Application of Web Based Technology to Improve Supply Chain!

Web based technology

Web based technology supports the logistics of operations, internal or production. Logistics can be understood as that activity that is responsible for the movement and storage of materials, components and intermediate products throughout the production process, in order to allow the fulfillment of objectives of continuity, order and cadence of the production function.

Since the appearance of the first computers, information systems have been introduced in companies as a powerful tool to optimize and improve their management. Such introduction of information systems was progressive, evolving according to its area of ​​application in the company and the existing technology at all times.

With the advancement of technology, the logistics process has been automated and accelerated as well. Supply chain management can now be reinforced with vendor portals that consolidate information on interaction with all vendors, allow easily navigating through the vast volumes of data, tracking market trends in a click, building a vendor rating system, and more. 

Explore some of the trending applications of a web based technology and in step software that can be integrated with vendor portals to further improve the efficiency of supply chain management. 

The Spread of Big Data in Logistics

One of the main applications of technology in the supply chain is big data. The term refers to a large amount of data, structured or not, that is generated at all times. From them, with a deep analysis work, it is possible to obtain strategic answers. Its use makes it possible to deal with information on a large scale and transform it into precise numbers capable of generating improvements.

With this data, managers can better understand the company’s results and all the metrics that their activities generate. From this information it is possible to perceive trends, possibilities for improvement and point out the main weaknesses of the company’s logistics. These insights provide more clarity in decision making. As a result, the supply chain wins in development.

The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things is the field of technology in which products, devices, tools and any other mechanism connect to the internet to exchange information. When applied to logistics, this term changes and changes to Industry Internet of Things (IIOT), that is, it focuses on the industry.

The application takes place in different ways, for example, in smart containers. The technology allows for complete tracking. Thus, the control of the geographical position provides the exact location. The same is done with trucks and other cargo of different types.

Another efficient application happens in the products themselves, through the use of smart tags with RFID technology. With just one reading it is possible to detect where the stock is located, the entry date and any other relevant data. In this case, the proposal is to have a complete database, which allows logistical management with precision.

Wearables

Or wearable technologies, are resources that have gained ground in the application to the supply chain. They favor the performance of several activities in less time, ensuring the necessary dynamism in the logistics processes. Among some of the features are smart watches and glasses. They are equipment literally used by employees.

This reduces communication time and facilitates operations. Its use can occur both within stocks, while the employee is working on some demand, such as the use of exoskeletons to decrease physical efforts, and in the streets, at the time of delivery. Agility in communication is fundamental in the face of some mechanical problem. Exchanging information quickly allows for an equally dynamic solution.

Cloud Computing and Storage

Already very inherent in everyday life, cloud technology is present in several resources. The biggest news is fog computing. Its proposal is to decentralize the data in comparison to the cloud, allowing the information to be transmitted more quickly to an intermediate layer, before the cloud itself.

This allows the registration of information to happen more quickly, regardless of the location. Thus, the logistical data is easily updated. Transmission in the supply chain happens in less time and with less error rate.

The use of web based technology is seen as very important to improve supply chain performance and this is seen as the future in the industrial world.

Web based technology article and permission to publish here provide by Simcha Michael. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on August 27, 2020.