems) can enrich the available information, these systems started to gain attention in industrial environments in recent years. This paper provides a review of the possible technologies and applications related to production control and logistics, quality management, safety, and efficiency monitoring. This work also provides a workflow to clarify the steps of a typical real-time locating system project, including the cleaning, pre-processing, and analysis of the data to provide a guideline and reference for research and development of indoor positioning-based manufacturing solutions.
... 3.1. The type of objects whose location will be determined The location system should make it possible to determine the location of, among others [30]: people (e.g. employees, clients, patients, guests) in order to determine what work they do, establish a quick contact, navigate to a specific point, enable or disable access to specific areas (zones dangerous to people or prohibited for various groups), vehicles and mobile devices (cars, trucks, forklifts, robots, transport trolleys, conveyors, AGVs), high-value devices that can be moved and lost in large buildings (they are not permanently associated with a specific location), e.g. ...
Contemporary enterprises forced to compete on the global market actively seek methods that allow improving production processes. This demand resulted in the emergence of RTLS (Real-Time Locating Systems). RTLSs are considered an effective way to identify and track the location of objects in both indoor and outdoor environments. There is no established standard in indoor localisation, thus the selection of an existing system needs to be done based on the type of environment being tracked, the speed, the cost and the accuracy required. The RTLSs differs in terms of the type of technology used, positioning algorithm, accuracy and precision, complexity, scalability, number of tracked objects and costs. The article presents comparison of the most commonly used technologies of indoor real-time location, taking into account its possible applications in production engineering and process improvement. An example of RTLS, based on the UWB technology was also presented. The principles of the system operation, its main features as well as hardware and software components have been described. Preliminary tests of RTLS were also carried out.
... However, it is general comparison and should serve only as a signpost. RTLS applications in warehousing, manufacturing and logistics include, but are not limited to controlling and reducing inventory through smoothing information handling [6], cooperating within supply chain [7], fighting maritime piracy [8], assets tracking in container terminals [9], improving mobile (transportation) assets utilization in manufacturing [10], assets tracking on a shop floor [11]. Very wide spread of possible RTLS technologies and possible RTLS applications lead to the question: how to choose the best system for the purpose of a specific case. ...
Real Time Locating System has become an important part of supporting technologies applied in a wide range of logistics related to many sectors and branches, as warehousing, manufacturing or healthcare offering real time visibility of assets. It increases assets utilization. RTLS is a very wide term covering many different specific technologies. The use of a specific technology effects in achieving different performance metrics. Therefore, the selection of a specific technology (or mix) is multi-criteria decision making problem. A set of criteria for RTLS selection was discussed and confronted with a set of criteria for assessment of identification systems and an application of TOPSIS for the selection of RTLS was presented.
... Ultra-wideband (UWB) is a short-range and energy efficient radio technology useful in a high-bandwidth wireless communication. Due to their functionalities and performances, the use of UWB-based RTLSs as tracking management systems has gained increasing attention in industrial and logistic applications, for instance container terminals [2], and warehouses [3]. Besides that, RTLSs have been widely applied in security applications in ...
The increased potential and effectiveness of Real-time Locating Systems (RTLSs) substantially influence their application spectrum. They are widely used, inter alia, in the industrial sector, healthcare, home care, and in logistic and security applications. The research aims to develop an analytical method to customize UWB-based RTLS, in order to improve their localization performance in terms of accuracy and precision. The analytical uncertainty model of Angle of Arrival (AoA) localization in a 3D indoor space, which is the foundation of the customization concept, is established in a working environment. Additionally, a suitable angular-based 3D localization algorithm is introduced. The paper investigates the following issues: the influence of the proposed correction vector on the localization accuracy; the impact of the system’s configuration and LS’s relative deployment on the localization precision distribution map. The advantages of the method are verified by comparing them with a reference commercial RTLS localization engine. The results of simulations and physical experiments prove the value of the proposed customization method. The research confirms that the analytical uncertainty model is the valid representation of RTLS’ localization uncertainty in terms of accuracy and precision and can be useful for its performance improvement. The research shows, that the Angle of Arrival localization in a 3D indoor space applying the simple angular-based localization algorithm and correction vector improves of localization accuracy and precision in a way that the system challenges the reference hardware advanced localization engine. Moreover, the research guides the deployment of location sensors to enhance the localization precision.
