Networks 
Use
Networks define the valid routes (streets) in the warehouse, on which the resources move.
A network consists of edges and nodes. Edges are connected to each other by way of nodes. Edges represent the valid routes in the warehouse, and nodes represent crossings.
The figure below shows a warehouse consisting of different storage types. Each storage type is displayed in a different color. Storage-type-specific networks are defined (with green, blue and brown edges), which are connected to each other by a global network (red edges).
Two different networks exist:
● Storage-type-specific networks
These networks consist of edges that map the individual aisles, and edges that represent a connection of different aisles (in the example above, these are the green, blue and brown edges).
You assign storage bins of a storage type to:
○ An edge, if they are located in an aisle, and an edge exists for the aisle.
○ A node that matches your X and Y coordinates, or lies close to them in terms of the chosen metric (Euclidean or Manhattan Metric), if you have not assigned an edge.
● Global network
The global network connects the defined, storage-type-specific networks to each other. If no storage-type-specific networks are defined, it connects the storage bins to each other directly (in the example above, these are the red edges).
The edges have the following properties:
● Each edge has a start node and end node.
● An edge is usually passable in both directions, however it can also be defined as a one-way street. The direction is defined through the start and end nodes.
● For each edge, you can define which resource types are allowed to pass.
● You can assign an edge to an aisle.
● An edge has a length that is used by the system to calculate the travel distance, if the edge is passed by a resource.
A network is valid if every node can be reached from every other node. The system calculates the validity for each resource type. The global network is valid if every node of a valid storage-type-specific network can be reached from every other node of a valid storage-type-specific network. The travel distance calculation only uses valid networks. The system ignores edges in invalid networks.
Features
Program for Generating Edges
You can use the program Generating Storage-Type-Specific Networks to generate storage-type-specific networks for the travel distance calculation in Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) automatically. On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Extended Warehouse Management ® Settings ® Travel Distance Calculation ® Generate Network.
You can define networks:
● For aisles only
● For aisles and their connecting edges
When setting up a network, the following selection criteria are available:
● Warehouse number
● Storage type
● Indicator that controls whether edges are to be generated for aisles only, or for an entire network
Available information from the storage bins:
● Aisle attribute for grouping storage bins and allocating edges. The system generates an edge for each aisle.
● The X and Y coordinates of the storage bins (these define the bottom left corner of a storage bin) are there to position the start and end nodes of the edges.
● The system uses the breadth and depth of the storage bin type to define the center of the aisle and the distance between the edge and the aisle.
The edges for the aisles have the following properties:
● Edges are only created for aisles that have more than one storage bin.
● Edges can be passed in both directions.
● The length of the edges corresponds to the Euclidean distance between the start and end nodes.
● If storage bins are located on both sides of the aisle, the edges are located in the center of the aisle.
● If there are only storage bins on one side of the aisle, the edges lie half a bin depth away from the aisle.
● The edges start and end outside the aisle (half a bin depth).
The system generates connecting edges between neighboring aisles by connecting both the start and end nodes of two neighboring aisles with an edge.
The system writes a log for edge generation.