Define Communication Point

Use

In this IMG activity, you define communication points. A communication point is a point along the conveyor
technique at which the actual communication between Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) and the
programmable logic controller (PLC) occurs. In EWM, a communication point is displayed as a storage bin.

Requirements

To create a communication point, make sure you have created a communication point type and an associated
PLC.

Activities

For each warehouse number and PLC, create the required communication points. In addition, you must
assign a clarification communication point including a clarification PLC for each communication point. You
can use an indicator to control whether the communication point is a starting point or a leg.

Define Communication Point Types

Use

In this IMG activity, you define communication point types.

Each communication point is of a certain communication point type. It may, for example, be classified as an
identification point or an aisle decision point. Apart from influencing the telegram type, the communication
point type influences the MFS action that is triggered for this communication point.

Activities

For each warehouse number, specify the communication point types, and give each of them a name.

Define Communication Point Groups

Use

In this Customizing activity, you define communication point groups to synchronize rough destination bin
determination for the material flow system.

Define Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)

Use
In this Customizing activity you define the programmable logic controller (PLC). The system identifies each
communication point by its name and the assigned PLC, and controls these communication points using the
PLC.

Requirements

Make sure that you have defined the standard telegram header structure in the Dictionary, so that you can
assign it here.

Activities

For each warehouse number, specify a PLC and a standard telegram structure, and assign the following data
if required:

 Warehouse Process Type for Putaways with Conveyor Technique

 Warehouse Process Type for Movement Posting of Case Conveyor Systems

 Warehouse Process Type for HU in Fault in MFS Environment

 Exception Code for Destination Bin Change in MFS

 Name of the PLC

 PLC mode Case Conveyor, if the PLC uses routing for case conveyor systems

Define PLC Interface Type

Use

As of SAP EWM 5.1, you can make settings for the PLC interface for each programmable logic controller, or
you can use interface types that apply to more than one. Interface types are appropriate if you want connect
multiple programmable logic controllers that communicate with SAP EWM using the same interface definition
(telegram types, error codes, and so on). This is usually the case for stacker cranes.

In IMG activity Define Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), you assign programmable logic controllers to
the interface type, and define interface properties under an identifier such as telegram IDs, record formats, and
error codes.

Activities

Assign an identifier for each interface definition and a meaningful description.

Define Telegram Structure

Use

In this Customizing activity you can define an MFS action telegram structure, depending on the
programmable logic controller (PLC) and the telegram type.

With this structure, the system filters various user data such as handling unit (HU) number, source, target,
system condition, and errors, which the system needs to continue controlling the communication point
processing.

The telegram types must be assigned to one of the telegram categories specified by SAP.

Requirements

Make sure this structure has been defined in the Dictionary, so that you can assign it here.

The accuracy of the structure name is not checked.

Activities
For each warehouse number, create a combination of PLC and telegram type and assign to this combination
an MFS action telegram structure.

Example

The standard contains the following predefined MFS action telegram structures as examples:

MFS action Target Determination ==> Structure: /SCWM/S_MFS_TELETOTAL

MFS action Status Change ==> Structure: /SCWM/S_MFS_TELESTATUS

Define Communication Channel

Use

You can use this IMG activity to define one or more communication channels for telegram exchange for each
programmable logic controller (PLC).

Here you define the general properties of the channel. You define the IP address and port at a later date, in the
application menu. When a channel is started, the system transmits the IP address and port to the
communication layer.

Requirements

You must have defined a PLC.

Activities

For each warehouse number, enter a programmable logic controller (PLC), and assign a communication
channel. Under Definition Table of the Communication Channel, enter the information required, and choose the
corresponding indicator if required.

Assign Communication Channel to Objects

Use

You can use this IMG activity to assign communication channels to objects.

If you only want to use one communication channel for each programmable logic controller (PLC), you do not
need to make an entry here.

If you only want to use multiple communication channels, here you must specify which channel is to be used for
which object, by assigning certain categories in a channel to objects. The categories available to you are
telegram type, communication point, and resource. For example, you can send all messages for a certain
communication point across a particular channel. To do this, select the object type communication point and
enter the name of the communication point into the required channel number.

Requirements

You have defined a PLC and at least one communication channel belonging to it.

Activities

Enter a programmable logic controller (PLC) for each warehouse number. Select an object type (such as
telegram type). Enter a channel object, and select the required communication channel.

Example

You want to always use a particular communication channel for telegrams of telegram type "ST". All other
telegrams are to use a second communication channel.

