1
Low Cost automated inventory system
Low cost automated inventory system
Today’s technology demands small businesses to utilize the available technology and gain the competitive advantage. My sister’s business will be far much better an automated inventory system as compared to the current manual system for managing the inventory. The major advantage of utilizing this technology is the ability to substitute the time consuming and more expensive processes with a much more reliable and low-cost system (Quintero, C. 2009). The system will also help to track the business merchandise and keep track of the business items individually. In this discussion, a detailed design of a low cost automated inventory system and the costs for such a system.
Automated inventory system is a software or group of related software that allows a business to access and input their inventory tasks and allow them to be tracked in a consistent, reliable and fast way. They make use of identifiers for individual items like barcodes and scanners for the goods being sold. These processes are controlled by software that takes the input in the form of barcodes or any other manner and processes relevant information to give out the required output. With the system, guesswork is minimized and the company can focus on other sectors to maximize its profit. The system makes accurate predictions on sales and also allows updates on the inventory.
Having an automated inventory system is critical in any business because they are very helpful in retail sales. Automated inventory system helps to categorize and access business data in a competent and reliable way. The system will, therefore, be designed to utilize the computer resources and other related resources as follows.
Required equipment
To design a complete automated inventory management system that is inexpensive and efficient, necessary equipment would include;
- A personal computer
- One long wireless antenna cable together with a circuit board
- Automation circuit board (probably the Rockwell printed board)
- A unit for microcontroller PIC1F4550
- G-Mobile Computer that is handheld
- Barcodes
- Toggle switch kit
This system will use the low-cost resources and make the inventory management process automated through the use of wireless infrared signals. The signals will involve a manual check but the automation will be still in place (Ismail, S., 2010). Manual check, in this case, will be to double-check the system and ensure the automation process is on track. In addition, automation in the inventory process may experience a lag and so there is the need to check the process manually in case automation may be outdated and put it in order. The customers may be disappointed and make the services offered look bad if these lags are not rectified in time.
System working principles and maintenance
The proposed system will have a configuration (at least one) that contain total stock items and a pla ...
1. 1
Low Cost automated inventory system
Low cost automated inventory system
Today’s technology demands small businesses to utilize the
available technology and gain the competitive advantage. My
sister’s business will be far much better an automated inventory
system as compared to the current manual system for managing
the inventory. The major advantage of utilizing this technology
is the ability to substitute the time consuming and more
expensive processes with a much more reliable and low-cost
system (Quintero, C. 2009). The system will also help to track
the business merchandise and keep track of the business items
individually. In this discussion, a detailed design of a low cost
automated inventory system and the costs for such a system.
Automated inventory system is a software or group of related
software that allows a business to access and input their
inventory tasks and allow them to be tracked in a consistent,
reliable and fast way. They make use of identifiers for
individual items like barcodes and scanners for the goods being
2. sold. These processes are controlled by software that takes the
input in the form of barcodes or any other manner and processes
relevant information to give out the required output. With the
system, guesswork is minimized and the company can focus on
other sectors to maximize its profit. The system makes accurate
predictions on sales and also allows updates on the inventory.
Having an automated inventory system is critical in any
business because they are very helpful in retail sales.
Automated inventory system helps to categorize and access
business data in a competent and reliable way. The system will,
therefore, be designed to utilize the computer resources and
other related resources as follows.
Required equipment
To design a complete automated inventory management system
that is inexpensive and efficient, necessary equipment would
include;
- A personal computer
- One long wireless antenna cable together with a circuit
board
- Automation circuit board (probably the Rockwell printed
board)
- A unit for microcontroller PIC1F4550
- G-Mobile Computer that is handheld
- Barcodes
- Toggle switch kit
This system will use the low-cost resources and make the
inventory management process automated through the use of
wireless infrared signals. The signals will involve a manual
check but the automation will be still in place (Ismail, S.,
2010). Manual check, in this case, will be to double-check the
system and ensure the automation process is on track. In
addition, automation in the inventory process may experience a
lag and so there is the need to check the process manually in
case automation may be outdated and put it in order. The
customers may be disappointed and make the services offered
look bad if these lags are not rectified in time.
