Logistics, handling, stocktaking

Elision’s mission has always been the improvement of its clients’ production and logistics processes.

The adoption of the RFID technology has improved the efficiency of processes relating to logistics, handling and stocktaking

In fact, RFID technology is able to reduce shipping errors, ensure the fulfilment of orders, improve security and allow precise tracking of consumption of raw and semi-finished materials and finished products, as well as providing clear visibility of goods within the supply chain.

In the last few years we have witnessed the emergence of many technologies that start from different bases but all converge on a single aim: to improve production and distribution processes through real-time management of information, establishing immediate connection between demand and the activities needed to satisfy it, and eliminating low added-value activities from the flow of materials and information together with the (often unacceptably long) times needed to perform them.

These include, for example, identifying and recording goods entering and leaving warehouses and in production, searching for a location in the warehouse and materials in the plant, stocktaking, entering data in a computer or, even worse, correcting errors in the IT system.

The latest technologies share the common aim of improving two fundamental aspects of every process: the acquisition and communication of information, within the company or the logistics chain.

Elision has identified three groups of technologies able to transform a business into a “realtime company”: – automatic identification ( auto-id) to automate data acquisition – radiofrequency (wireless) communication for real-time exchange of information – exchange of information with partners and customers via the internet (c-commerce) Elision uses all these technologies and integrates them with the solution for the physical management of the handling of material in store, developed by combining technological know-how with in-depth expertise in the logistics and production processes of various industrial and distribution sectors.

The availability and spread of radiofrequency (RF) communication technologies from GPS/GPRS to IEEE 802.11.x opens out new perspectives for the improvement of production and logistics processes within the supply chain, thanks to the potential for real-time management of information inside and outside the company. Conventional barcode identification techniques and the new radio frequency automatic identification techniques (RFID), combined with the potentials of wireless communication, enable the speedy, relatively inexpensive construction of automatic or semi-automatic handling systems. The use of web-based information interchange technologies enables the creation of “collaborative systems”, which allow the various supply chain actors to exchange information in real time, using the Internet as infrastructure.

Elision has developed its system for the physical management of warehouse handling of goods using the latest technology to streamline the company’s logistics processes, incorporating them in an innovative integrated system which can itself be integrated in the IT system. One key aspect of the new technologies is the relatively low investment required to achieve significant cost reductions, which makes them affordable and applicable for Italian SMEs.

Elision’s solutions adopt state-of-the-art technologies for on-field management of logistics and production processes, by mobile workers or automated systems. The use of wireless industrial and vehicle notebooks equipped with tools for the automatic, secure identification of material allows goods to be tracked and managed at every step within the logistics and production chain. RFID enables the automated identification of goods entering and leaving the warehouse. With our warehouse management and materials handling solution, the physical mapping of the warehouse, the warehouse handling and load units, the rules for the handling of material and product traceability are defined in accordance with regulatory requirements or standard practice in the various industrial and distribution sectors.

Some examples of Elision applications:

• INBOUND LOGISTIC Identification of materials at inbound inspection point: materials are recognised to eliminate errors due to downstream manipulation of data. Swift, efficient management of rack warehouses: location of the racks for picking or placing and confirmation of mission completion directly from the field. Optimisation of warehouse space with dynamic management of content-rack pairing. Immediate detection of stockouts: low stock levels are detected in the field and the procurement manager is alerted at once. Electronic kanban with production and suppliers.
• PLANT LOGISTICS Call for materials directly from lines: better efficiency in production and material management; clear assignment of responsibilities to production and warehouse; less space occupation. Transfer of product from line: quick, secure placing through automatic identification; constantly updated inventory; labour no longer required to manipulate items and check data thanks to automatic identification techniques (barcode or RFID).
• OUTPUT LOGISTICS Generation of picking lists directly on picking operatives’ terminals. Picking of materials on the basis of expiry date and picking rules. Real-time management of loading lists during loading of vehicles. Traceability of logistics units shipped and by batch in accordance with industry directives.
• WIRELESS STOCKTAKING Real-time electronic stocktaking: guided procedure for management of periodic and running stocktaking; dramatic reduction in labour required for stocktaking and the times needed; elimination of errors with automatic identification of materials; and management of counting and entry of data into system in just one step.

Elision supplies its customers with complete, turnkey solutions: warehouse management and material handling solution – Development of wireless applications and integration of wireless processes into existing systems – C-commerce (collaboration with partners via the web) Process Consulting – Consulting on the implementation of production and logistics processes – Design and application of wireless processes – Trialling and prototypes on innovative technologies Automatic identification and wireless equipment – RFID and barcode readers/writers – Wireless and vehicle terminals, label and tag printers – Infrastructure for integration with automation and ITE systems.