New functions in ipolog 4 Material Flow

• Sequences:

  • We have modified the provisioning requirements of bundlers (full goods) so that this takes place on the basis of certain inputs in the bundler chain editor. This takes into account for the calculation which of the three options for the bundler ( one part per tray, multiple parts per tray or multiple parts per tray considering an installation rate) is selected.

  • To ensure that the entries for material areas for full and empty bundlers are consistent with the logistical quantity structure, we have synchronized them again in the same way as the material areas for normal full and empty chains for load carriers and load units. Thus, the surfaces are synchronized after a save in the Process Chain Editor submodule (formerly: Supply Chain Editor).

  • In this context, we have also implemented that the material areas for bundler fulls update after the import of the logistical quantity structure, depending on the selection of the three options for overwriting material areas, which were previously implemented during the re-import of the logistical quantity structure. For empties, this update behavior is expected to be available in the next release.Furthermore, it has been necessary for the bundlers to include additional options for the reimport of the logistical quantity structure. So now after the options for material areas a view appears to set the options for the bundlers, so that the contents from the logistical quantity structure are synchronized with the bundler editor. In addition, the options for updating the properties of bundlers, such as the containers, are displayed in a subsequent view. Here, analogous to the material surfaces, various options are available.

  • In the standard process chain editor, it is now possible to define a standard empties chain in the standard bundler chains. This is the prerequisite for completely planning the empties chains for bundlers in addition to the bundlers in the Process Chain Editor submodule. The view for the empties of bundlers is based on the previously known display of empties chains that depart from supply chains.

  • If the same means of transport is selected for the transport to the stage from which the empties depart and the empties transport on the stage on the far left, a full/empty exchange can now also be selected for bundler chains - analogous to the definition of a full/empty exchange for load carriers or load units.

  • For the user, it should be transparent at any time what the current progress in the planning of process chains is. For this purpose, we have adapted the status of supply chains so that bundle chains are also taken into account here as soon as they end in a bundler. This means that the status of the supply chain only turns green (fully defined) as soon as the bundler is fully planned. Tooltips with hints on the icon in the defined column show hints what is still open in the planning. We have also implemented the same logic for the status for the bundler chains, so that the empties chains or the container selection in the bundler editor is also taken into account here.

  • As soon as the bundler chains for empties are planned, these should of course also be taken into account in the transports. For this purpose, we have adapted the order calculation so that the empties transports are displayed here and also the full container/empties exchange for bundlers is correctly taken into account.

  • The bundlers are now also displayed in the order list and the transport list. This ensures the traceability of the calculation results.

• Modification of the transport calculation:

  • We have modified the calculation and utilization of the means of transport. As a result, individual means of transport should be better utilized again, which can also - in certain scenarios - be noticeable in the number of means of transport.

  • In addition, the calculation results should be identical after several calculations.

  • Furthermore, we have adjusted the scheduling of the orders so that the transport orders with a larger staging time window that goes over several shifts are scheduled as far as possible so that it is balanced between the shifts for these orders. As a result, the bundlers for full loads and empties are now also fully taken into account in the transport calculation.

• Further modifications:

  • We have also made a small adjustment to the performance.

  • Moving the layout in the 2D views is now possible via the right mouse button instead of the left one before. This also aligns the moving with ipolog 4 Workspace

Old problems:

