m-Trilogix WMS ™ Solution for Warehousing Management System (WMS) and Distribution

This White Paper overview summarizes the main concepts in building a RF enabled WMS solution using our framework product.

Table of Contents:

Mobile Field Force Automation
Typical WorkFlow
      Production Release
      Component Flow Control
      Work-in-Process Tracking
      Pick, Pack, Ship
      Receiving
      Flexible support for diverse plant, warehousing, and shipping operations.
Key Modules and Functionality
Overview of Technical Functionality

m-trilogix:
Mobile Field Force Automation

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m-trilogix is a 12 year-old firm based in Toronto Canada. m-trilogix offers software solutions for the mobile work force, arming field personnel with the tools to compete in today’s business environment. Our software provides reciprocal data transfer directly to the host server via the Internet, PDA devices, and WAP phones.

m-Trilogix WMS ™ Solution for Warehousing Management System (WMS) and Distribution This is a short white paper to help further explain our WMS system. This wireless RF based system is designed with an open architecture that provides an interface into legacy systems, is hardware independent and scalable to allow for a phased application implementation. It is 802.11 compliant and runs on TCP/IP and is compatible with data packet networks that support packet switching, cell switching and W-WAN, W-MAN and W-LAN. Our application is a framework which we customize to meet specific client needs.

A scaled down overview of our system is as follows:

Our central server which can be a SQL server or a Java2EE compliant server (depending on the clients legacy systems) maintains and runs our WMS system connecting to our remote servers (one server per location). Our server communicates with Hand Held devices via an Access point (one AP per location), which is plugged into the LAN or WAN of our client. There is a switch or bridge on the Ethernet platform which routes data packets to our server. Each device has a specific device ID and IP address. At each remote location we will have hand held devices communicating with Access Points and a LAN or WAN Hub or Switch (depending on the number of users and data volume).

Typical WorkFlow
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Production Release
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m-Trilogix WMS immediately creates paperless work orders and bills of material for configured and make-to-order products. These are immediately visible in the seller's SCM or ERP system. Bills of material go directly to RF or wireless devices, via m-Trilogix WMS Order Manager, for allocation and picking.

m-Trilogix WMS Warehouse Manager captures material issues with fast, accurate bar code scanning technology and m-Trilogix WMS Bar Code Middleware. RF and wireless devices record individual picks, or transfer materials all at once through a single kanban or license plate scan. m-Trilogix WMS records lot and serial number details automatically, and links components to parent items for quality control as as-built tracking. It also updates inventories in the seller's SCM or ERP system.

m-Trilogix WMS Time Manager and Factory Manager capture production details through every manufacturing step, including labor and machine times. With fast and reliable m-Trilogix WMS Bar Code Middleware, production status is immediately visible within the seller's SCM or ERP system, and to buyers over secure Internet connections.

m-Trilogix WMS Warehouse Manager captures and stages picks for shipment using m-Trilogix WMS Bar Code Middleware, RF, and wireless devices. Then, m-Trilogix WMS Shipping Manager prepares shipping documents and customer-compliant 1D or 2D bar code labels, and forwards electronic advance shipment notices (ASNs) to the buyer over the Internet. Shipment details go straight to the seller's SCM or ERP system for immediate billing.

At the buyer's receiving dock, m-Trilogix WMS Materials Manager scans and verifies arriving shipments using the electronic ASN, and forwards them to the buyer's SCM or ERP system for invoice three-way match.

m-Trilogix WMS supports numerous business transactions that span the entire breadth of production, warehousing, and shipping operations. You can implement m-Trilogix WMS solutions separately within individual departments, or configure them to handle cross-departmental workflows, with minimal end-user training.

Route Assignments, Pre-Trip Tractor Inspection, Trailer Assignment and Trailer Inspection are all activities which take place at the start of the day and involve a significant amount of paperwork, labor and time. Operational reviews have shown that the time it takes for the driver to perform his first tasks of the day and actually leave the distribution center can take as long as 45 minutes — an opportunity for productivity improvement.

By implementing a Transportation Management System, the host computer could wirelessly download route assignments, pre-trip inspection forms and trailer assignments in a matter of seconds to the Portable Pen Computer. By eliminating many of the manual tasks and paperwork associated with the work assignment procedures, trucks can now leave the distribution facility in as little as 15 minutes. That is a productivity savings of up to 30 minutes per truck/per driver/per day just in the "Start of day process". This application, which is fully automated and paperless, will also reduce the amount of clerical support required.

These applications have been proven to save tremendous amounts of time by eliminating inefficient bottlenecks in today's operations. During the store unloading operation, the driver is becoming much more efficient as the store personnel are on alert as soon as he arrives. The driver has no need to call dispatch to check-in or get route assignment updates since the wireless mobile computer system in the truck is in continuous communications with the host system to receive and transmit updates. At the end of the delivery process, store personnel sign for the merchandise on the signature capture screen of the portable terminal, which is time stamped for time accounting functions.

When the truck, which is equipped with a wireless LAN 2.4Ghz capability, returns to the distribution center at the end of the day, it automatically senses that it is within range of the on-site system and downloads OBC trip record information seamlessly into the database. Historically, this process has been very slow and cumbersome with the proprietary discrete systems which have been on the market.

Our WMS system gives our clients the potential to realize dramatic productivity increases in addition to reducing cost and improving operational control. These systems will provide competitive advantage to progressive companies that implement it as part of their overall supply chain management strategy

Key Modules and Functionality
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Key modules that most our clients will use in the automation of their Warehousing operations;

Overview of Technical Functionality
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In general our architecture contains the following technical modules as a framework which are customized for specific client needs:

Client or Handheld Device:

• Client side code and client side database (small run time memory neutral)

• Client code can store downloaded information and off line data changes.

• Anytime a client changes the information locally, we can, once the client syncs his data with the server, upload the information to the database and update the database information.

• Client code is delivered to each end user as code probably on a CDRom and installed

• Client code will handle synchronization and connection to the server

• Client code will run on 13 GB Laptops with 256 MB RAM, Compaq or IBM or on PDA’s and Hand helds

• Hand helds connect to the LAN or WAN via Access Points

GUI Interface running of the central server provides reporting and workflow insight:

1. Job scheduling reports; by product; by hub; by driver etc.

2. Call report by route and driver

3. See call details by Product family

4. Delivery details by route, by product by driver etc.

Connection:

• 802.3 and 802.11 based, TCP/IP, Ethernet based, can support W-LAN or W-WAN

• Push and pull protocol to deliver packet streams over the network

• ODBC to connect database calls with clients should be used

• Our server has 4 modules; Transactional, Operational, Synchronization, and Failover.

• Our server will to the clients via a Stubs-Skeleton communication protocol

• Server Skeletons will manage on line sessions with the client once the client is connected

• A framework of code, algorithms etc. that provide a template of Data modeling, Data capture, Data aggregation, and Data manipulation

• Reports are generated from templated schema that the client can download and store locally but can also reside on the server

• Security levels will be Application (Authorization and Authentication), Session (per user, timed) and SSL based

• Server will run and connect to 802 Compliant LAN or WAN

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