Strategy: Pallet Storage (by HU Type) 

Use

Using this putaway strategy, the system processes different HU types (for example, pallets) and allocates them to a suitable storage bin section. One storage bin is often divided into several smaller sections. You can only put away the same HU types in a storage bin.

Explanation of the Strategy

High rack storage is frequently designed so that a storage bin can accommodate several different HU types.

The following figure shows the “Pallet Storage by HU Type” strategy. For example, a storage bin can accommodate multiple pallets depending on the size of the pallet, such as three europallets (80 x 120) or two industrial pallets (100 x 120). A storage bin may be able to accommodate a single oversized pallet or several very narrow pallets.

With this strategy, you define the maximum number of quants for each combination of storage bin type and HU type. The first time that the system puts away products in this storage bin, it determines the storage bin sectioning that it assigns to the storage bin. The system also determines which and how many HUs it can put away in the storage bins.

Prerequisites

You have made the following settings for the storage type in Customizing for EWM under Master Data → Define Storage Type:

●     You have chosen the Pallet Storage value in the Storage Behavior field.

●     You have chosen the Empty Bin value in the Putaway Rules field.

●     You have activated the HU type check.

●     You have chosen the Mixed Storage Without Limitations value in the Mixed Storage field.

Definition of Storage Bin Sections

The following table shows the number of storage bin sections that you can define for a storage bin. This means that you use this number to control the number of HUs that can occupy a storage bin.

Define Storage Bin Sections

WNr	Type	SecKey	No. Bin Secs	Functional Location Category	1	2	3	4	5	6	.... (Bin Secs)
0001	0007	A	2	BT01	A	B
0001	0007	B	3	BT01	1	2	3

Section Key

The storage bin sectioning determines which HU types and how many handling units (HUs) of each type you can put into a storage bin. The storage bin sectioning is determined dynamically on the basis of the first HU that you put away. The system deletes the storage bin sectioning as soon as you have removed the last HU from the storage bin.

Nomenclature of Storage Bin Sections

To name each individual section of a storage bin, you enter either a one-digit or a two-digit suffix (for example, A1, BB, 12) in one of the columns numbered from 1 to 99 under the heading Sections. The system displays the total number of storage bin sections that you have defined in the Number of Sections field.

The system attaches this suffix to the name of the storage bin and separates it with a slash (/).

Note that the name of the storage bin sections is 2-3 digits longer than that of the main storage bins. Therefore, the length of the name of the main storage bin must be 2-3 digits shorter than the permitted length for the storage bin name. 

The storage bin sections that you have defined for warehouse 0001 and storage type 0007 (shown in the following table) form the basis of the example. Assuming that the storage bin is named 02-10-01, the system identifies the three storage bin sections in the main storage bin as follows:

                      02-10-01/1   02-10-01/2    02-10-01/3

Once you have defined storage bin sections for a storage type, you cannot change them.

Assignment of Storage Bins and HU Types

For each storage type, you assign the appropriate storage bin sectioning to each allowed combination of storage bin type (Storage Bin Type field) and HU type (HU Type field).

Assign Storage Bin Types and HU Types

WNr	Type	BinTy	HU Type	SecKey	No. Bin Secs
0001	0007	PA	E1	B	3
0001	0007	PA	IP	A	2

When you create storage bins for this strategy, you must specify a storage bin type. This storage bin type must match the storage bin type in the table for assigning storage bin types and HU types (see above).

Once you have made these assignments, you cannot change them later.

When you put away products into a storage type for which storage bin sectioning has been defined, you must enter the HU type in the preparation screen of the warehouse task. The system uses this HU type to search for suitable empty storage bins. At the same time, the system ensures that you put away only one HU type per storage bin.

Additional Option

If you assign the same storage bin type and a different HU type to the same section key, you can also put away more than one pallet type into the same storage bin.

Assign Storage Bin Types and HU Types

WNr	Type	BinTy	HU Type	SecKey	No. Bin Secs
0001	0007	PA	E1	B	3
0001	0007	PA	IP	A	2
0001	0007	PA	E2	A	2

If you define the table as shown above, you can place an industrial pallet (IP) into the first section of the storage bin and an HU with the type E2 into the second section of the storage bin.