enVista last week launched its intelligent, cloud-based warehouse execution system, enMotion WES+, the newest addition to its enMotion software suite. The company said it built the platform for rapidly evolving automated warehouses.
enMotion WES+ delivers real-time orchestration and integration of third-party warehouse management systems (WMS), warehouse control systems (WCS), and robots and automation, said enVista. Using machine learning and predictive analytics, the WES manages, plans, and schedules how work gets done and what resources are required to ensure that customers’ orders meet service-level agreements (SLAs).
“With enMotion WES+, we’re expanding on our enMotion WCS solution by intelligently modeling every workflow and subsystem in automated warehouses,” stated enVista CEO Jim Barnes. “When we asked 20 of our customers that run highly automated distribution centers how they plan and schedule work to ensure that their SLAs are met, the majority of them didn’t have a way to schedule their work or ensure they were on plan without running a lot of reports and manually reassigning tasks.”
enMotion designed for real-time management
enMotion WES+ can make real-time adjustments to warehouse workflows based on time, throughput, resource capacity, and customer service levels. It works hand in hand with the modern WMS to dynamically orchestrate tasks across warehouse resources, claimed enVista.
The new software also decouples work from traditional wave management rules to meet SLAs using data inputs from a wide variety of field devices and material handling equipment, according to the company.
“enMotion WES+ takes the concept of manufacturing execution systems and advanced planning and scheduling and applies it to warehousing and distribution,” Barnes continued. “Think of it like Google or Apple Maps for your warehouse. It defines the route the order needs to take through the warehouse, the capacity or throughput of every resource and what time the route needs to be finished.” “
“The system tracks order flow in real time, changing the order route or adding resources to the workflow if the SLA is at risk,” he said. “This proactive exception management eliminates idle time and the feast-or-famine cycles often caused by traditional wave-based systems by continuously monitoring resources and dynamically assigning work to keep everything moving.”
enVista promises compatibility
enMotion WES+ works with all automated systems, including conveyors, sorters, AMRs, AGVs, goods-to-person, rack-to-person, and shuttles, said enVista.
The software’s microservice-based architecture allows users to design, modify, and optimize warehouse workflows. Users can do this from induction to outbound, in real time, and without disrupting operations.
Carmel, Ind.-based enVista provides supply chain technology consulting services, material handling automation, Microsoft systems, and IT managed services. The company said it has more than 20 years of domain expertise and serves thousands of leading brands.