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Author's profile photo Prakash Pol

Comparative Difference Analysis of Delivery Based Versus Advanced Production Integration for Decentralized EWM

Introduction

For the ERP manufacturing integration with decentralized EWM, namely there are two methods for process and technical integration available; one is based on the delivery documents and other is based on the production material request document, also called as advanced production integration.

There is a huge difference in the way both methods operate and how they support key manufacturing integration processes like staging and consumption postings.

In this blog, I would be sharing with you my comparative difference analysis of the classical“Delivery Based Integration”与相对较新的“Advanced Production Integration”in the context of ERP PP/PI and Decentralized EWM integration for manufacturing processes. I have tabulated my analysis as below, for the easy read purpose.

Comparative Analysis Between Delivery Based Production Integration Versus Advanced Production Integration

Comparative Analysis Factor
Delivery Based Production Integration
Advanced Production Integration
Best Fit Production Scenario
When one wants to stage the exact quantity at an exact time, the delivery-based production supply is best suited.
Best suited for the production process where staging and consumption of components takes over a longer time span. Especially when the space in your production is limited, one would not want to stage the full quantity at the beginning of the operation, but one pallet after the other.
Representation of Mfg. order in EWM
There is no document created which reflects what ERP manufacturing order contains.
The virtual mirror of ERP mfg. order is PMR (Production Material Request) document. PMR in EWM is directly coupled with the ERP manufacturing order via the status management of the order and the PMR.
Stock Reservation
Stock is not reserved for specific manufacturing order
Stock can be reserved for specific manufacturing order using single order staging
Effect of changes in planned quantity & dates in mfg. order
Does not make real-time update of planned quantity or dates in EWM.
PMR reflects the changes in component quantity and planned requirement dates once process order is changed
Reference document for Staging
The execution of material staging leads to the replication of an outbound delivery to EWM. Outbound delivery order (ODO) is main reference document for material staging.
The PMR (Production Material Request) is a main reference document in advanced production integration against which the staging is performed
Material Staging
Execution of WM Material Staging in ERP manufacturing order is must. Exact quantity mentioned in outbound delivery order is staged.
No ERP triggered staging needed. Staging is performed with /SCWM/STAGE. One can do the staging in partial quantities according to the rules in transaction /SCWM/PSASTAGE
Staging Methods Used
Pick parts and release order parts are the main staging methods. EWM crate parts can be used independently using /SCWM/REPL.
Single order and cross-order staging methods are main methods. Crate parts replenishment based staging method is also available in PMR.
Integration with Manufacturing Execution System
Typically, the classical goods movement BAPI like BAPI_GOODSMVT_CREATE is used in the interface development
SAP provided out of the box APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for smooth MES Integration. Some of the important ones are:
/SCWM/MFG_CONSUME_ITEMS_EXT-Consumption of Goods from Production
/SCWM/MFG_READ_STOCK_EXT- Stock Information from Production
/SCWM/MFG_RECEIVE_HUS_EXT- Receive HUs
/SCWM/MFG_REVERSE_HUS_EXT- Reverse HUs
/SCWM/MFG_REVERSE_ITEMS_EXT- Consumption Reversal from Production
/SCWM/MFG_STAGE_EXT- External Staging Request for Production
Consumption posting
In ERP, one can trigger the consumption for the manufacturing order using transactions like MIGO. This will trigger the creation of a consumption posting delivery which is not picking relevant in SAP EWM.
In EWM, one can post consumption using RFUI, NWBC transactions without a trigger from ERP. Once the consumption is posted, the goods movement is reflected back in ERP from EWM
Pos产品问题ting- Quantity
The quantity what is requested in outbound delivery order is a fixed quantity against which goods issue can be posted.
The item quantity in a PMR is a planned quantity, not of a fixed quantity. Hence you can post the consumption even after posting full goods issue. The actual decision about the end of a manufacturing order is with the production and when user decides to close the order, no goods movement can be posted. EWM set the status Manufacturing Order (DMC) to the respective value when technical completion or completion status is received from ERP mfg. order. Thus there is no hard validation on the exact quantity instead of allowing the control of the manufacturing request via the manufacturing order instead.
Intermediate products produced can be received and issued from same PSA bin
Receipt and consumption from same the PSA bin for intermediate WIP products is not available in the delivery based integration.
During manufacturing process, if there are different stages (WIP) during which intermediate products like sub assemblies or semi-finished products after being produced can be received during one stage and consumed from another stage from the same PSA bin.
Backflush
Possible with the same mechanism as ERP consumption trigger like using backflush in CO11N, COR6N.
If a component in manufacturing order is flagged as a backflush item, then the goods issue can not be posted in EWM. But with cross-order staging method, we can still stage backflush relevant component using PMR but the consumption posting has to be triggered using backflush in ERP. When a backflush is triggered in ERP, it will create the consumption posting delivery, same as it works with consumption posting in delivery-based production supply.
System Performance Impact
In case of outbound delivery orders partial goods issue postings lead to a high number of document splits with significant impact on the performance.
No system performance issues, one can post and cancel the goods issue in partial quantities without significant performance impact
Paperwork
When it is required to transport the components from one physical location to another, the delivery-based production supply is recommended to print the required transport papers out of system.
Transport paperwork printing is not directly supported.
Returns from manufacturing
Returns are typically executed by triggering the ad-hoc movement of materials from PSA to warehouse, as and when necessary.
After the staging and consumption is finished, if there are unused and unconsumed material in the PSA, the “Clear Production Supply Area” step can be invoked by production line operator. Clear PSA is used to create Warehouse Task to move material back to warehouse bins, especially for all staged and unconsumed products that are not needed anymore for PMRs in status “Technically Completed”.
KANBAN and REM
KANBAN and REM are supported.
KANBAN and REM are not supported.
Shuttle Process
Shuttle process especially i.e. ERP storage locations managed by different EWM warehouse numbers, especially during staging is well supported.
Shuttle process is not supported

Conclusion

Both delivery based production integration and advance production integration methods, have their own PROs and CONs. Careful evaluation and analysis should be done with the way the material flow and overall manufacturing process is executed between shop floor and the warehouse, before deciding on the method that will be implemented.

References

2352810 -常见问题:使用PMR -之间的差异PMR and Deliveries

SAP Blog:Delivery based Production vs Advanced Production Integration- Delta Analysis

SAP Blog:EWM-MES Direct Integration For Receiving HUs in EWM

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      1 Comment
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      Author's profile photo Ragu Ramachandran
      Ragu Ramachandran

      Very interesting article on Production integration with EWM