Warehouse Number PLC Object Type Channel Object CommChannel

0001 PLC1 Telegram type ST A

0001 PLC1 PLC PLC1 B

Define Ranking Order of Communication Channel Objects

Use

You can use this IMG activity to define the ranking sequence of communication channel objects.
If you only want to use one communication channel for each programmable logic controller (PLC), you do not
need to make an entry here.

Requirements

You have defined a PLC, at least one communication channel belonging to it, and the required communication
channel objects.

Activities

For each warehouse number, enter a programmable logic controller and a sequence number. Choose the
required object type (such as communication point).

Example

For telegrams of telegram type "ST", you always want to use a certain communication channel. All other
telegrams are to use a second communication channel.

Warehouse Number PLC Sequence Number Object Type

0001 PLC1 1 Telegram type

0001 PLC1 2 PLC

When determining a suitable communication channel, the system first tries to determine a defined
communication channel using the telegram type of the telegram being sent. If no communication channel has
been maintained for the current telegram type, the second entry in the table is evaluated. The system then
uses the communication channel that has been defined generally for the PLC.

Define MFS Actions

Use

In this IMG activity, you can assign a function module to a defined material flow system action (MFS
action). This function module is then called when when the MFS action is triggered.
Requirements

Make sure that you have previously created the underlying function module in the Dictionary.
The module is not checked for correct spelling.

In addition you can assign a remote-enabled function module which is called asynchronously after the
synchronous function module is finished.

Activities

For each MFS action, specify a function module.

Find MFS Actions

Use

In this IMG activity, you can specify a Material Flow System Action (MFS action) that is triggered depending
on the communication point type and the telegram type (which is sent by the programmable logic controller
at this communication point).

Requirements

Make sure that you have previously defined the MFS actions and communication point types.

Activities

For each warehouse number, specify the required combination of communication point type, telegram type,
and MFS action, so that this MFS action can be found by the system.
Define Conveyor Segment
Use

In this IMG activity, you define the conveyor segments. A conveyor technique segment is a conveyor segment
between two communication points.

Activities

For each warehouse number, define the required conveyor segments and give them a name. You can also
use the Capacity of a Segment to specify the number of handling units that can be carried by a segment.

Define Conveyor Segment Group Type

Use
In this IMG activity, you can define the conveyor segment group types. Conveyor segments are assigned to
certain conveyor segment groups, which are in turn of a certain conveyor segment group type, which is used to
group and type them.

Activities

For each warehouse number, specify the required conveyor segment group types and give them a name.

Example

For example, you could define a conveyor segment group type 'STAT', and then the system would set all
conveyor segments assigned to a conveyor segment group of this type to 'inactive', if a PLC malfunction report
occurs relating to this conveyor segment group. The system would then no longer consider these conveyor
segments in the next route determination.

Define Conveyor Segment Groups

Use

In this IMG activity, you define conveyor technique segment groups.

Conveyor segments are assigned to conveyor segment groups, which in turn belong to a certain conveyor
segment group type.

Activities

For each warehouse number, define the conveyor technique segment groups, and assign a conveyor
technique segment group type to these.
Assign Conveyor Segments for Conveyor Segment Groups
Use

In this IMG activity you can assign conveyor segments to conveyor segment groups. In turn, conveyor segment
groups have a certain conveyor segment group type, which you can use to group and type them.

Activities

For each warehouse number, specify the individual Conveyor Technique Segment per Conveyor
Technique Segment Group.

Define MFS Queue

Use

You can use this Customizing activity to define queues that are relevant for the material flow system. You can
maintain the execution environment and the assigned programmable logic controller (PLC).
The usage of queues is known from the manual or RF environment. Queues include warehouse tasks. Various
resources or resource groups then process these queues. There is no mandatory 1:1 assignment between
queue and resource or resource group.

In the MFS environment, the usage of queues is different. Here, one queue is required for each PLC. You must
configure the queue determination rules in such a way that all warehouse tasks that are to be transferred to a
particular PLC are put into its queue.

For queues that make use of the MFS case conveyor system, you must choose the operating environment
MFS; Movement Posting without Resource Management.

Requirements

You have created the required PLC in the Customizing activity Define PLC.

Standard settings

The BC Set /SCWM/MFS already contains a queue for the preconfigured PLC "CONSYS" and one for the
stacker crane "RACK1".

Activities

Create a queue for each of your controllers.

