I, barcode technology and application
Barcode technology is in the practice of computer applications and the development of an automatic identification technology. It is designed to realize the automatic scanning of information. It is an effective means to realize fast, accurate and reliable data collection. The application of barcode technology solves the "bottleneck" problem of data entry and data collection, and provides powerful technical support for supply chain management. The application model of barcode technology in supply chain management is shown in Figure 1.
Barcode technology provides us with a way to identify and describe the items in the logistics, and with the help of automatic identification technology, POS system, EDI and other modern technological means, the enterprise can always understand the location of the products in the supply chain and respond instantly. Today in Europe and the United States and other developed countries rising ECR, QR, automatic continuous replenishment (ACEP) and other supply chain management strategies, are inseparable from the application of bar code technology. Barcode is the realization of the POS system, EDI, e-commerce, supply chain management of the technical basis for the modernization of logistics management, improve the level of enterprise management and competitiveness of the important technical means.
Logistics barcode is an important part of barcode, which not only provides a set of reliable code identification system in the international scope, but also provides a common language for trade links and lays the foundation for EDI and e-commerce. Therefore, the standardization of logistics barcode will play an inestimable role in promoting the process of informatization, modernization and supply chain management in various industries.
The standard system of logistics barcode includes code system standard and application standard.
1. Code system standard
The three barcodes are commonly used in the logistics barcode system, and their specific applications are different in practice. Generally speaking, the general merchandise bar code is used in a single large pieces of goods on the box; intersection of two-five bar code can be used for quantitative storage and transportation unit of the box, ITF?14 and ITF?6 additional code *** with the use of the same can also be used for variable storage and transportation unit; trade unit 128 bar code is the key to the implementation of the logistics bar code, which is capable of identifying the information of the trade unit, such as the product batch number, quantity, specifications, It can identify the information of the trade unit, such as product lot number, quantity, specification, date of production, expiration date, place of delivery, etc.
2. Application Standards: Location Code, Storage and Transportation Unit Barcode, Barcode Application Logo
The EAN Location Code provides an internationally recognized standard for identifying groups and locations, and is gradually being used to identify the place of delivery and the place of shipment, which has become the key to the implementation of EDI. The national standard of "Storage and Transportation Unit Barcode" plays a role in the standardization of logistics barcode in the process of storage and transportation of goods and its practical application with the function of identifying freight units, which is an important application standard in the standard system of logistics barcode. The Barcode Application Mark is a useful and necessary supplement to the Unified Commodity Barcode, which fills in the blanks left by other EAN/UCC standards, organically combines logistics and information flow, and becomes a link between barcode and EDI.
Barcode technology in the warehousing and distribution industry
Warehousing and distribution is an important part of the product circulation. The largest department store in the United States - Wal-Mart, for example, the company has 25 large-scale distribution centers throughout the United States, a distribution center to serve more than 100 retail stores, the daily handling capacity of about more than 200,000 cartons. Each distribution center is divided into three areas: receiving area, picking area, shipping area. In the receiving area, goods are generally unloaded with a forklift. First stacked to the temporary storage area, workers with handheld scanners to identify the bar code on the waybill and goods, respectively, to confirm that the match is correct before further processing, some to be warehoused, and some to be sent directly to the shipping area, called straight-through operation to save time and space. In the picking area, the computer prints out the bar code labels of the cartons that need to be shipped to retail stores the next day during the night shift. During the day, the picker takes a stack of labels and opens an empty box, puts a bar code label on the empty box, and then reads it with a handheld scanner. According to the information on the label, the computer then issued picking instructions. In the shelves of each cargo space has a light, indicating that there is a need to pick goods and picking the number of goods. When the picker completes the picking operation of the goods position, press the "Finish" button, the computer can update its database. The cartons filled with goods are sealed and transported to the automatic sorter, and after the bar codes on the cartons are recognized by the omni-directional scanner, the computer instructs the fork mechanism to transfer the cartons to the appropriate loading line for centralized loading and transportation to the designated retail stores.
In the country, the bar code in the processing and manufacturing and warehousing and distribution of the application of the industry has also had a good start. Red River Tobacco Factory is an example. Cartons of paper cigarettes from the production line down, aggregated to a transportation line. Sent to the warehouse before the first scanner to identify its bar code, register the completion of the production, the carton then entered the warehouse, transported to the automatic sorting machine. Another scanner reads the barcode on the carton. If this brand of cigarettes is about to be shipped, the carton is allocated to the appropriate loading line. If the cigarettes are to be stocked, a third scanner recognizes the brand. The carton is then transferred to the appropriate automated palletizer, where it is palletized and passed through the transporter system for storage. The function of the bar code is to greatly improve the efficiency of the flow of finished products, but also to improve the timeliness and accuracy of inventory management.