... To determine the position of objects, RTLS readers receive data from the tag, determine the time-of-arrival and forward the data to an RTLS server which determines the respective tag location [99]. Consequently, RTLS technologies are not dependent on satellite systems and thus can be applied in confined spaces including warehouses and road tunnels [82]. Different techniques are proposed to enhance RTLS location estimation (see, e.g., [70,91]). ...
Information systems have become indispensable to the competitiveness of ports, facilitating communication and decision making for enhancing the visibility, efficiency, reliability, and security in port operations under various conditions. Providing value-added information services and analytics is increasingly important to maintain a competitive edge and to fulfill regulatory requirements. Consequently, it is necessary to survey current information systems both from an academic and practical standpoint. In this paper, we present a classification and a comprehensive survey of information systems and related information technologies applied in ports. As such, the paper provides a state-of-the-art information-centric view on port operations and aims to bridge the gap between industry solutions and academic works.
Free access: http://rdcu.be/vHsQ
... Moreover, they are widely used in healthcare facilities [2,3], social, and home care applications [4] for precisely tracking the movement of people. Besides that, RTLSs are widely applied in assets by tracking management systems in warehouses [5], container terminals [6], and hospitals [3]. ...
Real-time Locating Systems (RTLSs) have the ability to precisely locate the position of things and people in real time. They are needed for security and emergency applications, but also for healthcare and home care appliances. The research aims for developing an analytical method to customize RTLSs, in order to improve localization performance in terms of precision. The proposed method is based on Angle of Arrival (AoA), a ranging technique and fingerprinting method along with an analytically defined uncertainty of AoA, and a localization uncertainty map. The presented solution includes three main concerns: geometry of indoor space, RTLS arrangement, and a statistical approach to localization precision of a pair of location sensors using an AoA signal. An evaluation of the implementation of the customized RTLS validates the analytical model of the fingerprinting map. The results of simulations and physical experiments verify the proposed method. The research confirms that the analytically established fingerprint map is the valid representation of RTLS' performance in terms of precision. Furthermore, the research demonstrates an impact of workspace geometry and workspace layout onto the RTLS' performance. Moreover, the studies show how the size and shape of a workspace and the placement of the calibration point affect the fingerprint map. Withal, the performance investigation defines the most effective arrangement of location sensors and its influence on localization precision.
... • Warehouse automation ranging from communication and realtime location systems [102] to RFID technologies [103]. • Warehouse location, shape and capacity [104,105]. ...
Manufacturing is continuously evolving from concept development to methods and tools available for the production of goods for use or sale. Traditionally, manufacturing refers to an industrial production process through which raw materials are transformed into finished products to be sold in the market. However, these days manufacturing is considered to be an integrated concept at all levels from machines to production systems to an entire business level operation.
Although there have been considerable developments in manufacturing technologies and processes,the actual scope and elements of manufacturing systems are complex and not adequately defined. This paper provides a review of both the tangible and intangible elements of manufacturing systems and presents a state-of-the-art survey of published work. It studies the evolution of research in manufacturing starting from past and current trends to future developments. How manufacturing systems have been classified is also presented. Through this extensive survey of the literature, future directions of this
changing field are suggested.
... • Warehouse automation ranging from communication and realtime location systems [102] to RFID technologies [103]. • Warehouse location, shape and capacity [104,105]. ...
Manufacturing is continuously evolving from concept development to methods and tools available for the production of goods for use or sale. Traditionally, manufacturing refers to an industrial production process through which raw materials are transformed into finished products to be sold in the market. However, these days manufacturing is considered to be an integrated concept at all levels from machines to production systems to an entire business level operation. Although there have been considerable developments in manufacturing technologies and processes, the actual scope and elements of manufacturing systems are complex and not adequately defined. This paper provides a review of both the tangible and intangible elements of manufacturing systems and presents a state-of-the-art survey of published work. It studies the evolution of research in manufacturing starting from past and current trends to future developments. How manufacturing systems have been classified is also presented. Through this extensive survey of the literature, future directions of this changing field are suggested.
