Replenishment Plan Creation Using Weather Forecast Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inventory management systems fail to prevent consumables from going out of stock due to unforeseen weather conditions, which can lead to postponed replenishment and stock shortages in production facilities.
Innovation Solution
A computer-based replenishment plan creation method that estimates the expected date of receipt by considering the remaining amount of consumables, weather forecasts for supplier and destination areas, and storage container limits, thereby formulating a replenishment plan to avoid stockouts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If replenishment is scheduled based on remaining amount alone, then ordering simplicity is maintained, but stockouts occur due to weather-induced delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by forecasting weather conditions before replenishment delivery and pre-calculating alternative delivery dates. When adverse weather is predicted, the system proactively reschedules delivery in advance rather than reacting after the consumable runs out, preventing stockouts before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
Weather forecast information serves as an intermediary factor between the remaining amount detection and the replenishment ordering decision. The system integrates weather data as a mediating element that influences the timing and scheduling of replenishment, bridging the gap between simple stock monitoring and reliable delivery assurance.
2Reliability
If weather forecast integration is added to replenishment planning, then delivery reliability improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The replenishment plan creation system performs multiple functions: it detects remaining amounts, forecasts weather conditions, calculates alternative delivery dates, and generates comprehensive replenishment plans. By integrating these diverse functions into a single universal system, the patent avoids the need for separate specialized systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges weather forecast acquisition, remaining amount detection, and delivery date calculation into a single integrated replenishment planning process. This consolidation combines multiple previously separate operations into one unified system that handles all aspects of replenishment scheduling simultaneously.
3Reliability
If alternative delivery dates are calculated based on weather, then stockout prevention improves, but calculation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates alternative delivery dates in advance by forecasting weather conditions before the scheduled delivery date. By performing this calculation preliminarily rather than waiting for weather issues to arise, the system prepares backup plans ahead of time, reducing the time needed when actual delivery scheduling is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system calculates alternative delivery dates for multiple potential scenarios in advance, computing more alternative dates than may ultimately be needed. This excessive calculation ensures that suitable alternative dates are already prepared and available, eliminating the need for time-consuming calculations when actual delivery scheduling occurs.
Data Source
AI summary
A replenishment plan creation method to be executed by a computer includes: estimating an expected date of receipt, by using a remaining amount of a consumable stored in a storage container, weather forecast information of areas where one or more suppliers of the consumable are and an area where a supply destination of the consumable is, and an upper limit value of a storage amount of the storage container, the expected date of receipt being a date on which replenishment of the consumable is to be received; andoutputting replenishment plan information including the estimated expected date of receipt.