ABSTRACT
A food warehouse is a building where food and kindred products are stored before being distributed to retailers. Thus warehouse activities essentially involve flow and storage of goods, distribution methods, and stock control. This chapter examines computerized automation in food warehouses by reviewing information requirements and computer use in warehouses, discussing the planning process, identifying system design issues, describing system architecture, and presenting some applications. It considers three major automation levels: a warehouse management system (WMS) involving forklift operators interfacing with a remote computer; a WMS with automatic guided vehicles (AGVs); and a WMS with an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). Material handling systems often incorporate computer-based control systems, and the WMS can sometimes be interfaced with these to provide an integrated operating environment. Database design is the specification of a database structure that allows production of all outputs as specified in the user requirements.