... So far, a number of RTLS technologies have been utilized to solve indoor tracking problems, such as bluetooth, infrared ray, ultrasonic wave and RFID (radio frequency identification devices) [9,10]. Especially, RFID is widely used in practical applications, e.g., logistics transportation, warehouse management and manufacturing workshop owing to its characteristics of non-contact, wide-coverage and low-cost [11]. Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radio seems to be a good choice for achieving such high location precision. ...
In discrete manufacturing workshop, traditional manual material distribution method lacks of unified scheduling and supervision due to a bottleneck of capturing real-time in-formation. Considering these problems, this paper raises the concept "R-AGV (RTLS-based Auto Guided Vehicle)" and proposes the framework of R-AGV-based material dis-tribution scheme on the basis of RTLS platform and workshop electronic map. Then under the principle of shortest transport distance (STD), we put forward the path planning algo-rithm including global path planning algorithm for designing route of R-AGV and local multi-sensors fusion algorithm for avoiding obstacle. Considering experimental purpose, we develop a simplified 8-workstation prototype system capturing the main characteris-tics of the real discrete manufacturing workshop. Our analysis and experiment results show that the R-AGV-based material distribution system provides new levels of process visibility and efficiency comparing to traditional AGV-based distributing systems.
... This technique uses a continuous technology for the tracking of transportation vehicles, such as GPS, and a discrete technology for monitoring loads delivery. In recent years, we can observe the growth of RTLS (Real Time Locating Systems) use in solutions of logistics tracking and tracing (Park et al., 2006) (Ding et al., 2008) (Zang & Wu, 2010) (Ma & Liu, 2011). The RTLS are usually employed in order to do the continuous tracking and tracing of loads at indoor environments, through the use of discrete technologies, such as RFID and wireless networks. ...
The cargo transport represents the largest share of logistics costs in most companies. Consequently, companies are investing in tracking and tracing systems aiming to improve services, reduce costs and ensure the safety in cargo transportation. To play a part in this area, we propose in this article SafeTrack, a model for logistics management based on geofencing algorithms and radio-frequency technology. In this approach, the focus is on dealing with delivery management. The main scientific contribution of SafeTrack is automatic delivery management. Besides dealing with deliveries without user interaction, we provide a mechanism to detect inconsistencies at real-time. Furthermore, the model monitors detours in planned routes and deals with alarms notifications using mobile devices. To provide that features, we employed Geofence concept with two solutions that enable to detect, in real-time, the occurrence of detours in planned routes. We also created a component, named SafeDuino, to control loads delivery and pickups. The decision on the occurrence of inconsistencies during the logistics flow is performed through the fusion of context information, obtained from SafeDuino and a mobile device, using radio-frequency technology. We built a complete and functional prototype, which was evaluated in a controlled environment, testing several conditions. The test scenario was executed twenty times, showing that the proposed model is capable to identify all inconsistencies along the travels. We concluded that SafeTrack improves logistics operation, optimizing decision-making, avoiding losses during the logistics flow, and also allowing companies to remain competitive in the market.
... The IoT is a phenomenon resulting from the fact that an increasing number of physical objects now have the ability to connect to the Internet [1]. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) [2], wireless sensor network (WSN) [3] and real-time location OPEN ACCESS systems (RTLS) [4] are important enabling technologies for the IoT [5]. Various types of sensor nodes are deployed in the IoT. ...
This paper deals with the query problem in the Internet of Things (IoT). Flooding is an important query strategy. However, original flooding is prone to cause heavy network loads. To address this problem, we propose a variant of flooding, called Level-Based Flooding (LBF). With LBF, the whole network is divided into several levels according to the distances (i.e., hops) between the sensor nodes and the sink node. The sink node knows the level information of each node. Query packets are broadcast in the network according to the levels of nodes. Upon receiving a query packet, sensor nodes decide how to process it according to the percentage of neighbors that have processed it. When the target node receives the query packet, it sends its data back to the sink node via random walk. We show by extensive simulations that the performance of LBF in terms of cost and latency is much better than that of original flooding, and LBF can be used in IoT of different scales.
