4. October 2019
When risk minimization becomes a risk in logistics
Logistical decisions are ultimately economic decisions. This applies, for example, to major investments in warehouse and conveyor technology. Once all possible technical, informational and organizational questions have been clarified, managers in…
1. August 2019
Cloud computing: IT infrastructures and logistics
Cloud computing describes the provision of IT infrastructure. These can consist of servers, storage, software, databases, network components and artificial functionalities (AI). The IT infrastructures mentioned are not installed on the respective…
13. June 2019
The Internet of Things (IoT) and intralogistics
The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the networking of physical objects (fitness bracelets, smart home, connected cars, industry 4.0) and the virtual world (software/Internet). Physical objects, in particular, are equipped with appropriate…
16. May 2019
Point of sale / stationary trade – definition
Point of sale / stationary trade - a definition: The point of sale (PoS) is the place where the goods are offered, where the customer and the goods are brought together commercially and thus the sale or purchase or exchange can take place. The PoS…
3. May 2019
SAIL – the system architecture for intralogistics from VDI / VDMA
"Innovation and Standardization" is the title of a working group of the Intralogistics Forum of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), which brings together renowned machine and facility manufacturers, IT companies, warehouse logistics…
24. April 2019
Production, dispatch and intralogistics: the rush order
A rush order is an order - in production, shipping or in intralogistics - which for various reasons has to be fulfilled faster or at shorter notice than its usual throughput time (see also order throughput time). Urgent orders can be placed by the…
15. April 2019
AutoStore: Storage technology from Norway
AutoStore is a Norwegian storage technology and, according to the company of the same name, is especially suitable for use as an automated small parts storage. The respective storage system dispenses with classic racks; instead, modular containers…
28. March 2019
Enterprise Resource Planning – the five most important questions when choosing an ERP system
An Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP for short) is used in many different sized companies. It helps both start-ups and medium-sized companies as well as large corporations to make business processes more efficient. This is achieved through…
21. March 2019
The packaging logistics
Packaging logistics is a sub-area of logistics; it is a link between production and distribution. In addition to packaging materials, packaging logistics also deals with the corresponding processes and structures of packing and packaging; as a…
14. February 2019
Two-dimensional codes: stacked codes, matrix codes, QR code, DataMatrix code
The one-dimensional bar code is commonly used to label goods and services. However, since the data density of such codes is low, applications intended for this purpose use two-dimensional codes (2D codes or 2D barcodes) whose data capacity exceeds…
6. February 2019
Advantages and disadvantages: centralized and decentralized warehouse
In distribution logistics, the determination of warehouse locations represents a strategic decision. A basic distinction is made between centralized and decentralized locations, which can have different effects on logistics costs (see also…
15. January 2019
Artificial intelligence (AI) and logistics
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be defined as intelligence that originates exclusively from machines, robots and cyber-physical systems. The research area AI tries to understand, emulate and mimic human perception and action. According to the field…
15. January 2019
Artificial intelligence (AI) and logistics
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be defined as intelligence that emanates exclusively from machines or robots and cyber-physical systems. The research area AI tries to understand and emulate human perception and human action. According to research,…
6. December 2018
Out-of-Stock – the gap in the shelf
Out-of-stock typically refers to a shelf space in the stationary retail trade which no longer contains the intended article. The delimitation to the concept of shortage is that out-of-stocks (OOS) is exclusively the direct relationship between the…
15. November 2018
The production cycle
In a broader sense, a production cycle is the production process that begins with the raw materials and ends with the finished product. In a narrower and above all in a business context, the cycle describes the length of time a product remains or is…
7. November 2018
Inventory in companies and in logistics
In the inventory, the assets of a company are determined on a key date; in this way, assets and liabilities are specifically documented. Such an inventory is a prerequisite for correct bookkeeping and accounting.
