Process Path - Business Capabilities

Overview

The Process Path bounded context provides intelligent routing and orchestration of shipments through multiple fulfillment pathways. It optimizes throughput, manages capacity constraints, and ensures SLA compliance across Singles, AFE, and Batch/Flow processing paths.

Business Capabilities

1. Intelligent Path Routing

Service: process-path-routing-service

Purpose: Assign shipments to optimal fulfillment paths based on multi-factor analysis.

Capabilities

Scoring Algorithm

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Path Score = (100 - utilization%) × 0.4 +
             buffer_availability × 0.3 +
             labor_availability × 0.2 +
             path_affinity × 0.1

Path Types

2. Real-Time Capacity Management

Service: process-path-orchestration-service

Purpose: Monitor and manage path utilization to prevent bottlenecks.

Capabilities

Capacity States

stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> NORMAL

    NORMAL --> CONSTRAINED: utilization >= 80%
    CONSTRAINED --> CRITICAL: utilization >= 95%
    CONSTRAINED --> NORMAL: utilization < 80%
    CRITICAL --> CONSTRAINED: utilization < 95%

    NORMAL: Accepting all work (0-79%)
    CONSTRAINED: Begin load balancing (80-94%)
    CRITICAL: Stop routing (95-100%)

Thresholds

3. Workload Balancing

Service: process-path-orchestration-service

Purpose: Optimize work distribution across paths to maximize throughput.

Capabilities

Rebalancing Triggers

• Path utilization imbalance > 20%
• Single path approaching CRITICAL state
• Surge event detected
• Station count changes
• Labor availability changes

4. Surge Detection and Mitigation

Service: process-path-orchestration-service

Purpose: Detect and respond to volume spikes and anomalies.

Surge Levels

Mitigation Actions

• Activate reserve stations
• Extend operating hours
• Deploy contingency paths
• Escalate to management
• Notify labor management
• Trigger overtime authorization

5. SLA Priority Management

Service: process-path-orchestration-service

Purpose: Ensure orders meet service level commitments through priority-based processing.

Priority Classifications

stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> GREEN

    GREEN --> YELLOW: time_to_cutoff <= 60min
    YELLOW --> RED: time_to_cutoff <= 30min
    RED --> BREACH: incomplete & < 15min

    GREEN: Standard Processing (>60 min)
    YELLOW: Monitor Closely (30-60 min)
    RED: Expedite & Escalate (<30 min)
    BREACH: Emergency Intervention (<15 min)

Priority Actions

6. AFE Path Management

Service: afe-path-service

Purpose: Manage automated fulfillment equipment workflows for multi-item orders.

Capabilities

AFE Workflow

sequenceDiagram
    participant ROUTING as Routing
    participant AFE as AFE Service
    participant SORTER as Sorter
    participant WALL as Rebin Wall
    participant SLAM as SLAM

    ROUTING->>AFE: PathAssignedEvent
    AFE->>AFE: Create batch
    AFE->>SORTER: Induct items
    SORTER->>WALL: Sort to chutes
    WALL->>WALL: Consolidate order
    WALL->>SLAM: RebinCompletedEvent

7. Singles Path Processing

Service: singles-path-service

Purpose: Direct pick-to-pack workflow for single-item orders (40-50% of volume).

Capabilities

Singles Workflow

sequenceDiagram
    participant ROUTING as Routing
    participant SINGLES as Singles Service
    participant PICKER as Picker
    participant PACKER as Packer
    participant SLAM as SLAM

    ROUTING->>SINGLES: PathAssignedEvent
    SINGLES->>PICKER: Assign pick
    PICKER->>PACKER: Item picked
    PACKER->>SLAM: SinglesPackCompletedEvent

8. Batch Flow Processing

Service: batch-flow-path-service

Purpose: Batch picking and put-wall consolidation for multi-item orders.

Capabilities

Batch Flow Workflow

sequenceDiagram
    participant ROUTING as Routing
    participant BATCH as Batch Service
    participant PICKER as Picker
    participant WALL as Put Wall
    participant SLAM as SLAM

    ROUTING->>BATCH: PathAssignedEvent
    BATCH->>PICKER: Assign batch
    PICKER->>WALL: Items picked
    WALL->>WALL: Sort to slots
    WALL->>SLAM: OrderConsolidatedEvent

9. SLAM Operations

Service: slam-operations-service

Purpose: Final quality gate (Scan, Label, Apply, Manifest) before shipping.

Capabilities

SLAM Workflow

sequenceDiagram
    participant PATH as Path Services
    participant SLAM as SLAM
    participant CARRIER as Carrier API
    participant SHIP as Transportation

    PATH->>SLAM: Packing completed
    SLAM->>SLAM: Scan package
    SLAM->>SLAM: Verify weight (ACW)
    SLAM->>CARRIER: Get label
    CARRIER-->>SLAM: Tracking number
    SLAM->>SLAM: Apply label
    SLAM->>SLAM: Add to manifest
    SLAM->>SHIP: SLAMCompletedEvent

Weight Verification Rules

Integration Points

Upstream (Inbound Events)

Downstream (Outbound Events)

Key Performance Indicators

Technology Stack

References

• Domain-Driven Design
• Integration Documentation
• Kafka Topology
• Process Path Events