A Configurator System for Warehouse Storage Distribution

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1 A Configurator System for Warehouse Storage Distribution Maria Elejoste Juan Manuel Besga Jose Angel Lakunza IKERLAN Technological Research Centre Mass Customisation Research Team / Design and Production Processes Business Unit. Pº J.M. Arizmendiarrieta, 2, Arrasate-Mondragón. Gipuzkoa. Spain Abstract When Mecalux faces the task of improving the warehouse or creating a new one for a customer, must to give a solution for the following aspects: The warehouse capacity in terms of pallet, basket, container, etc. (Rate of occupation) Its cost, either per unit to be stored or in total. The graphic design that different constraints on the premises might provide for (roofs, columns..). The quotation of the installation With these initial requirements, IKERLAN has developed a Warehouse Interactive Configurator System. This system has generated an increase in productivity between 5 and 10 times greater than the previous system used. Nowadays a simple quotation can be done in a few minutes, an a large one in just a couple of hours.. The application challenges the traditional use of CAD software for space planning and is developed to meet the specific needs of customers, distributors and consultants of the company. This system saves the designers time by allowing easy creation of layout drawings as well as automatic calculations, quotations, bills of material and drawings. This paper will present in more detail the proposed solution and the developed system. Keywords Configurators, Spatial Configuration, CAD systems, Offer generation

2 1. Introduction 1.1 The Company Mecalux is one of the world's leading companies in the warehousing system market. Its activity consists of designing, manufacturing, trading and providing services related to metal shelving, automated warehouses and other storage solutions. The Company's leadership is based on having the most advanced technology of the industry and a broad distribution network that is mainly developed in Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Mexico, USA, Poland, Austria and United Kingdom. 1.2 The Problem When the company faces the task of improving its warehouse or creating a new one, it repeatedly seeks offers that might help when making a definitive decision. Any information related to the following concepts will be important factors when choosing an offer and rejecting others: The warehouse capacity in terms of pallet, basket, container, etc. (Rate of occupation). Its cost, either per unit to be stored or in total. The graphic design that different constraints on the premises might provide for (roofs, columns ). The quotation of the installation. All these factors mean that numerous storage solutions are valid for the same warehouse and for the same type of goods, ranging from different types of shelving (products), to various possible modules/cupboards (higher or wider) and different positioning on the premises. All these possible solutions need to be studied and assessed by Mecalux when submitting a quotation to a customer. 2. Creating a customised solution for each customer The task of devising a quotation for each one of Mecalux s customers used to be carried out on a labour-intensive basis and involved two sub-tasks: Defining one or more standard modules/bays (the most appropriate or best one) for storing the customer s goods. This sub-task depends in turn on three sets of specifications :

3 The actual nature of the goods (sell-by date, rotation policy...) that have a bearing on the choice of one or other storage system; Physical definition (sizes, weight of the load). This will specify the material to be used in terms of stresses and lengths; Furthermore, regulations are to be complied with according to the target market/country: Europe has the FEM standards. These standards may limit both the components to be used as well as their size and any incompatibilities between them. Figure 1 : OneBay As mentioned above, there may be several different modules (different measurements and/or different materials) that are suitable for these goods. Once a decision has been reached regarding N standard modules, these have to be positioned on the premises according to various criteria: maximising the amount of goods to be stored, optimising ease of storage etc. All other restrictions have, of course, to be catered for: Physical ones (pillars, ceilings etc) Customer logistics: minimum passageway requirements, free area for manoeuvring forklift trucks This therefore leads to the submission of a single quotation to the customer, which in fact for Mecalux S.A involves the study and selection of M preliminary quotations: where M = N standard modules x P positioning options on the premises. If we add to this the large number of requests for quotations received from customers, it is clear that the preparation of quotations at Mecalux S.A was an extremely time-consuming business

4 Figure 2 : A bay distribution in a premise 3. The proposed solution With these initial objectives, together with other additional ones such as lists of materials and the drawing up of technical reports, etc., IKERLAN has developed a Warehouse Interactive Configurator System (called Estantin). This system has increased productivity by between 5 and 10 times over the previous system used. Nowadays, a simple quotation can be prepared in a few minutes, and a large one in just a couple of hours. The Estantin system is an engineering configurator that combines 2 types of configurations: Product configuration, whereby standard modules/bays are designed on the basis of certain modular and parametric components (e.g. shelves of different sizes) and rules (regarding both Mecalux s own product and international regulations). In this sense, there is NO pre-determined product structure, but rather a skeleton module/bay structure: a module/bay consists of N levels, and each level may have a shelf or a hanger or a beam etc. In turn, a shelf may optionally have a drawer or a bin or a whole range of other accessories. It is a tree-shaped AND/OR very simple arrangement in which all the components are optional, yet there are complex rules that govern the use/compatibilities between these components. Estantin is an intelligent configurator that only requires 3 data to be specified: load (dimensions and weight), maximum height of the module/bay (limited by the roofs or indicated by the user) and applicable regulations. It is then capable of automatically creating several optimum standard modules/bays (those most efficient for holding the goods stored in that module/bay).

