Support chaotic warehousing with software
If this is the case, all warehouse movements can be saved via the warehouse software and made available as information. The employees call up the information or feed it into the warehouse management system with their mobile scanners while the warehouse is moving. In this way, all those affected are always informed in real time about which article is in which storage location.
The information on which storage space is currently free and can be re-allocated can also be called up from the IT system using the storage software. Various programs even use the information available to them to suggest the optimal storage location to the warehouse employee.
A warehouse management system also helps with inventory
According to whicheverhealth, one advantage of inventory management using warehousing software is the permanent inventory of the stocks. All entries and exits are transmitted to the responsible departments in real time. Purchasing can react quickly if a certain stock level falls below the minimum quantity . In connection with a merchandise management system , reordering of goods or raw materials is often fully automated.
Implementation in practice
When putting it into practice, there are three essential factors to consider.
These three factors are
- Localization
- Optimization
- Identification
| Factor | Description |
| Localization | Implementation in practice is only possible if you have a computer-aided warehouse management system at your disposal. With this system you define an occupancy list. The storage locations are then automatically recorded. The system assigns a storage location for each new item. To do this, however, you have to define a coordinate system for the storage locations beforehand. In order to also use the shelves evenly and to load them evenly, it is advisable to also provide standardized storage locations. |
| Optimization | In order to also use the shelves evenly and to load them evenly, it is advisable to also provide standardized storage locations. You can achieve this with homogeneous storage zones as well as the same dimensions and permissible weights of your articles. This principle is generally used, especially in central distribution centers. |
| Identification | At the so-called identification point, or I point for short, you need automatic identification of the article. With this you can avoid media breaks. This is possible through the use of barcodes or RFID transpoders on the pallets. The use of PDAs or scanners that are WLAN supported is also a good option. |
Example Amazon
Among the online mail order companies, Amazon is considered the giant par excellence. On peak days, up to millions of items are sold every day in Germany alone. And that with chaotic warehousing. But how can that even work with several million products in the range? At Amazon, all delivered products are sent to receive, i.e. to receive. Here Amazon scans every single item and a high-performance computer remembers every single barcode. Then the so-called Stower, i.e. the loader, sort the goods in the form of chaotic storage. The scanner is therefore the most important instrument in the Amazon warehouse.
After an order is placed, the goods are put together using a computer. Then, for example, when ordering multiple items, one employee summarizes all the goods and then scans them again. In a box it then goes on to the shipping direction. It is hard to believe that the order is packed there by hand and is sent to the customer. Manual packaging is necessary because not all products are created equal. They have different sizes and lengths and therefore automatic packing is not possible.
Chaotic warehousing also has its limits
Dynamic warehousing also reaches its limits in terms of flexibility. For example, heavy pallets cannot be stored on a high rack. Dangerous goods require a special storage location. And goods with a high turnover rate must be kept in easily accessible storage locations.
Mixed forms between chaotic and static warehousing
In these cases, a combination of chaotic and static warehousing is recommended: high-turnover goods are flexibly stored in all those storage locations that are currently available and easily accessible. Heavy pallets only in free spaces that are not on a high rack.
Conclusion
Chaotic warehousing is the system of choice for companies that do not only have to access the smallest stocks. With this storage system, you can make optimal use of the expensive storage space and respond flexibly to changes in inventory.
If the flexibility in the choice of storage location is limited by legal requirements or organizational circumstances, a hybrid form between static and dynamic storage is recommended:
The random assignment of the goods to free storage locations is restricted by framework specifications. This ensures that the goods are always stored in accordance with the law and their properties. A hybrid form between dynamic and fixed-place storage can also ensure that frequently required items can be accessed without difficulty.
Software support is essential in order to maintain an overview of the inventory, the free storage spaces and the goods locations in a chaotic warehouse management system.
In connection with a merchandise management system, ordering processes can be initiated fully automatically if the minimum stock of a product is not reached. A permanent inventory is also carried out by adjusting the inventory data in real time.
Dynamic warehousing offers numerous advantages over static warehousing. It gets by with lean processes and causes lower costs. In order for chaotic warehousing to be implemented, however, absolutely reliable inventory management must be ensured.