Two years, EDI technology and applications
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) refers to a set of common standard format in accordance with the same provisions of the standard economic information, through the transmission of communication networks, in the trading partners of the electronic computer system for the exchange of data and automatic processing, commonly known as "paperless trade". Paperless trade". In the past, the world spends 300 billion dollars a year in the production of documents, so "paperless trade" is known as a "structural business revolution".
The three elements that make up an EDI system are EDI software, hardware, communication networks, and data standardization. A department or enterprise to realize EDI, first of all, there must be a set of computer data processing system; Secondly, in order to make the internal data of the enterprise is relatively easy to convert to the EDI standard format, the EDI standard must be used; In addition, the merits of the communication environment is also related to the success of the EDI is also one of the important factors.
EDI standard is the most critical part of the whole EDI, because EDI is a pre-agreed form of message format for data transmission and information exchange. Therefore, the development of a unified EDI standard is crucial. Countries around the world to develop EDI has come to an important experience, is the need to put EDI standards in the first place.EDI standards are mainly divided into the following areas: basic standards, code standards, message standards, document standards, management standards, application standards, communication standards, security standards.
In these standards, the most important thing is to achieve the standardization of the document, including the standardization of the document format, the standardization of the recorded information and the standardization of information description. The standardization of the document format refers to the basic international trade document format design of various business transactions in accordance with the document style. In the use of codes on the document to indicate the information, the code should be located in the standardization of the position. At present, China has formulated the standard of documents are: the Chinese people *** and the State import and export licenses, certificates of origin, packing lists, shipping statements.
The standardization of information content involves the document which content is necessary, which is not necessarily necessary content. For example, in different business areas, the same document on the content of the project is not exactly the same.
EDI in the supply chain management process
EDI is an effective means of information management or processing, it is the supply chain of the information flow of the operation of an effective method. the purpose of the EDI is to make full use of the existing computer and communication network resources, to improve the effectiveness of the communication between trading partners to reduce costs. the EDI is mainly used in the following enterprises:
1. Manufacturing industry: JIT immediate response (JustInTime) to reduce inventory and production line waiting time, reduce production costs.
2. Trade and transportation industry: fast customs clearance, inspection, economic use of transportation resources to reduce trade and transportation space, cost and time waste.
3. Circulation industry: QR quick response to reduce the amount of inventory in the shopping malls and the rate of empty shelves in order to accelerate the capital turnover of goods and reduce costs. Establishment of material distribution system to complete the production, storage, transportation, sales of integrated supply line management.
4. Financial industry: EFT electronic transfer payment, reduce the time of transportation between the financial unit and its users to and from the time and risk of cash flow, and shorten the processing time required for the flow of funds to improve the flexibility of the user's funds scheduling, in the cross-border services, but also to enable the user to enjoy the services provided by the different financial units to improve the quality of service in the financial industry and the project.
The EDI application benefits the retail, manufacturing and distribution industries the most. The application of EDI technology in the supply chain in these industries has enabled the transmission of invoices, order processes to achieve a high degree of efficiency, and these operations represent their core business activities - purchasing and sales. eDI has potential advantages in close trade partnerships.
Three, radio frequency technology and applications
Radio frequency technology RF (RadioFrequency) is based on the basic principles of electromagnetic theory. The advantages of RF system is not limited to the line of sight, recognition distance than the optical system, RF identification card can have the ability to read and write, can carry a large amount of data, difficult to forge, and have intelligence.
RF is suitable for material tracking, means of delivery and shelf identification and other requirements of non-contact data acquisition and exchange of occasions, because RF tags have read-write capability, for the need to frequently change the data content of the occasion is particularly applicable.
In recent years, the application of portable data terminal (PDT) more up, PDT can be collected to those useful data storage or transmission to a management information system. Portable data terminal generally includes a scanner, a small but powerful computer with memory, a monitor and a keyboard for manual input. A memory-resident operating system in read-only memory is used to control data acquisition and transmission.
The data in the PDT memory can be transmitted to the main computer at any time via RF communication technology. The operation starts with scanning the location label, the shelf number, the number of products are entered into the PDT, and then these data are transmitted to the computer management system through RF technology, which can get the customer's product list, invoices, shipping labels, the product code and number of products stored at the location, and so on.
RF technology in military logistics applications
The United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Bosnia's "joint combat operations", not only built the history of the war into the battlefield's most complex communications network, but also improve the identification of tracking of military materiel of the new logistics system, which is learned from the "Desert Storm". This is based on the lessons learned from Operation Desert Storm, where large quantities of materiel could not be tracked, resulting in duplicate shipments. Whether the materiel is on order, in transit, or stored in a warehouse, the system allows commanders at all levels to have real-time access to all of the information. The system on the way to transport part of the function is to rely on the paste in the container and equipment on the radio frequency identification tags to achieve. RF receiving and forwarding device is usually installed in the transport line on some checkpoints (such as gate posts, piers, etc.), as well as warehouses, stations, terminals, airports and other key locations. The receiving device receives the RF tag information, connects the location information of the receiving place, uploads it to the communication satellite, and then transmits it to the transportation scheduling center by the satellite, and sends it to the central information database.