3. System working principles and maintenance
The proposed system will have a configuration (at least one)
that contain total stock items and a platform that is configured
to support this bin of item plurality. In addition, there will be a
wireless circuit designed for each configured platform and a
wireless reader gadget along the system. The wireless reader
will also have a microcontroller unit to perform the required
logic and will be configured to read the wireless signals for
individual items after the printed circuit board has been set up.
The printed circuit board will also be created in a way that it
will include a configured switch that complete the circuit board
automatically. A sensor will also be attached to a switch to
make it either active or inactive depending on the preference.
The circuit will, therefore, transmit a RFID signal. The
importance of this automated system is that the wireless nature
of the circuits makes the system portable and can be handheld.
Tracking the inventory
Maintaining the stock and the system will be an automatic
method that involves the provision of storage bin plurality and
then providing a platform for the bins developed. The platform
is just a wireless circuit that has a printed circuit board, a
sensor configured for each platform switch and a switch that is
designed in a way to selectively complete the circuit platform
(Smith, J., and Tan, B., 2013).
Automatically maintaining the stock will involve the use of a
wireless reader gadget that comprises at least one
microprocessor unit which is configured to accept the signals
from the circuit processing board and process the bin level data
associated with each platform. The scanner device will then
retransmit the wireless signal into the personal computer in the
form of electrical signals (Gaither, N., 2002). This will create
generate an input for the inventory software that will be
distributed to all the nodes of the computer network of the
business. The information can then be arranged in a particular
order by further using software called database management
4. system or DBMS. This will facilitate the storage and access of
different information related to the inventory of the business.
Cost
The costs of establishing and deploying these systems vary
widely depending on the size of the business and amount of
information to be processed. Basically, the system deployment
cost ranges from few dollars to thousands of dollars. The system
also comes with numerous features that make the costs vary
even more. However, for this business, keeping the system
simple will and yet functional will improve the returns greatly.
To further develop a specific budget for this system, the costs
can be broken down into individual system components as
follows;
Item/Device/Component/subsystem
Amount
Wireless antennas wires and a wireless breadboard
$35.00
Automation printed board (Rockwell)
$8.00
One microcontroller subsystem
$5.95
G-Mobile Computer that is handheld
$2000.00
Remote Toggle switch unit with IR sensor ability
$20.00
A personal computer
IT is already available
700 bar codes that are size 4inches by 2 inches
$45.00
TOTAL
$2113.95
System maintenance
The system also need to be maintained by ensuring all the
automated sensors are up to task and the calibrations on the
5. toggles switches are clear. The sections with the bins for
keeping the inventory will also need to be checked on a regular
basis and ensure that the items are arranges neatly.
Additionally, the items should be arranged in a correct order so
that the system can be able to track it conveniently. This is
because having a poor organization of the items in the bins will
give a wrong impression of the height to the system and the
system will in turn recommend more ordering even if the items
were enough (Smith, J. and Tan, B., 2013). The following
diagram shows the flow of activities from one subsystem to
another in an automated inventory management process;
References
Gaither, N. and Frazier, G. (2002). Operations management.
Australia: South-Western/Thomson Learning.
Ismail, S. (2010). A New Automated Sample Transfer System
for Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. Journal of
Automated Methods and Management in Chemistry, 2010,
pp.1-8.
Quintero, C. and Kariv, I. (2009). Design and Implementation of
an Automated Compound Management System in
Support of Lead Optimization. Journal of Biomolecular
Screening, 14(5), pp.499-508.
Smith, J. and Tan, B. (2013). Handbook of stochastic models
and analysis of manufacturing system operations. New York,
NY: Springer.
· Teacher comment on why I did not get full grades please keep
this in mind.
Feedback to Learner 1/22/17 7:19 PM
I’ve never been a cashier, but it seems to me that we’d want:
UPC scanner.
Computer.
Point of sale software system that can work with a cash drawer,
credit card processing or bar code reader to make the POS
software system automated. It should maintain inventory
database and automatically reorder items.
