“Baby marine Group Enters RTC market with dailyfish.in”
The headline in the advertisements has brought us a new challenge for providing the warehouse management system for the newest venture of the prime export group baby marine. Since we have associated with them in providing successful barcode solutions for their export ventures, they never had to think twice before contacting us for their retail venture. Since Stallion is Focused in providing latest solutions including Barcode, RFID and have a successful customer satisfaction index in warehouse management system, with confidence we accepted the new challenge
The new way to keep the Production Stable
When we were invited for the discussion on the newest requirement, the Confidence which led our mind was the Successive implementation of Barcode based Warehouse Management System in many Ventures. But this project had enough twists and turns to give us a fresh and challenging experience. So we were indeed forced to search for newest technologies and to implement Updated architecture to cope up with the requirements their production plan demands. And After implementation, with Confidence now users accept the system has helped us in improving their actual production speed.
Challenges
Project scope demanded utilization of various technologies
The Foremost challenge we found in this Project was to Link various Technologies in different layers of the scope which their production plan demands. The challenged we faced in the scope was :
Integration with SAP ERP solution:Baby marine Group implemented SAP ERP solution, which they wanted us to Work together in a integrated and automated. The foremost requirement of the project was to provide the user no extra work to enter the production calculation manually to ERP system there by reducing the manpower and increasing the production speed. So we had to think about automated Stock entry to ERP systems.
Baby marine Demanded a Centralized Software solution as their WMS system.:In our earlier Solutions, we used Local DB systems, which monitored only the location currently working on. But The Newest scope was to provide a single centralized DB to Monitor the Production of all locations at any place any time. systems.
Baby marine Demanded a Centralized Software solution as their WMS system.:In our earlier Solutions, we used Local DB systems, which monitored only the location currently working on. But The Newest scope was to provide a single centralized DB to Monitor the Production of all locations at any place any time. systems.
Using Desktop Systems and Barcode Printed Labels in a -21 degree Celsius Frozen environment:It was important to Provide a solution which would avoid Use of Computers in Frozen environments, as it will damage the hardware as well as user cannot stay in such an environment for more. Also ordinary labels are prone to damage in such an environment. systems.
Solutions Highlighting Key areas of Production
Based on all the above mentioned Milestones Set by the Scope, We had developed an architecture which was a incorporation of various available technologies which suited for the scope of the project as well as the Production environment. Our Software solution developed were based on three working platforms.
Since the Proposed working environment was basically Microsoft systems, We used Visual Basic. NET for developing our windows application which helped us in easy application development as well as integration with External components like Printer etc.
We designed a Web application for the User to access from anywhere anytime for integration with SAP such as pushing the Stock, Dispatch Download etc. Also Administrative users can view the Production in any plant any time from anywhere.
By The use of MYSQL, we had Provided a much inexpensive yet Most secured, highly scalable and best Performance Database System which ensured Performance and Speed of Entire System.
Solution to Challenges
Since we were given the challenges mentioned above, we were in search of suitable work overs to overcome all possible errors. Since we are bound to provide latest and cutting edge solutions we found these solutions which overrode the mentioned problems.
We worked cooperatively with the SAP solution Provider. They provided us the Different BAPI's (Business Application Programming Interface) which we accessed using Different web services which in result allowed smooth data flow to and fro.
By using MYSQL DB we Provided a single centralized Db which helped us to provide Reports to user any where anytime through our web application as well as smooth DB management.
We have implemented Handheld devices for Storage and Despatch Process which allowed us to remove use of Desktop systems at frozen environment. Also we have used special labels(AVERY FASSON FASPRINT NG/PERMANENT (AD-41) ) to prevent damage of barcodes.
Technical Document
Architecture was a perfect blend of various technologies
Software/Hardware Specification
Windows CE application
Web Application
Database
External PDA device and Printer
The Results ? Notable Hike in Production speed A path to the future
We proved flexible and sensitive in working to Warehouse management System and development paradigms and overcoming inherent staffing challenges required for SAP Inputs and also Provided a Promising Software solution in Managing a centralized System with More than 3 production plants and 5 Delivery Hubs with smooth Production and Delivery flow, that can be monitored from any where at any time. By implementing our system, we ensured smooth production with minimal user requirement, offering the end users ease of usage which increased usability.
We ensured the requirement of database management limited by using the centralized architecture which in-fact reduced manpower for the same.
Our sensitive approach to collaboration enabled Baby Marine to enhance its intellectual property while simultaneously maintaining overall project control. With all development objectives met on time, Baby marine continue to benefit from easy and affordable security and compliance
Limitations Internet connectivity was essential
Since internet being the core of all daily activities in modern world, our system also demand constant internet connectivity without fail. when the system which was based in MYSQL was proposed, we were given full support from the client side ensuring internet connectivity in all their plants as well as delivery hubs. all deployement environments were equipped with connectivity with atleast 4 mbps bandwidth which ensired smooth flow of our process
For the use of an internet based Application, client had to afford some financial burden of securing the server environment with latest firewall systems for improved safety and security.
Final Verdict
“We are very satisfied and happy to have found Stallion as our software vendor. During our relationship, Stallion has developed a good understanding of our own vision and work flows and found a way to successfully complement our operations without causing any discontinuities or issues on our side.”
Nidhin Augustine Asst. Manager - Production Plan Dailyfish Conclusion
Since the starting of development of the application, we have been put into various technological challenges which we had to over come to provide a cutting edge yet latest and high performance system for smooth operation which we had succeeded. We had been given full support from the management and end user side from the client as well as we are very thankful for the intellectual help we received from the SAP solution providers of the client.