5 Naturally enough, the designer can then add, eliminate or modify the components that have been created automatically for these standard modules. Spatial configuration: various arrangements are then created for the customer and whose end structure CANNOT be predetermined. As in the prior case, there is a skeleton data structure that underpins the sum of all possible quotations. This skeleton structure will gradually be filled in as the bays are positioned inside the warehouse. The rules and restrictions governing the spatial configuration will be those dictated by physical limitations involving ceilings, pillars, etc. and by customer logistics (passageways...). Furthermore, Estantin enables the designer to undertake this spatial configuration in two steps: an automatic one and a manual one. The calculation of the quotation is based on a criterion chosen by the user: to maximise warehouse capacity or make access easier to the goods. With this criterion, the system is capable of creating N simulations for each standard module circumventing all obstacles in the warehouse and fulfilling logistics requirements in terms of passageway areas,etc. The designer may subsequently (if so desired) alter this automatic arrangement, moving modules around, eliminating them or adding new elements, etc. until a definitive quotation is reached. The system developed by Ikerlan S. Coop has user-controlled configuration, in which interaction and visualisation are essential. Estantin challenges the traditional use of CAD software for space planning and is developed to meet the specific needs of customers, distributors and consultants within the materials handling industry. This system saves designer time by allowing easy creation of layout drawings, as well as automatic calculations, quotations, lists of materials and drawings. This paper will present the proposed solution and the developed system in more detail. 4. The system Estantin is a program for configuring and optimizing warehouse capacity and generating customer quotations. A quotation consists of 3 documents: 1. The layout plan providing the detailed spatial arrangement of the modules/bays

6 2. An itemisation of materials and their cost Figure 3 : Layout Plan and drawings Figure 4 : Bill of Material and quotation

3. Technical documentation on the proposed installation Figure 5 : Generation of Documentations The Estantin system is a visual and interactive configurator for layout quotations.

7 3. Technical documentation on the proposed installation Figure 5 : Generation of Documentations The Estantin system is a visual and interactive configurator for layout quotations. A quotation consists of the following steps: Firstly, by entering simple information, such as premises dimensions (walls, windows, doors and ceilings). This software also helps the user to integrate pillars, borders, air conditioning conduits, girders and any other construction obstacles, including free areas, sub-areas for goods loading/unloading, changing rooms, etc. All these elements are defined in an interactive way. Secondly, by defining all customer restrictions: pallet dimensions and weight, forklift type and the regulations to be applied in the customer s country (e.g. FEM in Europe). With these data, the designer should define different basic storage patterns (how many levels, for two or three pallets in the pattern), what is referred to as Pattern Bays. The system helps the designer in two ways: by avoiding impossible scenarios, e.g. elements that are too tall (depending on ceiling heights) and controlling product restrictions (one element is incompatible with another one). and secondly, by calculating the more suitable standard module, (with the more appropriate frame and beam depending on regulations). The system

calculates the MINIMUM material required for storing the goods in question. The user may alter the standard module configuration the system has calculated automatically by changing materials.

8 calculates the MINIMUM material required for storing the goods in question. The user may alter the standard module configuration the system has calculated automatically by changing materials. Under no circumstances can materials be used that do not withstand the weight specified or which are in breach of whatsoever regulations (customer, Mecalux product or standards). Accessories may also be added to the module. The system is self-guiding, as it informs the user of problems, the reason why a certain element cannot be used and that if a certain accessory is used this will rule out the possibility of using another one. A display is logically provided of the present appearance of the standard model being designed. Figure 6 : Data Definition and preview Once the standard model has been clearly defined, the program calculates the ideal layout distribution. Estantin optimises premises space (making the most of the space available at a very competitive price per pallet position), or optimises the ease of storing pallets. The system generates top and side graphic views of several arrangements, indicating the number of stored pallets per configuration. The next step (which is optional) involves edition, or modifications by the user of the arrangement generated automatically. The user interacts graphically with the elements placed within the warehouse, by clicking on them with the mouse. The user may modify the geometric configuration calculated automatically, eliminating modules, changing them around...