: Scientific research is devoted to the achievement of authenticity
of interlingual transformations of sayings. The creation and use of the explanatory
formula saying's meaning help to avoid communication errors, and prevent the
emergence of “Cultural barriers” in the “Language of primary socialization” to the
“Language of secondary socialization” and vice versa.
Quantum Computing has been shown to provide exponential performance improvements in several tasks, such as cryptography, healthcare, etc. This paper presents a new framework for quantum high-level synthesis, called QHLS, that aims to facilitate programmers using quantum computers. Currently, quantum-computer programmers need extensive linear algebra and quantum mechanics knowledge, which can be challenging for traditional software programmers. Additionally, the current quantum programming paradigm is not scalable, and it can be difficult to combine quantum circuits to create a more complex functionality. QHLS addresses these issues by enabling the automatic generation of quantum circuit descriptions directly from high-level behavioral specifications (using languages like C or C++). This simplifies the programming of a quantum computer, making it more accessible to a wider range of programmers. Our experiments show that QHLS can successfully translate high-level software programs containing various types of statements (such as arithmetic, logical, and conditional operations) into functionally equivalent quantum circuits.
Purpose
Large supermarkets, chain stores and enterprises with large-scale warehousing put forward higher standards and requirements for the automation and informatization of warehouses. As one of the fast-growing commercial supermarkets in China, the traditional warehouse management mode has restricted the rapid development of Yonghui Superstores to a certain extent. The purpose of this paper is to find out how the existing warehouse mode can be changed and to solve the existing problems of warehouse management of Yonghui Superstores.
Design/methodology/approach
This research puts forward construction of warehouse center, which is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) and sensor technology, then designs the model for receiving, storage, operations management, distribution and outbound to solve the existing problems of warehouse management of Yonghui Superstores.
Findings
What technologies should be adopted to meet storage requirements? How to monitor the storage environment in real time and improve the operation and management level of the warehouse? This study found that building a warehouse center based on RFID and sensor technology was a good solution.
Research limitations/implications
The Yonghui Superstores warehouse center model lacks corresponding simulation experiments, and the investment and income are difficult to estimate quantitatively.
Practical implications
This paper has designed and discussed the warehouse center model based on RFID and sensor technology, which provides a few references for the actual investment and construction of a warehouse center. In addition, the warehouse center model has strong generalized applicability and could be widely used in various enterprises.
Social implications
The warehouse center could improve the warehouse management level of Yonghui Superstores and change the traditional warehouse management mode. To some extent, it improves the enterprise flexibility of the market, which will be of great significance to improve business efficiency and enhance brand image and competitiveness.
Originality/value
This study takes Yonghui Superstores as a case to analyze the problems of warehousing management in detail and then designs a warehouse center based on RFID and sensor technology. The study discusses the location and distribution, software and hardware selection, benefits evaluation, significances and return on investment, which makes the warehouse center model versatile, technically feasible and economically applicable.
Currently, high-tech service robotics is increasingly developing. Service robots perform various tasks: patient care, condition monitoring and alert medical personnel and patient registration. In connection with the urgency of the task, this article will consider a distributed control system for mobile complexes, which task is to control, manage, and
distribute tasks for complexes for the operation of re-equipping hospital wards and transporting mobile equipment in a medical institution. For more accurate route building, a local positioning
system can be used. Now there are no ready-made algorithms for solving such problems. There are algorithms for managing single complexes, complexes in a closed space, and the problems
of transition from the initial state to the final state have not been considered either. In this connection, a number of problems arise, which are considered in this article: transfer of
medical complexes from the initial state to the final state, determination of initial parameters and conditions, determination of final parameters and conditions. During the task creation with
a distributed control system, the following factors should be taken into account: the availability of the resource required for delivery on the mobile complex, the priority of the task being performed. The practical significance of the work will be determined by the result of the
development of a mathematical model that will take into account all current problems and factors. As a result, a theory was determined by which the theoretical aspects were analysed and the closest toolkit of interactions within the control system in a distributed environment
was selected.
