Why should you consider a Warehouse Control System (WCS) for your distribution center? There are two different systems in the automated distribution center: hardware and software. Material-handling equipment —conveyors, sorters, ASRS, RF, pick-to-light, pick-to-voice, etc. —enabled many companies to increase throughput, reduce labor costs, and decrease order lead-times. Software systems, like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), achieve greater visibility over your operations, plan order processing, and manage inventory. These systems offer greater inventory accuracy, productivity, more on-time deliveries, and the ability to accommodate value-added services.
However, while material-handling equipment and software systems can independently deliver considerable benefits, they are often unable to communicate effectively with each other. Just as an orchestra is a collection of different instruments that have different capabilities, so also do the technologies in your distribution center. In an orchestra, for example, there is a cello section, a brass section, a percussion section and a contra bass section. In a material-handling system, there may be conveyors, mini-load systems, carousels, ASRS- and pick-to-voice systems. Something has to get the concert of technologies to play together to efficiently process orders. To address this issue, many companies are now turning to the Warehouse Control System (WCS).
A WCS bridges the gap between corporate software applications that plan the daily workload (ERP and WMS) and the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and PCs that control the material handling equipment. The WMS plans the various tasks for order fulfillment, whereas the WCS is responsible for efficient execution of these tasks.
A WCS helps improve efficiency by providing you with the information to manage your systems, and the tools necessary to make changes to equipment, staffing, and operational procedures. You will find that a WCS will quickly pay for itself by reducing your cost-per-order. More advanced warehouse control systems can also include functionality typically found in warehouse management systems, such as order management, inventory control, order verification, and shipping.
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