Define MFS Resource Type
Use

In this Customizing activity, you define resource types for all vehicles whose movements are controlled order-
by-order by the material flow system (MFS) in SAP Extended Warehouse Management (SAP EWM).

Note that you create the actual resources in the application menu.

When defining resource types, you also define material-flow-relevant data, for example:

 Interleaving

 Maximum number of telegrams to be received

 Controlling warehouse task confirmation using a resource

 Interval for telegram retry when reprocessing incoming telegrams with errors

 Maximum number of stock transfers in an automated aisle, per handling unit

Standard settings

BC Set /SCWM/MFS contains resource type RACK for stacker cranes.

Activities

Create a separate resource type for all PLC-controlled vehicle types whose movements need to be controlled
individually by SAP EWM.

A stacker crane whose movements are to be controlled by SAP EWM is a resource.

A distribution cart whose movements are to be controlled by SAP EWM is a resource. For both of these, you
require one resource type.

A PLC that is responsible for a conveyor segment is not a resource.

Example

In your warehouse, you have an automatic high rack with 3 aisles. The distribution cart is not to be controlled
by SAP EWM separately (SAP EWM views the legs served by the cart as conveyor segments).

You require one resource type for the stacker cranes.

Define Aisles and Levels Accessible by Communication Point
Use

In this Customizing activity, you define the aisles and levels in each storage type that are accessible by a
source communication point. Additionally, you define the next destination communication point between the
source communication point and the aisle or level.

For the final communication point (the pick point of the storage retrieval system), the destination
communication point needs to be empty to indicate that the handling unit has reached the final communication
point.

Note

The default implementation /SCWM/CL_EI_MFS_ACT_CASE_RBD of the Rough Bin Determination

(/SCWM/EX_MFS_ACT_CASE_RBD) Business Add-In evaluates the settings of this Customizing activity, which
is called in the material flow system action function module Routing Decision - Case Conveyor System
(/SCWM/MFSACT_CASE_AISLE_DET). This BAdI can be found under Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) for Extended
Warehouse Management > Material Flow System (MFS).

Activities

For each communication point, define the aisles and levels (in each storage type) accessible by communication
point and through which communication point the aisles and levels are routed (destination communication
point).
Define EWM Exception for PLC Errors
Use

You can use this IMG activity to assign exception codes to the interface type, telegram type, telegram error,
and object category, at warehouse-number level. These codes control how the EWM system reacts to PLC
errors (such as run number errors) reported in the telegram. In access control, you can define the sequence in
which the entries are to be evaluated here.

Requirements

You have defined interface types and configured the required EWM exceptions.

Define EWM Exception for PLC Access Control Errors

Use
EWM provides you with a mechanism for controlling access to exception to enable error codes to be
differentiated situation-dependently, and to avoid having to configure all situations individually.

You can use this IMG activity to control the access sequence for determining exception codes.

When the system determines an exception code for a telegram error, it first looks for an entry with all relevant
parameters.

If this search is unsuccessful, the system attempts to find an exception code using the selected parameters of
the access control entries.

Activities

Define criteria that EWM is to use to access the exceptions you have defined.

For example, you could define that the system is to use more criteria for the access for the first attempt, and
then less criteria for the second (or possibly third) attempt.

Make sure that the last entry is sufficiently general so that it always leads to a read success, and therefore finds
an EWM exception.
Define EWM Exceptions for Communication Errors
Use

You can use this IMG activity to assign exception codes to interface types and communication errors at
warehouse-number level. Exception codes control how the EWM system reacts to errors reported during the
communication.

Requirements

You have configured a suitable interface type. You have also defined the required exception codes in EWM
exception handling.

Activities

For each error code that can be sent by the programmable logic controller in confirmation telegrams, create an
entry, and assign a suitable EWM exception to it.

Assign Telegram Errors to PLC Errors

Use

The EWM system checks the inbound telegrams. If it detects errors, the system of the sending controller
attempts to display the error in the confirmation telegram. Here, you define the codes that the system is to use
for this.

You can use this IMG activity to assign telegram errors at warehouse-number level to the interface type and
telegram error type, and to control whether the communication is to be restarted.

The telegram error types are preconfigured.

Requirements

You have defined a suitable interface type.

Activities

Create a corresponding error code for every error situation that exists in the telegram error selection list. This
code is then sent to the programmable logic controller.

Also specify whether the communication channel is to be closed and restarted on the EWM side, if this error
occurs.