Materialflussrechner
Also: MFR, Materialfluss-Rechner, Materialflusssteuerung, Material Flow Controller, MFC, Materialfluss Controller, Materialflußrechner
AI-generated
A material flow computer (MFC) is an IT system that controls conveyor and warehouse technology in real time by processing transport orders, calculating routes, and managing status messages.
Key facts
- A material flow computer controls conveyor and warehouse technology in real time, serving as the interface between the WMS and the PLC level.
- High system availability is critical, as an MFC failure can halt the entire automated material flow of a facility.
- Redundancy concepts such as hot-standby and defined recovery times are key evaluation criteria when selecting a vendor.
- MFCs can be designed as centralized or distributed systems – the appropriate architecture depends on facility size and fault tolerance requirements.
- The term material flow controller typically refers to a sub-component, not the overarching overall system.
What is a material flow computer?
A material flow computer (MFC) is a specialized software platform – often run on dedicated industrial-grade hardware – that coordinates the physical flow of materials within a logistics facility. It receives transport orders from a higher-level warehouse management system (WMS) or ERP, calculates optimal transport routes, activates transfer points such as switches, lifts, and sorters, and reports completed movements back to the requesting systems. In doing so, it acts as an intermediary: communicating upward with the WMS and control center, and downward with programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that drive the actual actuators.
How does an MFC work in practice?
Once an order arrives, the material flow computer breaks it down into individual transport steps and assigns each step to a conveyor segment or vehicle. In doing so, it accounts for occupancy, congestion, priorities, and system states in near real time. Barcode scanners or RFID readers along conveyor lines report identifications back, allowing the MFC to dynamically adjust routing decisions. In automated small-parts warehouses (AS/RS) or high-bay warehouses with stacker cranes, it additionally coordinates the travel commands of individual devices and ensures collision-free operations.
Typical functions include:
- Order and route management with prioritization
- Zone management and segment control along the conveyor line
- Error and fault management with automatic rerouting
- Data buffering during brief periods of WMS unavailability
- Logging of all movement data for analysis and fault diagnosis
What matters when selecting a system?
Availability requirements are typically very high, since an MFC failure immediately brings the entire conveyor system to a standstill. It is therefore critical to understand what redundancy concepts the vendor provides – such as hot-standby systems, where a second MFC takes over immediately – and what recovery times are contractually guaranteed. Updates and configuration changes should ideally be executable during live operation without requiring a full restart.
Architecturally, a distinction is made between centralized solutions, where a single MFC controls the entire facility, and distributed architectures with multiple communicating control nodes. Which option is the better fit depends on the size of the facility, the network topology, and the desired fault containment behavior – a blanket judgment is not possible here and should be evaluated across vendors. It is also worth noting the distinction from the term material flow controller: the latter often refers to a functional component within an MFC platform, not the overall system.
Related terms
- AKL
An Automated Small Parts Warehouse (AKL) is a fully mechanized storage system for bins, trays, or cartons that automates the goods-to-person process using aisle-captive storage and retrieval machines or shuttles.
- API
An API (Application Programming Interface) is a defined interface through which two software systems can exchange data in an automated and standardized way. In intralogistics, it connects systems such as WMS, ERP, or TMS with one another and with external services.
- Automatiklager
An automated warehouse is a fully or partially automated storage system in which the receipt, retrieval, transport and management of storage units are carried out without manual intervention, using conveyor technology, storage and retrieval machines, and a higher-level control software.
- Automatisches Kleinteilelager (AKL)
The Automated Small Parts Warehouse (AKL) is a fully automated storage system for totes, trays and small parts, in which storage and retrieval operations are performed without manual intervention by stacker cranes or shuttle systems.
- Automatisierung
Automation refers to the use of technologies and systems to execute processes fully or partially without human intervention. In intralogistics, the spectrum ranges from simple conveyor systems to fully automated high-bay warehouses with autonomous vehicles.
- BDE-System
A BDE system (operational data collection system) captures machine and manual process data in real time directly at the source – such as at machines, conveyor systems, or workstations.
- Barcodescanner
A barcode scanner is an optical reading device that captures printed barcodes and converts them into machine-readable data. It is used in intralogistics for the seamless identification of goods, load carriers, and storage locations.
- Bestandsführung
Inventory management refers to the system-supported administration and continuous updating of all warehouse and material stocks within a company. It forms the basis for planning, procurement and accounting – and ensures that the book inventory and physical inventory are in agreement at all times.
- Digital Warehouse
Digital Warehouse refers to a warehouse in which processes, systems and decisions are consistently data-driven and system-guided. Typical building blocks include a warehouse management system, real-time visibility, IoT sensors, mobile data capture and automated optimization logic.
- SPS
A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is an industrial computer that controls and monitors machines and systems in intralogistics through freely programmable logic. It forms the lowest automation level and communicates with sensors, actuators, and higher-level control systems.