Spaghetti diagrams are widely used as improvement tools within lean manufacturing framework. Drawing spaghetti diagram is time-consuming. The diagram is static and does not reflect dynamics of logistics systems. Real time locating system was proposed to overcome this drawback. A case study of pilot implementation of the system was presented. It was proved that pilot system may operate reliably in industrial environment in terms of hardware and software applied. System features and some improvements based on dynamic spaghetti diagrams were listed.
Für die Logistikbranche ist das Krisenjahr 2009 bereits Ende 2011 nur noch ein Schatten der Vergangenheit. Bis Ende 2011 prognostiziert die Bundesvereinigung Logistik e.V. einen Umsatz von 222 Milliarden Euro und die Branche erwartet eine Beschäftigtenzahl von bis zu 2,9 Millionen Arbeitnehmern (Bundesvereinigung Logistik e.V. 2011).
Os sistemas de informações (SI) vêm sendo largamente utilizados nas organizações como vantagem competitiva, auxiliando os gestores em suas tomadas de decisão. Um dos SI que gerencia de forma eficiente e eficaz um centro de distribuição (CD) é denominado WMS (Warehouse Management System). O presente trabalho tem como objetivo geral descrever as melhorias advindas da implantação de um sistema de gerenciamento de CD, tendo como foco a área de processamento de mercadorias em uma grande empresa do setor têxtil em Natal/RN. Associado ao objetivo geral, o estudo também pretende analisar o fluxo das mercadorias e analisar o sistema de informação gerencial atual da empresa estudada. Como resultados verificou-se a redução no lead time das mercadorias em 24%, o aumento da produtividade dos funcionários e a melhora na gestão do CD. Outro ponto de destaque foi a eliminação de locais predeterminados para as mercadorias, otimizando o processo e o deslocamento dos colaboradores.
This paper presents a 2.4-GHz radio frequency (RF) and ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) hybrid real-time locating system (RTLS) for industrial enterprise Internet of Things (IoT). It employs asymmetric wireless link, that is, UWB radio is utilised for accurate positioning up to 10 cm in critical sites, whereas 2.4-GHz RF is used for tag control and coarse positioning in non-critical sites. The specified communication protocol and the adaptive tag synchronisation rate ensure reliable and deterministic access with a scalable system capacity and avoid unpredictable latency and additional energy consumption of retransmissions due to collisions. The tag, consisting of a commercial 2.4-GHz transceiver and a customised application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) UWB transmitter (Tx), is able to achieve up to 3 years’ battery life at 1600 tags per position update second with 1000 mAh battery in one cluster. The time difference of arrival (TDoA)–based positioning experiment at UWB radio is performed on the designed software-defined radio (SDR) platform.
Device-free Passive localization is a system envisioned to detect, track and identify entities that do not carry any device, nor participate actively in the localization process. Compare to traditional solutions based on the received signal strength, channel state information (CSI) has more advantage. On observing the stable characteristics of CSI while retaining sensitivity to nearby human locomotion, the method proposed to leverage the histogram feature of the subcarrier amplitudes as signatures for omnidirectional passive human detection. It also considered the multipath affection of indoor environment and utilized the fingerprint system to improve performance. Experimental results show that the localization method is reliable with an average false positive of 13% and false negative of 7% in detecting human position in 8 directions. In the case of effective detection radius of 1 m, the deviation is 25% and the relative error is 0.196 m. ©, 2015, The Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Sensors and Actuators. All right reserved.
Automated Identification (Auto ID) applications can provide corporate information systems with the identity of each physical item in the supply chain in an automated and timely manner. The real time availability of item identity allows other information, related to the item, to be drawn on in order to assess both the current state of the product and future actions required. In the context of supply chain operations, widespread introduction of such systems represents a major opportunity to overhaul and improve tracking and tracing systems, process control and inventory management. In the longer term, it is possible that Auto ID systems may enable a complete re-engineering of the supply chain, by removing a number of the constraints that limit today's supply chain structures. In this paper, we review some key challenges in supply chain operations and introduce the main elements of an Auto ID system. Using a simple categorization of supply chain operations, areas for short term deployment of Auto ID are identified and opportunities for longer term re-engineering of different sections of the supply chain are highlighted.
