First, the bar code technology and its application
Bar code technology is an automatic identification technology which is produced and developed in the practice of computer application. It aims to realize automatic scanning of information. It is an effective means to collect data quickly, accurately and reliably. The application of bar code technology solves the bottleneck problem of data entry and data collection, and provides strong technical support for supply chain management. The application model of barcode technology in supply chain management is shown in figure 1.
Bar code technology provides us with a way to identify and describe goods in logistics. With the help of automatic identification technology, POS system, EDI and other modern technical means, enterprises can always know the position of related products in the supply chain and respond immediately. Nowadays, the supply chain management strategies such as ECR, QR and ACEP, which are emerging in developed countries such as Europe and America, are inseparable from the application of barcode technology. Bar code is the technical basis for realizing POS system, EDI, e-commerce and supply chain management, and it is also an important technical means to realize the modernization of logistics management and improve the management level and competitiveness of enterprises.
Logistics barcode is an important part of barcode, which not only provides a reliable code identification system internationally, but also provides a common language for trade links, laying the foundation for EDI and e-commerce. Therefore, the standardization of logistics bar code will play an inestimable role in promoting the informationization, modernization and supply chain management of various industries.
Logistics barcode standard system includes coding standard and application standard.
1. coding standard
These three kinds of bar codes are commonly used in logistics bar codes, and their specific applications in practice are different. Generally speaking, the universal commodity bar code is used on the packaging box of a single large commodity; Interlaced barcode 25 can be used for the packing box of quantitative storage and transportation unit, ITF? 14 and ITF? 6 Additional code * * * can also be used for variable storage and transportation units; The use of trade unit bar code 128 is the key to the implementation of logistics bar code, which can identify the information of trade unit, such as product batch number, quantity, specification, production date, expiration date and delivery place.
2. Application standard: location code, bar code of storage and transportation unit and bar code application identification.
EAN location code provides an internationally recognized standard for identifying groups and locations, and is gradually used to identify delivery locations and departure locations, becoming the key to EDI implementation. The national standard "Barcode of Storage and Transportation Unit" plays a normative role in the process of goods storage and transportation, and has the function of identifying freight units in practical application. It is an important application standard in the logistics bar code standard system. Bar code application logo is a useful and necessary supplement to commodity uniform bar code, which fills the gap left by other EAN/UCC standards. It organically combines logistics and information flow and becomes the link between barcode and EDI.
Application of Bar Code Technology in Warehouse and Distribution Industry
Warehousing and distribution is an important link in product circulation. Take Wal-Mart, the largest department store in America, as an example. The company has 25 large distribution centers in the United States. A distribution center serves more than 65,438+000 retail stores with a daily processing capacity of more than 200,000 cartons. Each distribution center is divided into three areas: receiving area, picking area and delivery area. In the receiving area, forklifts are usually used to unload goods. First, the goods are stacked in the temporary storage area. The staff used hand-held scanner to identify the barcode on the waybill and the goods respectively, and confirmed that the matching was correct before further processing. Some need to be put into storage, and some need to be sent directly to the delivery area, which saves time and space through operation and call. In the pick-up area, the computer prints out the barcode label of the carton that needs to be shipped to the retail store the next night. During the day, the picker opens the empty boxes with a bunch of labels, puts bar code labels on the empty boxes, and then reads them with a hand-held scanner. According to the information on the label, the computer immediately sends out the delivery instruction. There is an indicator light at each position on the shelf, indicating the goods to be taken there and the quantity of goods to be taken. When the picker finishes picking up the goods at this location, click the "Finish" button, and the computer can update its database. The cartons filled with goods are sealed and transported to the automatic sorting machine. After the barcode on the carton is recognized by the omni-directional scanner, the computer instructs the fork mechanism to dial the carton into the corresponding loading line, so that it can be loaded centrally and transported to the designated retail store.
In China, the application of bar code in processing, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution industries has also made a good start. Honghe cigarette factory is an example. Boxes of cigarettes came down from the production line and were collected on a transportation line. Before sending it to the warehouse, the bar code should be identified with a scanner and the production situation should be registered. Then, the cartons will enter the warehouse and be transported to the automatic sorter. Another scanner reads the bar code on the carton. If this brand of cigarettes is to be delivered, the cartons should be dialed into the corresponding loading line. If warehousing is required, the brand will be identified by the third scanner. Then dial into the corresponding automatic palletizer, after palletizing, palletizing, palletizing, palletizing, palletizing and palletizing. The function of bar code is to greatly improve the efficiency of finished product circulation and improve the timeliness and accuracy of inventory management.
