Optimizing the Expansion of Automation
5th March 2024
As warehouse logistics become increasingly automated with a mixed portfolio of devices, robots and systems, the need to connect and orchestrate the various solutions is ever more urgent.
Consequently, the very latest multi-agent orchestration (MAO) technology, SnapControl, will be one of the main features at this year’s MODEX 2024 – at booth #A12509.
Developed by warehouse management technology innovator, Synergy Logistics, SnapControl offers a device-agnostic and unified approach to automation, seamlessly connecting all warehouse devices and robots in real time. It is suitable for both new (greenfield) and existing (brownfield) automated portfolios.
Synergy Logistics’ Chief Product & Delivery Officer, Smitha Raphael, said: “We are excited to have the opportunity to highlight SnapControl to visitors at this year’s MODEX event. By uniquely interpreting bi-directional communication between machines and advanced WMS, SnapControl facilitates efficient and accurate decision-making, which are critical components of the second wave of automation recognized by leading industry analysts.”
Multi-agent orchestration
The virtues of SnapControl have already been tested rigorously by a rapidly expanding US online retailer, resulting in a sixfold increase in productivity over the first few months of implementation. Having invested in a new 300,000 sq. ft warehouse, featuring automated mobile robots (AMRs), carton right-sizing equipment, and automated packaging systems, the retailer required a MAO that could generate real-time data and make smart decisions from those integrations, with little or no human involvement.
For this e-tailer, the return on investment (ROI) in automated resources has amounted to labour savings of over half a million dollars. On average, the company now saves over $40,000 per week, with an impressive investment payback period of just 23 weeks.
Raphael added: “Not all MAOs are the same, because while most providers can integrate with a host of software and robotics vendors, a simple connection is as far as it goes. A true MAO platform, such as SnapControl, is the conductor of the orchestra. It provides the why and where, while connecting and controlling all devices at once, for a complete 360-degree picture of your operation.”
Raphael and her colleagues are also offering practical 30-minute demonstrations at Booth #A12509 of the highly flexible and award-winning SnapFulfil WMS – showcasing how it can be changed or modified in minutes without custom code for quick and easy implementation and a rapid response to evolving fulfillment demands.
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