Highlight features in Shop Floor Integration (SFI)

Localisation of business objects: Transparency meets efficiency

The new SFI app makes the localisation of SAP business objects more transparent than ever. Whether it’s for material, production order, Kanban ID, batch, handling unit, purchase order, outbound delivery or serial number – the app enables targeted search across all relevant object types. The results are clearly displayed on an interactive world map, including an intuitive zoom function and a variety of filters, e.g. to limit the search to specific (production) plants.

Container master data can also be found easily: Information such as material, equipment, serial number, object number or tag ID is recorded in the header data of a tag and can be accessed directly via the map. Particularly helpful: Tags or company locations that are close to each other are automatically displayed cumulatively. One click on the main object is enough to list all the positions behind it – ideal for quick orientation in day-to-day business.

But that's not all: When it comes to containers, the app can even distinguish between full and empty containers. The basis for this is the assigned payload. This makes it possible to check in no time at all how many empty containers of a certain type are currently available at which location – a decisive factor for smooth material flows and stable production processes.

The locations are identified using a clever combination of fixed geo-coordinates of the plants and dynamically updated tag coordinates. The latter are automatically detected via the respective platform (RFID tags and optical labels via ifm moneo, RTLS tags via Localino). For this purpose, two additional fields for the most recent known geo-data have been added to the underlying SFI tag table.

Regardless of whether it’s used by a logistics manager, material flow manager, production planner or lean manager, everyone will benefit from the significantly simplified object search. Time-consuming manual searches are no longer required, container quantities and status are transparent at all times, and bottlenecks caused by missing empty containers or “lost” production orders are a thing of the past.

In short: the new Shop Floor Integration brings clarity where previously there was uncertainty and time-consuming searching – directly from the familiar SAP environment.

A tool for anyone who wants to spend less time searching on the shop floor and more time knowing.

New functions

The production order becomes digital – and visible in real time

With the digital production order, paper-based accompanying documents in production are completely replaced by digital display tags. The solution, developed in collaboration with our partner Localino, combines real-time location tracking (RTLS) with object-specific display of current SAP order information.
The display tags are attached directly to the transport containers of the order components and show the current order status at all times – including any priority changes. At the same time, all containers can be precisely located.

Typical use cases:

• Digital accompanying documents in production
  All relevant SAP order data is displayed directly on the container – always up to date, without printouts or manual adjustments.
• Dynamic prioritisation of orders
  Changes to production orders are visible on the display tags in real time.
• Transparent material flow
  Transport containers can be located at any time – eliminating search times and delays.
• Automated work centre process
  Orders automatically check in and out when reaching a work centre.

New functions

Container management: Quickly found thanks to extended tag structure

The new module adds a key function to SFI Track & Trace: Tags now contain not only user data, i.e. the transported SAP business object, but also dedicated header data that uniquely identifies the respective container. This means that in future each tag will consist of two components:

• Container data (static):
  Tag ID, material number, serial number, equipment number and object number
• User data (dynamic):
  Varies depending on the current load in the container

This clear distinction makes each individual container clearly identifiable and locatable. This enables powerful yet easy-to-use container management – directly integrated into tag initialisation which allows container master data to be assigned easily.

The localisation applications can be used to search for containers with precision: Which containers are located at which site? How many of them are full or empty? The app provides this information at a glance, making stock and status transparent. In a future version, it will also be possible to see exactly where in the plant a particular container is located.

The new module thus lays the foundation for efficient container cycles, less searching effort and significantly better utilisation of existing resources.

New functions

Tag initialisation: Smart initialisation for end-to-end track & trace

The new app offers an intuitive way to link RFID tags and optical identifiers (barcodes, QR codes, etc.) to an SAP business object – a process we call “initialisation”. An easy-to-follow wizard guides you through all the steps, regardless of whether you are entering data manually or using devices such as scanners or RFID handhelds. When the app recognises a handheld device, it automatically provides suitable functions for direct reading.

Initialisation forms the starting point for every track & trace process and enables seamless support for all relevant workflows, including:

• Movement of goods – storage location ↔ storage location
• Goods receipt for order
• Goods issue for delivery
• Feedback on production order
• e-kanban
• Object number assignment to containers

This makes the application suitable for all areas, from goods receipt, warehousing and logistics to production – for example, for inspection, picking, packaging, loading, container change or kanban setup.

For users, this means: tags can be assigned quickly, easily and clearly. Instead of cryptic tag data, clear SAP business information is available – providing the basis for reliable identification, localisation and analytics.

New functions

Tag-init by platform: Initialisation where the process takes place (track & trace)

With Tag-init by platform, the initialisation of electronic tags is flexibly integrated into existing processes. Using an API provided by SFI, the central tag assignment table can be populated directly from external platforms such as moneo Track & Trace or Localino. SAP business objects are thus assigned to electronic tags at precisely the point in the process where they offer the greatest added value – manually, semi-automatically or fully automatically.

Typical use cases:

• Initialisation station in production or logistics
  Operators position the product and tag, press a button, and the RFID antenna and code reader handle the assignment.
• Automated initialisation on the conveyor
  Completely without user intervention: tags are detected and assigned during the material flow.
• Integration at suppliers or in goods receipts
  Tags are correctly initialised either before or upon the arrival of the goods.
• Flexible use across the entire value chain
  Applicable during picking, packing or work scheduling.

New functions

Track & trace: Seamless integration of ifm moneo Cloud into SAP

With the integration of ifm moneo Cloud into Shop Floor Integration (SFI), track & trace and real-time monitoring data can now be transferred directly from the cloud to SAP ERP systems. This is enabled by the new public APIs of moneo Cloud, which simplify data exchange with third-party systems and remove the previous on-premises limitation.