Two years, EDI technology and application
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) refers to the transmission of standard economic information through communication network according to a set of common standard formats, and the data exchange and automatic processing between electronic computer systems of trading partners, commonly known as "paperless trade". In the past, the world spent 300 billion dollars on making documents every year, so "paperless trade" was known as "structural business revolution".
The three elements of EDI system are EDI software, hardware, communication network and data standardization. To realize EDI, a department or enterprise must first have a computer data processing system; Secondly, in order to facilitate the transformation of enterprise internal data into EDI standard format, EDI standard must be adopted; In addition, the quality of communication environment is also one of the important factors related to the success or failure of EDI.
The EDI standard is the most critical part of the whole EDI, because EDI transmits data and exchanges information in a pre-agreed message format. Therefore, it is very important to formulate a unified EDI standard. An important experience of developing EDI in the world is that EDI standards must be put in the first place. EDI standards are mainly divided into the following aspects: basic standards, code standards, message standards, document standards, management standards, application standards, communication standards and security standards.
Among these standards, the most important is the standardization of documents, including the standardization of document format, the standardization of recorded information and the standardization of information description. The standardization of document format refers to the design of various business document styles according to the basic document format of international trade. When using codes to represent information on files, the location of the codes should be standardized. At present, China has formulated document standards: People's Republic of China (PRC) import and export license, certificate of origin, packing list and maritime declaration form.
The standardization of information content involves what is necessary and what is not. For example, in different business fields, the content items recorded in the same document are not completely consistent.
Application of EDI in supply chain management
EDI is an effective means of information management or processing and an effective way of information flow operation in supply chain. The purpose of EDI is to make full use of existing computer and communication network resources, improve communication efficiency between trading partners and reduce costs. EDI is mainly used in the following enterprises:
1. manufacturing: JIT timely response (JustInTime) reduces inventory and production line waiting time, and reduces production costs.
2. Trade and transportation industry: fast customs clearance, saving transportation resources and reducing the waste of trade and transportation space, cost and time.
3. Circulation industry: QR rapid response, reducing the inventory and empty shelf rate of shopping malls to speed up the turnover of commodity funds and reduce costs. Establish a material distribution system and complete the integrated supply chain management of production, storage, transportation and sales.
4. Financial industry: EFT electronic transfer payment can reduce the transportation time and cash flow risk between financial institutions and their users, shorten the processing time required for capital flow, improve the flexibility of users' fund scheduling, and enable users to enjoy the services provided by different financial institutions in cross-bank services, thus improving the service quality and projects of the financial industry.
The biggest benefits of EDI application are retail, manufacturing and distribution. The application of EDI technology in the supply chain of these industries makes the process of delivering invoices and orders very efficient, and these businesses represent their core business activities-procurement and sales. EDI has potential advantages in close trade partnership.
Third, radio frequency technology and application
The basic principle of RF is electromagnetic theory. The advantages of RF system are not limited to sight distance, the recognition distance is farther than that of optical system, RFID card can read and write, can carry a lot of data, is not easy to forge, and is intelligent.
Radio frequency is suitable for material tracking, vehicle and shelf identification and other occasions that need non-contact data acquisition and exchange. Because the radio frequency tag can read and write, it is especially suitable for occasions where data content needs to be changed frequently.
In recent years, the application of portable data terminal (PDT) has increased. PDT can store or transmit the collected useful data to the management information system. Portable data terminals usually include a scanner, a small but powerful computer with a memory, a display and a keyboard for manual input. Memory resident's operating system is installed in read-only memory, which controls data acquisition and transmission.
The data in PDT memory can be transmitted to the host at any time through radio frequency communication technology. During the operation, the product label is scanned, the shelf number and product quantity are input into PDT, and then these data are transmitted to the computer management system by radio frequency technology, so that the customer's product list, invoice, shipping label, product code and quantity stored there can be obtained.
Application of Radio Frequency Technology in Military Logistics
In the "joint action" of the United States and NATO in Bosnia, not only the most complex communication network put into the battlefield in the history of war was built, but also a new logistics system for identifying and tracking military materials was perfected, and the lesson that a large number of materials could not be tracked in the "desert storm" military operation caused repeated transportation was learned. Commanders at all levels can grasp all the information in real time through this system, no matter whether the materials are in order, in transit or stored in the warehouse. The function of the transit part of the system is realized by radio frequency identification tags attached to containers and equipment. Radio frequency receiving and forwarding devices are usually installed at some inspection points of transportation lines (such as doorposts and piers). ), as well as key places such as warehouses, stations, docks and airports. After receiving the radio frequency tag information, the receiving equipment communicates with the location information of the receiving place, uploads it to the communication satellite, and then transmits it to the transportation dispatching center by the satellite and sends it to the central information database.