Purpose
The desire to cut supply chain costs has made RFID technology one of today's most discussed retail technologies. Given the current implementation pace, the objective of this paper is to go beyond the hype and explore basic issues related to RFID technology, including its promises as well as its pitfalls.
Design/methodology/approach
The author provides a conceptual discussion of the evolution of RFID, addresses its capabilities and its application in various industries, discusses implementation challenges, identifies adoption phases, and reviews RFID's success factors.
Findings
RFID is the most recent prolific technology that provides supply chain collaboration and visibility. An RFID systems solution will increase corporate ROI while at the same time improving retail supply chain communication. Handled properly, RFID technology can result in an evolutionary change incorporating legacy systems with the real‐time supply chain management of tomorrow. Its stumbling point seems only to be a variety of issues outside the technology itself: marketing problems, false promises, security and privacy considerations, and a lack of standards.
Research limitations/implications
The paper was constrained by empirical evidence of, for example, technology deployment, adoption drivers, and success factors.
Practical implications
The paper confirms the power of RFID – a technology in its infancy with as yet untapped potential for supply chain collaboration. It also examines some of the popular RFID products and services.
Originality/value
The paper discusses implementation challenges, identifies adoption phases, and reviews RFID's success factors. It identifies the biggest implementation challenge as the challenge for IT experts of determining how to integrate RFID with existing supply chain management (SCM), customer relationship management (CRM), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications.
Purpose
RFID mandates by large retailers and various government agencies made it a requirement for some large organizations to implement RFID technology, while other medium to small organizations are still evaluating the potential costs and benefits of such adoption. This paper examines whether empirical data support the hype on RFID.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was sent to Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) members at manufacturing firms, third party warehousing/logistics providers, wholesaler/distributors, and retail firms to determine whether they are implementing RFID technology and what challenges they are facing.
Findings
A high percentage of respondents are not currently considering RFID technology. Companies implementing or considering RFID plan to invest a significant amount of money into this technology over the next three years. But a number of concerns still exist and skepticism remains about the potential for RFID to deliver cost savings or a positive ROI in the near future.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited to a relatively small sample of WERC members. This study should be replicated in the future, once RFID technology adoption matures.
Practical implications
For RFID to be widely adopted there must be a better ROI either through cost reduction or improved business processes.
Original/value
RFID is not hype and is here to stay. Few companies in the study expected a positive ROI from RFID technology. Their experiences and opinions should be of interest to those researching or considering RFID adoption.
Purpose
– RFID has fundamental influences on today's retailing and supply chain management. This article seeks to formulate the opportunities and challenges of RFID adoption in China.
Design/methodology/approach
– Field interview and panel discussion were used to explore the opportunities and challenges of RFID adoption in China. An example of successful RFID deployment in China is presented.
Findings
– Although Chinese companies are exposed to several challenges in the adoption of RFID, there are numerous opportunities for RFID deployment. Challenges include China's standards, costs, business environment, business models, and untested market. The opportunities include China's huge market size, advances of several industries, a rapid increase in logistics demand, and China's role as a world‐class manufacturing center.
Originality/value
– This article represents a pioneer study of RFID adoption in China. Opportunities and challenges of RFID adoption in China were identified, which provide valuable guidance for RFID adoption for Chinese companies and foreign companies operating in China.
Purpose
The paper aims to propose a novel dynamic tracing task model to enhance the traceability range along the supply chain beyond simple distribution channels. It further extends the study by implementing the system architecture with the proposed data model to support the dynamic tracing task.
Design/methodology/approach
Typical processes of supply chain in manufacturing industries using bill of material data to extract and define information requirements are followed. The data elements are systematically selected and explained in the proposed model step by step.
Findings
This paper found that existing Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) data management scheme has to be modified so as to provide end‐to‐end traceability.
Research limitations/implications
Validation of the proposed model and system architecture should be done through actual implementation in industrial settings.
Practical implications
The paper gives an insight to many system managers and executors in how full traceability along the supply chain can actually be realized.
Originality/value
Several studies have discussed the traceability issues but failed to construct a system and methodologies to obtain the full traceability range. However, this paper contributes by presenting the specific methodological steps which can provide powerful solutions to build a system for traceability, exploiting RFID technology.