• In Shift Plan Management, shifts may be swapped when importing shift plans that cover more than one day. In addition, small display errors can occur in Shift Plan Management. In addition, there is a crash as soon as the discard button is clicked after editing the shift schedule. 
  When reimporting the logistic quantity structure after selecting option 3 for material areas, the valid material areas are currently overwritten and the material areas with assigned values are replaced by " - ". We recommend to select one of the two other options. This should also be fixed in the next release.
• When calculating the weight in the logistic quantity structure, the weight of the container is currently not taken into account.
• In the Production Data submodule, there is a rounding error for the accumulated shoring rate at a shoring rate for 30%. As a result, the production order is slightly late.
• In the confirmation prompt when deleting layout levels, the standard bundle chains and the standard disposal chains are currently missing.
• In the Process Chain Editor, a crash can occur after re-importing a layout and subsequently adjusting the process chains.
• The shortest path is currently not completely displayed in the process chain editor for single-variety parts. Only the tips of the arrows can be seen here.
• In the process chain editor, the stacking factor is not overwritten with the values from the logistical quantity structure if manual changes have been made beforehand.
• In the process chains for bundlers, there are sometimes minor problems with the update after a new breakpoint has been created and automatically assigned.
• If a full-empty exchange is defined, the wrong material area is displayed in the transport simulation.
• In the transport simulation, in the Gantt, in the transport list, the distribution times that are smaller than one second are not evaluated. In addition, the transport number is missing for some direct transports.
• When clicking on a process for loading and unloading in the transport Gantt, it is possible that an incorrect order is selected in the order list.
• In the transport calculation there is a crash if standard bundle chains are in use and at the same time transfer runs are allowed in the breaks.
• In the group formation there is currently no update as soon as the container has been changed. In addition, the capacitive utilization is not calculated correctly for manned transports. In addition, there are still minor problems with filtering here, which will probably be fixed in the next release version.
• In the waypoint analysis, the display of concrete transports over this point is missing when evaluating according to the entire day. For all other time units, however, the display is correct. 

Fixed problems:

• In the bundle editor, we have fixed a few problems with renaming, deleting and assigning parts to bundles. In addition, it is now possible again to assign LOG IDs to a newly created bundle. Also, the discard option is now fully available again.

• The optional install rate for bundlers is now fully disabled again when switching back to the "1 part per tray" option.

• In the default process chain editor, we fixed a crash that occurred after editing and reassigning bundler chains to default process chains.

• In the process chain editor, the error messages for bundle chains now appear in the foreground again when they are called up.

• In the production data, the correct material area is displayed for the bundlers.

• In the personnel calculation, the number of plant instances is correct again, even if trips are made during break times. We have smoothed this on all levels of the personnel evaluation.

• If different shift schedules had been assigned for the means of transport than for the staging requests, this led to inconsistencies, which we have now been able to correct completely.

• In the transport network, the selection of waypoints is now directly possible as soon as a point has been clicked.

• After exporting and then importing the material flow export for the update of the VK parameters, a correct update now takes place again for full goods and empties of unmixed parts.

• We have also been able to fix some crashes, for example in the supply chain editor when editing bundle chains and discarding these changes, after changing scenarios or after changing the shift plan in the production data.

• Filtering by custom columns from the logistical quantity structure in the decision tree is now also available again.

• In marginal cases, transports were no longer displayed in the Transport Gantt. This has now been fixed in this release version.

• Also, transport groups are now again taken into account after saving directly in the transport simulation.

• The KPI Monitor is now updated directly after changes, so that it is no longer necessary to open it again

• The stage designation in the standard process chain adapted, if afterwards a standard bundle chain is attached. This should provide more transparency again.

• After editing a standard bundle chain for which concrete bundle chains already exist, crashes no longer occur.

• In the group formation, the Calculate button for transports only becomes active after the changes have been saved. This also prevents crashes from occurring.

• When logging into ipolog 4 Material Flow, a message "Webpage not found" was sometimes displayed briefly before the project view opened. This is no longer the case.

• The full load/empties swap in the supply chain view can now only be activated again if the means of transport (including the worker) are identical on the full load stage from which the empties leave and the first transport between the empties stages.

New functions in ipolog 4 Workspace

• We have partially adjusted the design of the icons. This should make it more transparent what function a particular button performs.

• We have renamed the Project Admin view to Scenario Admin, since this view only affects the currently opened scenario.

• Duplicated surfaces are now always attached directly to the mouse. This should make it quicker to recognize that duplicating a surface has been successful in the future.

• By default, the "Move Layout" option is now enabled in the Layout Editor. In addition, we have - for more transparency - adapted the icon accordingly.

• The newly opened submodule is now always displayed in the foreground. This makes it easier to find it on the screen.

• After inserting a new facility, it is now always zoomed to by default. This option is now always set by default.

• In Catalog it is now possible to import CAD files (dwg, dgn) in addition to 3D geometries. In addition, we have adjusted the names of certain functions in the "CAD Import" view so that they are easier to understand.

• Also in the Catalog we have named two buttons more comprehensible and colored the button that describes the primary action in this view.

