Forward ABC analysis with w3logistics
The most currently used articles should be those in the nearest storage place – that is the goal of the classical ABC analysis. Whether an article is often used or not is decided dynamically based on the article's movement in the historicised data, but there is an important disadvantage: The results are based on data of the past.
The software solution provider w3logistics is one step ahead. The Dortmund based specialists for logistics have adopted ABC-analysis using future data. This information can be found in systems for prognosis or maintenance planning. The challenge is that these data are not available in common warehouse management systems, where orders are known only a short time in advance.
The solution is a comprehensive data mining, combining data from different data bases and further information, such as log files. w3logistics experienced similar challenges analysing performance data: Data about picks, availability of conveyor systems and staff had to be aggregated,
Thomas Ronzon, project manager at w3logistics, developped the concept acording to clients' requests: "To give an example: When producing a new model, we optimize the supplying warehouse for the new product, not the previous one! The savings are enormous, since a forward planning of put-away enables our client to exploit ressources ideally."