In this Best Practice Series we discussed Setting Up a Warehouse RF Network.
Topic: Best Practices for Setting Up a Warehouse RF Network
Date: Thursday, July 30th, 2009
In this Webinar, our topics include Best Practices on:- The Importance of Warehouse Layout
- Rack Flexibility and Density
- Technology: Selecting What is Right for You
- Networking Considerations
- Spread Spectrum Technology
- Security
- RF Testing/Site Surveys
- “Gotchas” to Think About
A copy of the webinar presentation is available here:
Video,
PDF
If you'd like a copy of our Best Practices eBook, download it here:
Inventory & Warehouse Management Best Practices
Here are some of the questions and answers directly from the webinar. Feel free to contact the moderator or our sales team to answer any pre/post webinar questions.
Question & Answer Session:
Q: Hello & thank you for the invitation. Will there be a PDF or other download at the end of the program?
A: Yes. You may download the presentation or recorded video directly from the SmartTurn forum.
Q: Is the 108" - 120" the aisle width?
A: Yes. Sorry if I missed making that clear. Nine to ten feet is a good range, but of course it really depends on your unique situation.
Q: It might have been worth noting that Bluetooth headsets operate in 2.4 GHz and can add inference.
A: Good point. I’ll be sure to include a comment on our forum about this as this can certainly affect the quality of operations if Bluetooth devices are operating on the same frequency.
Q: It also would be worthwhile to say how support for VoIP over WLAN impacts 802.11 choices.
A: Another good point and another slide about this would have been beneficial. To add to your point if you choose to mix VoIP with WLAN you could run into trouble if you’re not familiar with the way they work And VoIP tends to work better when there is less interference ergo 802.11a and 802.11n are better choices.
Q: Will a recorded version of this webinar be made available?
A: Yes. You may download the presentation or recorded video as soon as we get it posted, and will be available in this thread.
Q: I may have missed this in the presentation...but given the 'pay for service' software model, how does one ensure uptime at a facility, in the event of network disruption.
A: I like your question. There has been a lot of debate comparing the SaaS model to on-premise client-server models. My response is simple... as long as you have an internet connection you have service, and if companies worry about their ISP’s downtime, my recommendation is to get a backup line “just in case”. In the on-premise model, when things go wrong, you spend a lot of resources trying to track down the issue -> is it the server (hardware/software), is it a power problem, the list goes on and on but with the SaaS model it is either (providing you have setup your network correctly) the internet connection or your software service provider (if it’s the software provider, who better to resolve the problem with a full IT staff to isolate the issue [and] at their expense). As far as actual uptime, SmartTurn runs at 99.99% which is the same, if not better than on-premise solutions.
Q: I did not see a picking process on the hand held - does SmartTurn support this?
A: Yes, we do. Call our sales team for a personalized demo. Just like the cycle count feature you saw during the demo, you can have flexible, customized pick policies for each customer if that is your goal. We offer standard policies like FIFO, LIFO, FEFO and LEFO and you can customize these if you’d like.
Q1: Do you recommend RFID based tags vs. barcode tags and what are the advantages and disadvantages. Do you support both?
Q2: Will RFID be a better solution then Barcodes
A: That depends on what you are trying to achieve. With RFID you have small tags placed on every item and can be expensive. Sure the cost of each tag may be small but if you move product in high volumes, it can be very expensive! Does your company require tracking ability of every piece or do you require the ability to track containers or pallets of some sort? Both RFID and barcodes have advantages and disadvantages. One being better than other, it’s a matter business requirements and process flows that would answer that question.
Q: What sorts of accounting capabilities or modules are available with SmartTurn?
A: SmartTurn is warehouse and inventory management solution with capabilities to integrate to accounting packages. In fact, we have many customers integrated to various accounting and ERP solutions today. Call our sales team to find out if we have already integrated to your specific accounting package. If you don’t have an accounting package and need one, we can assist you in choosing one and we have partners who offer these services as well.
Q: How does SmartTurn integrate with MS Dynamics AX? How does it interface with an existing ERP or invoicing/financial system?
A: SmartTurn has many options for integration including ERP, CRM and OMS with our WMS. In fact, I think you will find our integration partners to be very cost effective when compared to your traditional integration services.
Q: What is the typically expected response time in a well positioned network?
A: A good question as everyone wants low latency to improve their operation. Let’s say that you have the right amount of access points, are placed in the right locations, have a high speed internet connection over a WLAN and are using 802.11g. The expected response time for functional transactions (ex: screen-to-screen, or updating a cycle count) should be less than 6 seconds, and that’s a pretty high threshold. Good page transitions happen in 1-3 seconds. You’ll also have to consider the browser and device processor/memory because that will have an impact of latency. In real world situations, as users process a barcode, and move on the next item, the previous transaction should have already been processed and updated, otherwise you’ll need to do some leg work to find out where bottlenecks are occurring.
Q: How many customers do you have running RF?
A: Please contact our sales team to obtain this information.
Q: Price of the software?
A: Our starting subscription price is $500 per month. Please contact our sales team to find what package is right for you.
Q: What are the limitations as far as sku numbers or transactions with SmartTurn.
A: There is no limitation the number of SKU’s you can have or on the number of transactions. If you are a company who operates on a transaction based model, I encourage you to call us as we do not charge per transaction. All transactions are part of the package (excluding EDI vendors who require this fee).
Q: Can I get a copy of your presentation?
A: Yes, a copy of the presentation will be available in PDF format directly in this thread.
Please contact our Sales Team if you'd like a personalized demo or want to go in depth on any of these questions: 1-888-667-4758
Best Practices in Setting Up a Warehouse Network Webinar