9 Likewise, the user can alter the configuration of the items (modules) generated, e.g., changing the material in one specific module out of the M generated automatically, remove a level, insert a more resistant beam... Manual addition is made of all optional accessories, e.g. guards on the beams in forklift truck transit areas, etc. In all these editing or fine-tuning operations, the system ensures warehouse feasibility, both spatially, e.g. no free areas are taken up and the maximum height is not exceeded; and in terms of product (compliance is ensured with product and customer restrictions, as well as with standards), as the system does NOT allow forbidden operations to be performed. Furthermore, the system informs the user of the consequences of each action carried out, of possible incompatibilities and why certain operations may not be performed. Once the warehouse layout is deemed to be valid, following the necessary adjustments in Edition, the next stage involves generating the three documents that are submitted to the customer: the system generates drawings (including 3D displays) and the distribution layout of the modules in the warehouse. This layout sheet may be exported to such standard formats as DXF. Regarding materials, Estantin generates a materials list up to a level of preconfigured standard elements (regardless of the target market) and links up with a second program (Valuation) that itemises these articles in a comprehensive list of materials for assembly, together with the definitive financial quotation. This financial quotation is generated in digital format (Excel) and/or on paper. This is carried out in two steps in order to distinguish between the installation s design and its actual assembly on the customer s premises. Accordingly, and depending where the installation is to be assembled, the Valuation program will generate one set of items or another. For example, there are components that are bolted together in the European market, but which in the United States are welded together as a single piece. Estantin also generates communication data with a third program that is responsible for generating the technical reports (in WinWord or PDF) that are submitted to the customer. Likewise, Estantin is customised for the direct generation of documents, as these depend on each language, country or region involved. Finally all these documents (drawings, financial quotation and documentation) are sent via to the distributor or customer registered in Estantin.

10 The quotations the system generates are recorded in a database for their subsequent management and consultation. 5. Advantages of the system The implementation of Estantin has benefited Mecalux in several major areas: For the company itself: firstly, it streamlined the swift generation of customer quotations, leading to major savings in both time and money at this stage, reducing it from days to hours. This also redounded to the customer s advantage as Mecalux offered a much shorter response time, thereby forging closer ties with customers. In addition, Estantin ensures greater coherence in the quotation submitted (guaranteeing compliance with in-house and international standards) as well as the independence of the design tendered with regard to price and documentation, which do depend on where the installation is assembled and when (due to fluctuations in the price of the material, mainly steel). It has also led to the centralising of a single system for the generation of the entire quotation (layout, list of materials-valuation and technical documentation), thereby avoiding overlaps in data and losses of information when several departments were involved (designers + deliveries + secretary s office). For its sales reps: thanks to Estantin and its Tablet PC environment, they can design the arrangement and its features directly at the customer s premises and issue quotations there and then, without the need to interact with the technical and engineering departments, as was the case before. For its designers and distributors: The automatic calculation of both the standard modules and of their distribution on the premises involves an 80% reduction in the time dedicated by designers to the preparation of quotations, whereby they focus their work on the correct design of the standard module and on the edition of the definitive distribution. 6. System environment This system is operative in 6 languages, for 18 Mecalux products working in millimetreskilograms as well as in inches-pounds. It is operative for Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP and Tablet PCs (with speech recognition), and also in the Citrix environment for internet access for distributors. The system currently has 300 users throughout the length and breadth of 3 continents. It is available in all the technical and sales departments at Mecalux S.A. delegations, as well as at its dealers offices. Estantin is equipped with a special security system that ensures it can only be run on those PCs that have been authorised by the company (this avoids pirate copies of the system). Likewise, it is equipped with expiry policies and user profiles, whereby the system has several levels of use: from beginner users who have restricted access to certain products and services,

11 through to advanced user profiles with special authorisation to define new materials within the system, including sales profiles that automatically sequence the whole quotation process. 7. Work in progress There are currently two main lines of work in progress: The use of new interaction techniques in order to provide a more user-friendly system. The improvement of the display system, seeking a realistic 3D solution. 8. Conclusions Estantin is a high-level interactive graphic configurator, with Lego style product configuration (simple components, whether they are modular and/or parametric with complex rules governing component relations), and it is also a system of spatial configuration or distribution. Estantin combines both physical (geometrical) limitations as well as those specific to the product (either in-house at Mecalux or externally from standards as per each country). The system s major potential, compared to CAD systems or graphic configurators, is its vast capacity for automatic calculation abiding by all the aforementioned restrictions, whereby this calculation simplifies the work involved in preparing the quotation. In short, Estantin is the major corporate design tool provided by Mecalux. S.A.

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