• Additionally, there is the possibility to set a mode called "Logistics Planner Mode" in the Options. This way, only those views are available for selection that are required for deployment planning in ipolog 4 Workspace.

Old problems:

• Duplicating surfaces with more than four corner points does not currently work correctly. This is expected to be fixed in the next release.
• Deleting facilities is currently not possible in the layout editor.
• When creating new stations, the direction of the station cannot currently be changed. Changing the direction is currently only possible in the Layout Editor directly when clicking on a surface. In addition, there are problems with zooming when creating many stations.
• There are also currently problems when renaming a material surface and updating the display in different views.
• At the moment there is no direct selection of areas without station assignment for dummy material in the Material Provisioning Editor. Moreover, a crash occurs in this case.
• After changes that affect the area utilization, it is not immediately updated in the Colorizer.
• If container rotations that differ from 0,90,180, 270 and 360 degrees are included when importing the V3 process file, then an error message is issued that the staging requirements do not match the layout.
• The set container color is lost after "Renew Placement".
• In the Material Provisioning Editor, a change in the "Set Picktime" field can cause a bin to be queued on the OC.
• If a shelf that is too small is assigned via the Material Provisioning Editor or the Catalog and the "Use Outside Corner" function is also deactivated, the containers disappear. If the "Use Outside Corner" option is subsequently activated, there will be a crash.
• When creating shelves and storing shelf and bay names, these are not always taken over correctly, but are partially replaced by the default values.
• In Catalog, it is currently not possible to store 3D geometry for shelves.
• In the Material Zone Editor, it is currently not possible to delete empty shelves.
• In the Conveyor Editor, the position and orientation are not used immediately after a restart. Here you have to click again on the corresponding station in the Conveyor Editor.
• The export of the "Write Diff Excel Report" can cause a crash.
• After changes in the Worker Gantt, this is always recalculated automatically, even if Auto-Recalculate is deactivated. Also the function "Move activities to other products" is currently not available to the full extent.
• When exporting the production program via the "Scenario Admin" view, a crash currently occurs.

Fixed problems:

• In the Material Provisioning Editor, it is now possible again to enter Bay Hints, which are also taken into account when hiring.
• When logging in to ipolog 4 Workspace, a message "Webpage not found" was sometimes displayed briefly before the project view opened. This is no longer the case.
• When importing CAD files, there are no longer any differences between the same file that has been saved once in .dwg format and another time in .dgn format.
• In addition, there is no longer an offset of a facility in the 2D view after importing the .dwg file that contained the facility.
• Also there is no more wrong scaling of a facility after a restart.
• There is no longer a crash when a blocking group is subsequently created on a shelf level on which a container has already been placed.
• In addition, the blocking boxes in the shelves are now retained after a restart.
• If the connection is interrupted, we have again adjusted the mechanisms so that no data loss can occur. In addition, the message about the loss of the server connection occurred in a continuous loop. We were able to fix this now.
• In a certain constellation of data, a crash occurred in the rack planogram when containers were moved in it. We have solved this now, so that the containers can be moved without interruption.
• Also, there is no longer a crash when a selected box group is rotated in the Rack Planogram on the shelf or on the Outside Corner Area (OC).
• If the station name in the Layout Editor contains a 0, it is no longer truncated away. We now keep the user input, so a Station_01 is still Station_01 after saving (before the release: Station_1).
• In the CAD Import view, files with the .dwg format can again be imported in addition to those with the .dgn format.
• In the Material Provisioning Editor, sequences no longer duplicate when the "assign area" button is clicked.
• After importing facilities, it is now possible to zoom in the 3D view again.

New functions in ipolog 4 Portal

• All scenarios are now sorted by "last modified" in each view. This makes it easier to identify the most recently edited scenario.

• If the scenario view is selected in the portal for ipolog 4 Workspace, an .ipo file can now also be imported here. All scenarios contained in this .ipo file are imported. During the import, a progress bar visually indicates that the import is still in progress. Currently, the complete update is still missing here, if processes are included. We are working on this for the next release. 

• n the scenario view, it is no longer possible to delete scenarios that are opened by another user.

Fixed problems:

• In the scenario view, not all scenarios were always displayed completely. This error is now also fixed with the new release version.