China's RF applications have also begun, some highway toll booths using RF can be charged without stopping, China's railroad system using RF record truck carriages number of the pilot has been running for a period of time, some logistics companies are also preparing to RF for logistics management.
Four, GIS technology and applications
GIS (GeographicalInformationSystem, Geographic Information System) is the product of the intersection of a variety of disciplines, it is based on geospatial data, the use of geographic modeling and analysis methods to provide a variety of spatial and dynamic geographic information at the right time is a kind of geographic research and geographic decision-making services, computer technology systems. It is a kind of computer technology system for geographic research and geographic decision-making. Its basic function is to convert tabular data (whether it comes from a database, a spreadsheet file or is input directly into a program) into a geographic graphic display, and then to browse, manipulate and analyze the results of the display. Displays can range from intercontinental maps to very detailed neighborhood maps of population, sales, transportation routes, and more.
Application of GIS technology
The application of GIS to logistics analysis mainly refers to the use of GIS's powerful geographic data functions to improve logistics analysis technology. Foreign companies have developed the use of GIS for logistics analysis to provide specialized analysis of the tool software. The complete GIS logistics analysis software integrates vehicle route model, shortest path model, network logistics model, distribution collection model and facility location model.
1. Vehicle route model: used to solve a starting point, more than one end point in the transportation of goods how to reduce logistics operating costs, and to ensure the quality of service issues, including the decision to use how many vehicles, each vehicle route, etc..
2. Network logistics model: used to solve the problem of seeking the most effective distribution of goods path, that is, the logistics network layout. Such as the goods from N warehouse to M stores, each store has a fixed demand, so you need to determine which warehouse to give that store, the cost of transportation consumed by the smallest.
3. Distribution set model: can be based on the similarity of the elements of the same layer of all or part of the elements into several groups, used to solve the problem of determining the scope of services and the scope of the sales market. Such as a company to set up X distribution points, the requirements of these distribution points to cover a certain area, and to make each distribution point of the number of customers is approximately equal.
4. Facility location model: used to determine the location of one or more facilities. In the logistics system, warehouses and transportation lines *** with the composition of the logistics network, warehouses are in the nodes of the network, the node determines the line, how the actual needs of supply and demand and combined with the principle of economic efficiency, how many warehouses set up in a given area, the location of each warehouse, the size of each warehouse, as well as warehouses, and other issues such as logistics relations between the use of this model can be easily resolved.
Fifth, GPS technology and applications
Global Positioning System (GlobalPositioningSystem-GPS) has the sea, land, air, a full range of real-time three-dimensional navigation and positioning capabilities. In the past 10 years, China's surveying and mapping departments to use GPS experience shows that GPS to all-weather, high precision, automation, high efficiency and other significant features, to win the trust of the majority of survey and mapping workers, and successfully applied to geodesy, engineering surveys, aerial photogrammetry, means of delivery navigation and control, crustal movement monitoring, monitoring of deformation of the project, resource surveying, geodynamics and other disciplines, thus bringing a profound technological revolution in the field of surveying and mapping, which has led to a new era in the development of the global positioning system. Surveying and mapping field to bring a profound technical revolution.
GPS applications in the field of logistics
1. For automobile self-positioning, tracking and scheduling
According to Toyota Motor Corporation's statistics and forecasts, Japan's vehicle navigation system market will grow by an average of more than 35% per year between 1995 and 2000, and the world's investment in vehicle navigation will grow by an average of 60.8% per year, so vehicle navigation will be the future of GPS applications. Therefore, vehicle navigation will become one of the main fields of the future application of global positioning system. Dozens of companies in China have been developing and selling vehicle navigation systems.
2. For railroad transportation management
China's railroad development based on GPS computer management information system, through GPS and computer network real-time collection of the whole road trains, locomotives, vehicles, containers and the dynamic information of the goods transported, can be realized in the train, cargo tracking management. As long as you know the wagon type, model, car number, you can immediately find the wagon from the nearly 100,000 kilometers of the railroad network flowing hundreds of thousands of wagons, but also know where the wagon is now running or parked where, as well as all of the cargo shipment information on board. Railroads can greatly improve the transparency of their networks and their operations by using this technology to provide higher-quality service to shippers.
3. used in military logistics
Global positioning system is the first because of military purposes and the establishment of the military logistics, such as the protection of logistical equipment, etc., the application is quite common, especially in the United States, which is stationed around the world in a large number of troops whether in wartime or in peacetime are on the logistics supply to put forward a very high demand for the war, if you do not rely on GPS, the U.S. military logistics supply will not be able to provide the necessary information, but also to provide the necessary information. U.S. military's logistical supplies would be a mess. The U.S. military relied on GPS and other state-of-the-art technologies in the regional conflicts of the late 20th century, contributing to the "defense of U.S. interests" with strong, visible logistical support. This has been taken seriously in our country, and GPS is being utilized by our military.