IMPROVING WAREHOUSE INVENTORY MANAGEMENT THROUGH RFID ...

Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive

Theses and Dissertations

Thesis Collection

2014-12

Improving warehouse inventory

management through RFID, barcoding

and robotics technologies

Burke, Eric M.

Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School



NAVAL

POSTGRADUATE

SCHOOL

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA

MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT

IMPROVING WAREHOUSE

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

THROUGH RFID, BARCODING AND

ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGIES

December 2014

By:

Eric M. Burke and

Danny L. Ewing, Jr.

Advisors:

Nicholas Dew,

Geraldo Ferrer

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE

Form Approved OMB No. 0704¨C0188

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction,

searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send

comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to

Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA

22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington, DC 20503.

1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank)

2. REPORT DATE

December 2014

3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED

MBA Professional Report

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

5. FUNDING NUMBERS

IMPROVING WAREHOUSE INVENTORY MANAGEMENT THROUGH RFID,

BARCODING AND ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGIES

6. AUTHOR(S) Eric M. Burke and Danny L. Ewing, Jr.

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

Naval Postgraduate School

REPORT NUMBER

Monterey, CA 93943-5000

9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

10. SPONSORING/MONITORING

N/A

AGENCY REPORT NUMBER

11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy

or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. IRB Protocol number ____N/A____.

12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words)

12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE

The purpose of this MBA project is to explore the potential value of combining automatic identification and robotics

technology in order to improve asset visibility within a warehouse environment. The Defense Logistics Agency

(DLA) experiences high costs associated with inventory inaccuracies and annual inventory audits. Our project

examines technologies that could be used to improve the DLA¡¯s asset visibility. This study examines current industry

applications of viable technologies in the marketplace and whether implementing these technologies would provide a

sound economic solution. A cost¨Cbenefit analysis is included to determine the affordability of efficiencies that RFID

and barcoding bring to warehouse operations. This analysis encompasses costs for systems purchase, implementation,

and integration. Benefits are measured by determining cost savings in manpower requirements, increased efficiencies

in order and restocking times, and improved accuracy in inventory management. The qualitative analysis addresses

the advantages and disadvantages of an automatic identification system implementation. It also addresses future

potential for the use of robots to improve inventory management. Ultimately, the project concludes that 2D barcoding

far more cost effective within 10 years; however, both 2D barcoding and RFID can provide a positive return on

investment.

14. SUBJECT TERMS

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), barcoding, robotics, asset visibility, DOD, DLA

17. SECURITY

CLASSIFICATION OF

REPORT

Unclassified

18. SECURITY

CLASSIFICATION OF THIS

PAGE

Unclassified

NSN 7540¨C01-280-5500

15. NUMBER OF

PAGES

113

16. PRICE CODE

19. SECURITY

20. LIMITATION OF

CLASSIFICATION OF

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

Unclassified

UU

Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2¨C89)

Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239¨C18

i

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

ii

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download