The application of RF in China has also begun, and some highway toll stations can charge without stopping. The pilot project of using radio frequency to record the number of freight cars in China railway system has been running for some time, and some logistics companies are also preparing to use radio frequency in logistics management.
Four. Geographic information system technology and its application
GIS (Geographic Information System) is the product of many disciplines. Based on geospatial data, it provides all kinds of spatial and dynamic geographic information in time by using geographic model analysis method. It is a computer technology system for geographical research and geographical decision-making. Its basic function is to convert tabular data (whether from database, spreadsheet file or direct input program) into geographic graphic display, and then browse, operate and analyze the display results. Its display range can range from intercontinental map to very detailed block map, and the display objects include population, sales, traffic routes and so on.
Application of GIS technology
The application of GIS in logistics analysis mainly refers to improving logistics analysis technology by using the powerful geographic data function of GIS. Foreign companies have developed a tool software, which uses GIS to provide specialized analysis for logistics analysis. The complete GIS logistics analysis software integrates vehicle path model, shortest path model, network logistics model, distribution set model and facility positioning model.
1. Vehicle routing model: It is used to solve the problem of how to reduce the logistics operation cost and ensure the service quality in a cargo transportation with multiple destinations, including deciding how many vehicles to use and the route of each vehicle.
2. Network logistics model: used to solve the problem of finding the most effective distribution route of goods, that is, the layout of logistics outlets. If the goods are transported from N warehouses to M stores, and each store has a fixed demand, then it is necessary to determine which warehouse to pick up the goods and send them to that store, with the lowest transportation cost.
3. Distribution set model: all or part of the elements in the same layer can be divided into several groups according to their similarity, thus solving the problem of determining the scope of service and sales market. If a company wants to set up X distribution points, it is required that these distribution points should cover a certain area, and the number of customers in each distribution point should be roughly equal.
4. Facility location model: used to determine the location of one or more facilities. In the logistics system, warehouses and transportation lines form a logistics network, and warehouses are at the nodes of the network, which determines the route. How to set up multiple warehouses in a given area, the location of each warehouse, the scale of each warehouse and the logistics relationship between warehouses can be easily solved by using this model.
Five, GPS technology and application
Global Positioning System (GPS) has the ability of real-time three-dimensional navigation and positioning in the sea, land and air. 10 years, the experience of using GPS in China's surveying and mapping departments shows that GPS has won the trust of surveying and mapping workers with its remarkable characteristics of all-weather, high precision, automation and high efficiency, and has been successfully applied to geodesy, engineering survey, aerial photogrammetry, vehicle navigation and control, crustal movement monitoring, engineering deformation monitoring, resource investigation, geodynamics and other disciplines, which has brought a profound technological revolution to the field of surveying and mapping.
Application of GPS in logistics field
1. Used for auto-positioning, tracking and dispatching.
According to the statistics and forecast of Toyota Motor Corporation, from 1995 to 2000, the market of Japanese car navigation system will grow at an annual rate of more than 35%, and the global investment in car navigation will increase at an average annual rate of 60.8%. Therefore, car navigation will become one of the main applications of global positioning system in the future. Dozens of companies in China are developing and selling car navigation systems.
2. Used for railway transportation management
The computer management information system based on GPS developed by China Railway can collect the dynamic information of trains, locomotives, vehicles, containers and goods in real time through GPS and computer network, and can realize the tracking management of trains and goods. As long as you know the model, model and car number of the truck, you can immediately find the truck from hundreds of thousands of trucks flowing through the railway network of nearly 65,438+10,000 kilometers, and you can also know where the truck is driving or parked now, as well as all the delivery information of the goods on it. Using this technology, the railway department can greatly improve the transparency of its road network and operation, and provide higher quality services for shippers.
3. Used in military logistics
The Global Positioning System (GPS) was first established for military purposes, and it is widely used in military logistics, such as the support of logistics equipment. Especially in the United States, a large number of garrisons around the world put forward high requirements for logistics supply, whether in wartime or in peacetime. In the war, if you don't rely on GPS, the logistics supply of the US military will become a mess. In the regional conflicts at the end of the 20th century, the US military relied on top technologies such as GPS and made contributions to "defending American interests" with strong and visible logistics support. In this regard, China has attracted attention, and our military departments are also using GPS.