Warehouse Management : Automation and Organisation of Warehouse and Order Picking Systems

Modern warehouse and distribution systems constitute highly complex nodes within the value-added supply chain and have to meet a variety of requirements with regard to time, costs and quality. The efficient operation of such systems is a continuous challenge for anyone in charge. Recent developments of advanced computer-based control technologies have contributed to development of the necessary control and management systems called Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). Nevertheless, due to the high complexity, users often find it hard to handle WMS. The design, choice and operation of a WMS requires extensive know-how and experience because of the large variety of solutions and system requirements. This book gives an overview of possible solutions which help readers to make the right choice. It presents the background and potential, but also the risks and strategies to handle them. It sets the basis for comparisons for all those readers who are responsible for the evaluation and specification of warehouse management systems. Furthermore, it is meant as basic support for students and interested beginners. This book is based on practical knowledge without neglecting the basic context or assuming special technical knowledge. Some basic processes and technologies that are required for a better understanding are described in detail. System-developers will find some new ideas when problems and limits of current developments are discussed. New approaches with regard to the structure and design of WMS are presented.

Readers can expect a simple and well-documented explantion of WMS based on the open-source initiative myWMS. The software can be operated on a common PC independent of the platform and without any obligatory user login data. Thus, the operation, function and benefits of a WMS can be visualized.

Prof. Dr. Michael ten Hompel was born in 1958. He studied Electrical Engineering focusing on technical informatics at the RWTH in Aachen and graduated as PhD from the University of Witten/Herdecke. He started his professional career as scientist at the chair of Transportation and Warehousing of the University of Dortmund and at the Fraunhofer-Institute for Transport Technology and Goods Distribution. From 1989 to 1991 he was director of the Dortmund branch of IGS GmbH & Co. KG in Aachen, a company developing computer systems and networks. In 1988 Prof. ten Hompel founded GamBit GmbH, a company developing software for production and logistics management, today one of Germany’s most successful companies in logistics. In 2000 he resigned from the board to become director of the Fraunhofer-Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (since 2005 managing director) where he is also head of the department "Material Flow Systems". He also holds the chair of Transportation and Warehousingat the University of Dortmund.

^{Dr. Thorsten Schmidt, M.S. holds degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Dortmund and industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He currently heads the department machinery and systems at the Fraunhofer-Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, focusing on the design and technology of in-house material flow systems.}