Warehouse Management System for Vertical Lift

Modula WMS (Warehouse Management System) is a complete inventory management software ideal for all Modula automated warehouse systems, such as vertical lift systems, vertical carousels and horizontal carousels as well as with traditional storage methods, such as shelving or racking.

The WMS, warehouse management system, can manage your warehouse in real time via a simple and intuitive, user-friendly PC interface. All you need is a PC as a server and a certain number of clients depending on your needs. All this means that a full multi-user system is within easy reach.

ADVANTAGES OF USING MODULA WMS SOFTWARE

OPTIMISATION

Static or dynamic management of locations without any inventory or warehouse redundancy.

ERP INTEGRATION

Easy integration with any ERP (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, etc.), MRP or other company applications, providing precise and continuous exchange of information between these systems and Modula WMS software.

SAVES TIME

Traceability of materials and guided loading and unloading allow rapid order dispatch.

CONFIGURABILITY

The Modula WMS system can be customised and adapted to current management flows without impacting the company’s organisation.

CONTROL AND EFFICIENCY

Maximum control over processes via automation of repetitive procedures, movement and route rationalisation, elimination of errors and less paperwork

SIMPLE TO USE

Operating procedures have been designed to guarantee immediate and easy use, even by non-specialist personnel.

PACKAGES

Modula WMS Base is considered our entry-level package and comes bundled with a Modula product.
With this package you can manage a maximum of 3 PCs of which 1 is the server.

This package supports:
• Item register management
• Warehouse locations management via a graphical tool
• Movements management through picking/refilling orders
• Movements management through immediate requests
• User management with three hierarchical access levels
• Management of physical warehouse inventories
• Manual data import/export to/from the client’s ERP via exchange of fixed-format ASCII files
• Advanced security management which limits access to item codes and trays based on which role the user has been assigned.

Modula WMS Premium is the most complete package for warehouse management. It provides all the functionalities of the BASE package, plus many others.

• Automatic item-compartment allocation and dynamic location management
• Batch management
• Full management with custom tracking of automatic import/export in ASCII, ODBC, Excel and XML file formats
• Material status management
• Pack type management
• Expiry date management
• Advanced user management via configuration of authorised procedures for each individual user
• Materials management by FIFO (First In First Out) or by sub-code priority (e.g. picking can give priority to the lowest and therefore oldest batch code)
• Justification management for immediate requests

ADVANCED PICKING

This module provides functionality which improves picking and refilling.

• Packing list management
• Assembly kit management
• Shipping location management
• Automatic creation of storage compartments during refilling phases
• Serial number management (management of multiple serial numbers for the same item associated with an individual compartment)

The advanced picking module is ideal for the management of locations, picking carts and Put-to-Light.

ADVANCED ITEM MANAGEMENT

This module extends item management functionality:

• Management of pre-defined orders that can be replicated as required
• Image to item association
• Grouping of items into families to define common characteristics
• Grouping of items into categories to facilitate searching and browsing
• Extended fields for item management, orders and order lines via additional attributes
• Handling of alternative item codes
• Picking of loan materia

MANUAL WAREHOUSE

This module allows the management of manual areas by software with the following functionalities:

• Management of manual warehouses using an intuitive graphical tool
• Management of picking activities in manual areas
• Management of material splitting between different areas on the basis of the quantities handled
• Management of material reintegration between areas on the basis of user-definable minimum stock levels for different area
• Entry area management

RADIO FREQUENCY TERMINALS

This module extends manual warehouse management capabilities through the use of Windows CE radio frequency terminals for all warehouse operations.
Modula does not supply terminals but recommends Motorola, Intermec or Denso.

IDOC: SAP PROTOCOL

This is a protocol which allows data exchange between SAP WMS and Modula WMS (ASCII format) via IDOC assuming that SAP contains the WM module.
Modula WMS must be seen by SAP as a black box to which requests and the results of requests are sent via IDOC.

Modula Driver allows high-level warehouse management via movement orders (pick, refill or inventory).

These orders are typically sent via an intermediate database or text file: in practice, these are lists of trays to be moved and their associated picking data.

Modula Driver does not manage item registries, stock and item storage locations (compartments), as these are delegated to the company ERP, but it ensures that the host system knows the precise location of the items to picked or refilled.

For each operation, the host sends the information about the tray to be moved, and the Driver module simply transfers the data.

When the Driver module receives a request from the ERP, the operator can view the orders that have arrived on the Modula console and decide which to execute.

On the Modula console’s picking page, the operator can view the data relating to each operation, and these must be confirmed when they are complete. If the required quantity has changed or the quantity found is insufficient, the operator can only change the confirmed quantity.

Once the order is complete, Modula Driver can send the result of the movement to the ERP, which resumes control and proceeds with its own workflow.

This system can manage:
• Order preparation locations (including any additional Put-To-Light option)
• Warehouse logs/statistics

Modula Link is a software tool that allows an external Host System to have low-level control of a group of LIFT OS machines using a set of commands which are communicated over a TCP/IP sockets channel.

Modula Link acts as the communications server: it opens a TCP port (configurable) and waits to receive commands; when it receives a valid command from the external Host System, it processes it and responds.

Modula Link can be configured to handle commands from a single client (Mono-Client Communication) or from several clients (Multi-Client Communication).

When the Host System needs to call a tray, it uses the appropriate command. The moment the tray is ready in the bay, Modula informs the ERP, which proceeds with the operation and, on completion sends a command to return the tray to its location.

Modula receives only the tray call request. The console shows the tray is ready, but does not inform the operator; it is the job of the ERP to inform the operator of the activities to carry out and asks for confirmation of the action.

Typically the picking tool used is an RF terminal, an external PC being less common. With precise, real-time control of the warehouse, an ERP system can be equipped with a series of advanced logistics functions.

Modula Cloud is the portal that Modula offers its clients to allow them to view and report on all information relating to warehouse activities. Including:
• system registry data
• warehouse status
• consumption
• occupation (weight – volume – surfaces)
• tasks
• maintenance
• opening assistance ticket
• trays
• machine log and much more.

The platform lets you connect the Modula vertical warehouses managed by Modula WMS software to the Modula Cloud portal. Modula WMS collects and processes the information and activities from the warehouses, then transfers them to the Modula Cloud, which allows them to be viewed on an internet site that is accessed via personal authentication.

Modula Cloud means:

SAFETY
Developed entirely with Microsoft technology, it is hosted on the Azure platform which guarantees the highest levels of security. It uses the latest encryption systems for authentication and data exchange between WMS and Cloud.

SUPERVISION AND CONTROL
It will be possible to know if the VLMs are in operation or in alarm, how saturated they are in terms of volume, weight and surface area, how many cycles have been made and how many orders have been processed, the alarm history, energy consumption and other relevant data.

PREVENTIVE AND INTELLIGENT MAINTENANCE
Real-time monitoring, of any malfunctions, allows immediate interventions, and statistical analysis of the data facilitates the generation of predictive maintenance algorithms. No more unexpected shutdowns, fewer unnecessary and expensive activities, more process control.

DIRECT LINE WITH CUSTOMER CARE
With Modula Cloud, accessing the VLM remotely makes it easy to understand problems and solve them quickly. Statistically 80% of downtime can be solved in this way without on-site interventions.