On Premise Solutions from iQlink

About On Premise

On premise mobile applications are generally associated with warehouse automation and bar code readers on RF enabled devices in particular.

iQlink extends these boundaries; within the warehouse and beyond it.

Warehouse automation includes bar coding, RFID tagging and voice picking systems integration with your ERP system. We call this concept "The Wireless Warehouse".

Closely associated with Wireless Warehouse is our ability to integrate weighscales with our customers' ERP systems, to ensure that production systems are updated as soon as a delivery is fulfilled by a supplier.

Fixed bar code readers on production lines can be connected to the MRP system and we can build real time status reports for engineering product lines on web browsers or 50 inch TV screens so that factory floor managers can see progress at a glance, and identify when there are delays and if any missing component is causing them. Similar displays can be located in the warehouse so that when the part arrives it can be rushed through the warehouse and onto the production line thereby reducing unnecessary delays. This application is used at Mercedes-Benz high-performance engines to help build the Formula One racing engines. A substantial amount of managerial time has been saved because the causes of delays are identified quickly and easily. At the output end of the production line, iQlink's mobile quality assurance application accelerates the physical quality inspection process and reduces errors and saves costs.

The legislative requirements for the pharmaceutical and tobacco industries require the products are uniquely identified untraceable. Our track and trace solution caters to these requirements. 
 
 

Wireless Warehouse

iQlink’s wireless warehouse is a bar-code inventory and warehouse management solution.   It doesn’t change your standard ERP applications and is fully functional, with customisable configuration opportunities.

By using a radio frequency (RF) LAN and hand held or mounted wireless terminals with graphical user interfaces and bar code readers, warehouse operatives can process transactions with more speed and fewer errors. Your ERP is updated as events take place in the warehouse and the operators performances do not slow down when the ERP server is very active or because a transaction is delayed, for example; a record is locked.

The benefits of wireless warehouse include:

• The ERP system is kept up to date with all stock movements and inventories.
• Accurate data capture and stock put away improves the quality of the data held in the ERP.
• The accuracy of put away and picking is improved.
• Out of stock positions become less frequent.
• Perpetual Inventory becomes standard practice.
• Paperwork is reduced significantly.
• Warehouse personnel become more productive.
• Orders are dispatched with fewer errors.

Wireless Warehouse is a multi-language application, which caters for any number of European and Arabic languages to appear on the hand held terminals' screens. In the case of Arabic the entire screen is designed to read from right to left. Bar code labels can also be printed with the language of choice. This multi-language facility enables international organisations to implement the wireless warehouse across a number of countries using the same template. 
 
 

Track and Trace

Track and trace enhances supply chain security by allowing the tracking of forward movement of goods through the supply chain and tracing backwards to establish where genuine products may have been diverted from normal distribution channels. In the event of the seizure of a track and trace product, the manufacturer will have the reporting capability that provides an overview of the supply chain history for that item as well as other additional and general item information including description, first intended customer name and manufacturing information.

Counterfeit medicines are a growing concern for public health. In partnership with legislators, law enforcement bodies and other supply chain partners, the pharmaceutical industry is combating counterfeit medicines through a variety of measures – one of which includes implementing mass serialization and product tracking.

Legislation sometimes requires unique serialization and submission of electronic records to supply chain partners and pharmaceutical manufacturers are adapting their IT Systems and business processes to ensure compliance. For example, the California e-pedigree law requires all sales units of prescription products to be uniquely serialized and electronic records to be submitted to supply chain partners.

iQlink in conjunction with its partner Movilitas has access to experienced know-how and resources for introducing track and trace solutions:

Quality Assurance

The mobile application for quality management helps customers to:

• Speed up the physical quality inspection process; the people running the inspection enter the material/equipment ID or the Inspection Lot, record the relevant measured values and any defects and a short text/description related to the inspection lot. The inspector’s name, inspection date and time etc can be identified automatically from the mobile phone.
• Avoid errors in the recording of quality relevant information because:
• Many entry fields are defaulted and therefore don't require any manual entry (e.g. inspector’s name, inspection time and date, inspection location etc.);
• The mobile application management is designed to minimise manual data entry. For example, defect categories can be selected from drop down boxes and information regarding materials, equipment or lots can be scanned via the inspector’s mobile phone camera or the barcode scanner of your PDA.
• The mobile app for quality management allows you to define any relevant field validations for measurement values recording.
• The requirement for text explanations is minimised by using a camera to record faults.
• Save the time it would take to enter the quality inspections results into the backend system. Quality Inspections results will be automatically sent from the mobile devices and can be downloaded in excel or integrated directly in your inventory backend system via Web Services.

The Mobile Application for Quality Management can be up and running in minutes and producing output onto Excel spreadsheets.  It can be fully configured to reflect your quality process without any programming skills, and it does not require any additional infrastructure, new mobile devices (because it runs on any mobile phone) or WiFi Infrastructure (because it works offline/online and can synchronize via GPRS). Additionally, if your mobile phone has an autofocus camera you can use its camera as a bar code scanner.

 

SAP Console

SAP Console is a presentation tool provided by SAP. In essence it sits at the same layer as SAP GUI and effectively does the same job, with the exception of how the screens are rendered for the user (console being text based).

SAP Console can be used to mobilize many areas of SAP, the most common being in the logistics execution area, especially in and around the warehouse. 'Out the box' SAP offers transactions compatible with console in ERP warehouse management, ERP Task and resource management and yard management. There is also some basic functionality available for production supply in both PP and PP-PI.

Many customers will look to use these console transactions out the box; whilst this is functional, it is not always the best option. iQlink’s consultants specialize in releasing the best from what is available from SAP in this area. In the simplest project, this may be enabling console for an existing WM managed warehouse right through to a grass roots implementation based around mobile processes and the efficiencies and quality they deliver. iQlink’s consultants are experienced in the configuration and bespoke ABAP development required to maximize the return on investment for a console implementation project.

Console has been used in many areas not covered by SAP's standard delivery, examples of this are in production controlling, inventory management and retail. Many customers have realised that making some of their process mobile, using SAP Console, will save time and reduce errors. Just because SAP does not offer a ready-made mobile solution for these areas does not mean they should not be mobilised.

Examples:

• Goods receipt into IM storage location
• PI within IM storage location
• Price and point of sale control (retail)
• Production conformation including scrap yield and time recordings
• Plant maintenance notification processing
• And many more…

iQlink is able to offer services in the surrounding areas to make a successful project:

• Console server setup and consulting
• Mobile hardware selection and supply
• SAP consulting
• SAP Configuration
• SAP development (Programs, outputs, interfaces)