Connectivity to suppliers via the internet.
6. 1. Describe all the necessary equipment. (5 points) – POS
software, Credit card reader, Internet connectivity?
2. Explain the costs involved in the creation of the system. (10
points) – POS software, Credit card reader, connectivity costs?
3. Describe the ongoing maintenance that will be required. (15
points) – software / hardware / security / connectivity / scanner
/ printer?
4. Provide a workflow diagram to illustrate how the system will
work. (30 points) – Should depict customer purchase to restock
process flow using the system’s components (i.e. scanner, POS
software/computer, Internet). How does the reorder
automatically take place and credit card info get transmitted?
5. Clarity and writing mechanics. (10 points) – good.
Unacceptable
Below 60% F
Meets Minimum Expectations
60-69% D
Fair
70-79% C
Proficient
80-89% B
Exemplary
90-100% A
CIS210-A1-1
1. Describe all the necessary equipment.
Points:
Points Range: 0 (0%) - 5.9 (5.9%)
Did not submit or incompletely described all the necessary
7. equipment.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 6 (6%) - 6.9 (6.9%)
Insufficiently described all the necessary equipment.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 7 (7%) - 7.9 (7.9%)
Partially described all the necessary equipment.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 8 (8%) - 8.9 (8.9%)
Satisfactorily described all the necessary equipment.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 9 (9%) - 10 (10%)
Thoroughly described all the necessary equipment.
Feedback:
CIS210-A1-2
2. Explain the costs involved in the creation of the system.
Points:
Points Range: 0 (0%) - 11.8 (11.8%)
Did not submit or incompletely explained the costs involved in
the creation of the system.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 12 (12%) - 13.8 (13.8%)
Insufficiently explained the costs involved in the creation of the
system.
Feedback:
8. Points:
Points Range: 14 (14%) - 15.8 (15.8%)
Partially explained the costs involved in the creation of the
system.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 16 (16%) - 17.8 (17.8%)
Satisfactorily explained the costs involved in the creation of the
system.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 18 (18%) - 20 (20%)
Thoroughly explained the costs involved in the creation of the
system.
Feedback:
CIS210-A1-3
3. Describe the ongoing maintenance that will be required.
Points:
Points Range: 0 (0%) - 11.8 (11.8%)
Did not submit or incompletely described the ongoing
maintenance that will be required.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 12 (12%) - 13.8 (13.8%)
Insufficiently described the ongoing maintenance that will be
required.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 14 (14%) - 15.8 (15.8%)
Partially described the ongoing maintenance that will be
9. required.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 16 (16%) - 17.8 (17.8%)
Satisfactorily described the ongoing maintenance that will be
required.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 18 (18%) - 20 (20%)
Thoroughly described the ongoing maintenance that will be
required.
Feedback:
CIS210-A1-4
4. Provide a workflow diagram to illustrate how the system will
work.
Points:
Points Range: 0 (0%) - 23.6 (23.6%)
Did not submit or incompletely provided a workflow diagram to
illustrate how the system will work.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 24 (24%) - 27.6 (27.6%)
Insufficiently provided a workflow diagram to illustrate how the
system will work.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 28 (28%) - 31.6 (31.6%)
Partially provided a workflow diagram to illustrate how the
system will work.
Feedback:
Points:
10. Points Range: 32 (32%) - 35.6 (35.6%)
Satisfactorily provided a workflow diagram to illustrate how the
system will work.
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 36 (36%) - 40 (40%)
Thoroughly provided a workflow diagram to illustrate how the
system will work.
Feedback:
CIS210-A1-5
5. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements.
Points:
Points Range: 0 (0%) - 5.9 (5.9%)
More than 8 errors present
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 6 (6%) - 6.9 (6.9%)
7-8 errors present
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 7 (7%) - 7.9 (7.9%)
5-6 errors present
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 8 (8%) - 8.9 (8.9%)
3-4 errors present
Feedback:
Points:
Points Range: 9 (9%) - 10 (10%)
