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Procedure documentationSetting Up MFS for Case Conveyor Systems

 

You can use this procedure to set up the material flow system (MFS) for case conveyor systems.

Procedure

Customizing Settings
  1. Define PLC interface types. PLC interface types facilitate the settings for controls of a similar nature (for example, several stacker cranes with an identical interface).

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define PLC Interface Type End of the navigation path.

  2. Define a PLC in EWM for each real PLC with which EWM is to communicate.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) End of the navigation path.

  3. Define one or more communication channels for each PLC.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Communication Channel Next navigation step Define Communication Channel End of the navigation path.

  4. Define communication point types. Consider whether you need a special processing for different communication points when telegrams of a certain type arrive.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define Communication Point Types End of the navigation path.

  5. Define communication points. Each point in the system that is not a final storage bin and which EWM is to take into account as an interim step must be a communication point.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define Communication Point End of the navigation path.

  6. Define communication point groups for aisle decision points. Each communication point assigned to a communication point group is synchronized during rough destination bin determination.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define Communication Point Groups End of the navigation path.

  7. Assign an MFS-relevant storage type role to the storage types that represent the warehouse regulated by the controls. The following MFS-relevant storage type roles are available:

    • Prestorage area: H – Automatic Storage Retrieval (Material Flow Control)

    • High-rack storage area: J – Automatic Warehouse (Controlled by MFS)

  8. Define whether the storage type is multi-depth or not.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Master Data Next navigation step Define Storage Type End of the navigation path.

  9. Define suitable activity areas. You use activity areas to control the assignment of warehouse tasks to queues. The controls defined in each case process the queues.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Master Data Next navigation step Activity Areas Next navigation step Activities End of the navigation path.

  10. Define an MFS queue for each PLC with the appropriate operation environment.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define MFS Queue End of the navigation path.

  11. Define a resource category for each resource type used. For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define MFS Resource Type End of the navigation path.

  12. Define aisles and levels accessible by communication point. Accessible aisles and levels are used in rough destination bin determination (see Putaway Strategy). You define the aisles and levels that are accessible by a communication point and the next destination communication point the HU is routed to.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define Aisles and Levels Accessible by Communication Point End of the navigation path.

  13. Define the required bin depth for HU types. Each HU type used in a multi-depth storage type must have a required bin depth.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management underStart of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define Required Bin Depth for Handling Unit Types End of the navigation path.

  14. Define the maximum bin depth for storage bin types. Each storage bin must have a maximum bin depth. This information is either taken from the storage bin type, which you can maintain here, or it must be entered manually at storage bin level.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Define Maximum Bin Depth for Storage Bin Types End of the navigation path.

  15. Define abbreviations for MFS actions. Define function modules that the system is to invoke in the case of these actions. For more information about the function modules that are available for case conveyor systems, see MFS Actions for Case Conveyor Systems.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Telegram Processing Next navigation step Define MFS Actions End of the navigation path.

  16. Clarify the telegram structures (record structure, telegram types) with the person responsible for the PLC and create the corresponding record structures in the ABAP dictionary. You can use the Object Navigator of the ABAP Workbench for this purpose, for example.

  17. Define which telegram IDs the PLC expects or uses for the intended message types and which record structures it uses in each case.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Interfaces Next navigation step Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Telegram Processing Next navigation step Define Telegram Structure End of the navigation path.

  18. Define which action modules are to be invoked for which PLC telegrams.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Telegram Processing Next navigation step Find MFS Actions End of the navigation path.

  19. Define the required exceptions.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Exception Handling Next navigation step EWM Exceptions End of the navigation path.

  20. Assign PLC errors to the relevant telegram errors.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Exception Handling Next navigation step Assign Telegram Errors to PLC Errors End of the navigation path.

  21. Define the logical destinations for EWM.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Routing for Case Conveyor Systems Next navigation step Define Logical Destination for EWM End of the navigation path.

  22. Define the logical destination for the PLC.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Routing for Case Conveyor Systems Next navigation step Define Logical Destination for PLC End of the navigation path.

  23. Define the routing of the case conveyor system.

    For more information, see Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Start of the navigation path Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Routing for Case Conveyor Systems Next navigation step Define Routing for Case Conveyor System End of the navigation path.

System Settings
  1. Create storage bins for the communication points and assign these to the communication points. On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Start of the navigation path Extended Warehouse Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Maintain Communication Points End of the navigation path.

  2. Define sorting rules for the new storage bins. The system assigns warehouse tasks to warehouse orders. In MFS, this is always a 1:1 assignment. Nevertheless, an activity-related sort sequence is necessary for data-technical reasons. On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Start of the navigation path Extended Warehouse Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Storage Bin Next navigation step Sort Storage Bins End of the navigation path.

  3. Create a resource for each stacker crane and assign a queue to the resource. On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Start of the navigation path Extended Warehouse Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Maintain MFS Resource End of the navigation path.

  4. Define which aisles and levels are handled by the resource. On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Start of the navigation path Extended Warehouse Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Define Aisles and Levels for MFS Resources End of the navigation path.

  5. Create a new RFC destination (TCP/IP connection). Define a program ID. You must set this in the external communication layer. The communication layer registers itself in the SAP system under this name. You can then invoke the communication layer from EWM.

    On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Start of the navigation path Tools Next navigation step ALE Next navigation step ALE Administration Next navigation step Runtime Settings Next navigation step Maintain RFC Destination End of the navigation path.

  6. Specify for each PLC whether you want to use the SAP communication layer SAP Plant Connectivity or a different communication layer. Specify the name of the RFC destination and, where appropriate, the functions to be invoked in the external communication layer.

    On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Start of the navigation path Extended Warehouse Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Maintain Programmable Logic Controller End of the navigation path.

  7. Set the IP address and port of the communication channels. The EWM system passes on these parameters to the external communication layer when the channel is opened. The communication layer is then in this respect maintenance-free. On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Start of the navigation path Extended Warehouse Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Maintain Communication Channel End of the navigation path.

  8. Start the communication channels. On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Start of the navigation path Extended Warehouse Management Next navigation step Monitoring Next navigation step Warehouse Management Monitor Next navigation step Material Flow System Next navigation step Communication Channel End of the navigation path.

  9. You can define MFS server groups at warehouse number level to have MFS processes in your EWM system run on defined application servers only. All processes started by MFS then run on the assigned servers.

    To define the server groups, on the SAP Easy Access screen choose Start of the navigation path Extended Warehouse Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Material Flow System (MFS) Next navigation step Maintain Application Server Group for MFS Processes End of the navigation path.

    Note Note

    Make sure that dialog users do not log on to the system using this MFS server group. Processes that are started on another server group and trigger MFS actions can run on a server group other than the MFS server group.

    End of the note.