16. October 2018
Insulated packaging: Maintaining the cold chain in the supply chain
Insulated packaging is used for products that are sensitive to temperature or environmental influences (see Temperature-controlled logistics). As a rule, they primarily ensure continuous compliance with the requirements of the cold chain within the…
28. September 2018
Uses of Blockchain technology in logistics / intralogistics
Blockchain is an enabling technology. Just like the Internet, it harbors technological properties that can be used in a variety of ways and whose future uses and applications are not yet definite. At its core, a blockchain is a list of data records…
29. August 2018
Storage maintenance costs – warehousing costs or storage costs
Trading companies and manufacturing companies usually have a warehouse or distribution centre. Raw materials and supplies, intermediate products, semi-finished products, finished products and spare parts are stored there. The storage of these goods…
15. August 2018
The Jidoka principle in production and logistics
The Jidoka principle describes the ability of a machine, a plant or an entire system to switch itself off in case of errors, quality and production problems. Jidoka forms the second supporting pillar in the Toyota Production System (TPS) alongside…
31. July 2018
Point of sale systems, warehouse management and branch logistics
A cash register system, also known as a POS system, is software that documents a specific financial transaction of an inventory or a good. In general, the POS system describes the entirety of all clients (hardware) and associated software used that…
10. July 2018
Set-up time in production and intralogistics
If a machine or a production site, i.e. individual facilities or entire production lines, is set up for a special processing operation and equipped with the necessary tools, the duration of this changeover is referred to as set-up time. Usually, the…
20. June 2018
Cyber-physical systems and logistics
Cyber-physical systems, or CPS for short, are system units or components that are linked together by means of software, electronics and mechanics, the so-called cyber-physical infrastructure. The technologies from the 'Internet of Things' (IoT) and…
24. May 2018
Logistics management and the supply chain
The integrated planning, organization, management, processing and control of the entire flow of materials and goods and the corresponding information flow is called logistics management. This is not a tangible work step, but rather countless process…
16. May 2018
Vogel’s approximation method
The approximation method according to Vogel is a heuristic procedure that is mainly used in distribution logistics, for example to solve a transport problem. It belongs to the field of mathematically oriented statistics, also called operations…
19. April 2018
The screw conveyor / spiral conveyor for bulk material
Transport systems are needed in warehouses to transport goods. For this purpose, there are various possibilities for different requirements in conveyor technology. In addition to roller, vibratory and circular conveyors, screw conveyors (also known…
6. March 2018
Opportunity costs in logistics
Opportunity costs, also known as alternative costs or foregone costs, express a foregone benefit in costs on the basis of decisions that have a negative impact and enable an approximately accurate cost calculation. The degree of utilization always…
8. January 2018
CPFR – Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment
CPFR stands for Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment and is a further development of Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), known from supply chain management. CPFR requires that all information along the value chain is brought together…
5. December 2017
Networked Production: Computer-integrated Manufacturing
Computer-integrated manufacturing, or CIM for short, stands for computer-controlled machine and automation systems, which are generally used in the manufacture of products. CIM uses different technologies and their technical functions such as…
28. November 2017
At a glance: the enterprise resource planning system
An enterprise resource planning system is a software that ensures a smooth flow of commercial processes within a company. The recording and optimization of inventory movements and stocks, scheduling, sales and purchasing can also be handled on a…
13. January 2020
Movement strategies within warehouse operations
The aim of utilising movement strategies is to adhere to specified guidelines in warehouse…
25. November 2019
Allocation strategies for warehouse and picking systems/warehouse operation strategies
In a company, it is vital to set goals before developing strategies and to monitor their…
13. November 2019
Adaptive IT in intralogistics as a tool for digital transformation
Adaptive IT describes a modular system for modelling software. Individual software components can…
28. October 2019
Storage techniques in intralogistics
Depending on the nature of the stored goods and the frequency of use, different storage techniques…
8. October 2019
Swarm intelligence – What we logisticians can learn from ants – Part II
You may think estimating the weight of an ox, as described in Part 1 of this article, is hardly a…
4. October 2019
When risk minimization becomes a risk in logistics
Logistical decisions are ultimately economic decisions. This applies, for example, to major…
1. August 2019
Cloud computing: IT infrastructures and logistics
Cloud computing describes the provision of IT infrastructure. These can consist of servers,…
13. June 2019
The Internet of Things (IoT) and intralogistics
The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the networking of physical objects (fitness bracelets, smart…
16. May 2019
Point of sale / stationary trade – definition
Point of sale / stationary trade - a definition: The point of sale (PoS) is the place where the…
3. May 2019
SAIL – the system architecture for intralogistics from VDI / VDMA
"Innovation and Standardization" is the title of a working group of the Intralogistics Forum of the…
24. April 2019
Production, dispatch and intralogistics: the rush order
A rush order is an order - in production, shipping or in intralogistics - which for various reasons…
15. April 2019
AutoStore: Storage technology from Norway
AutoStore is a Norwegian storage technology and, according to the company of the same name, is…
28. March 2019
Enterprise Resource Planning – the five most important questions when choosing an ERP system
An Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP for short) is used in many different sized companies.…
21. March 2019
The packaging logistics
Packaging logistics is a sub-area of logistics; it is a link between production and distribution.…
14. February 2019
Two-dimensional codes: stacked codes, matrix codes, QR code, DataMatrix code
The one-dimensional bar code is commonly used to label goods and services. However, since the data…
6. February 2019
Advantages and disadvantages: centralized and decentralized warehouse
In distribution logistics, the determination of warehouse locations represents a strategic…
15. January 2019
Artificial intelligence (AI) and logistics
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be defined as intelligence that originates exclusively from…
15. January 2019
Artificial intelligence (AI) and logistics
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be defined as intelligence that emanates exclusively from machines…
6. December 2018
Out-of-Stock – the gap in the shelf
Out-of-stock typically refers to a shelf space in the stationary retail trade which no longer…
15. November 2018
The production cycle
In a broader sense, a production cycle is the production process that begins with the raw materials…
7. November 2018
Inventory in companies and in logistics
In the inventory, the assets of a company are determined on a key date; in this way, assets and…
16. October 2018
Insulated packaging: Maintaining the cold chain in the supply chain
Insulated packaging is used for products that are sensitive to temperature or environmental…
28. September 2018
Uses of Blockchain technology in logistics / intralogistics
Blockchain is an enabling technology. Just like the Internet, it harbors technological properties…
29. August 2018
Storage maintenance costs – warehousing costs or storage costs
Trading companies and manufacturing companies usually have a warehouse or distribution centre. Raw…
15. August 2018
The Jidoka principle in production and logistics
The Jidoka principle describes the ability of a machine, a plant or an entire system to switch…
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