Subscribe

Tag: SnapControl

Optimizing the Expansion of Automation

Posted on by David Priestman

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.

Read more

SnapControl – Warehouse Automation Connectivity

 

Synergy Logistics’ new Head of EMEA Sales

Posted on by David Priestman

Warehouse technology innovator Synergy Logistics has appointed a highly experienced business performance lead as it looks to scale up on expansion, growth and drive change. Chris White joins as Head of Sales for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) with a dual remit of further improving client engagement and advancing the commercial arm of the business.

White has over 25 years of experience in large-scale operations, having worked with companies like Hewlett Packard, Pitney Bowes, and DHL Express. He has held senior positions in IT, supply chain, warehousing, and distribution. In his previous role as a Director for the SaaS Enterprise Division of Parcel2Go, a leading player in the fulfilment market, he achieved a growth of 300% in just seven years. As a result, the Enterprise Division now accounts for 60% of the Group’s overall business and their portfolio has expanded from three to thirty different organizations.

White, who began his career playing professional football for 14 years at Portsmouth FC, Peterborough United and Exeter City, stated: “I am thrilled to be a part of Synergy – a company that is as flexible, agile and adaptable as its software solutions. The products they offer make a real, tangible difference and I am excited to contribute to the positive trajectory of the business.

“I’ll also be working very closely with Synergy’s EMEA CEO, Tony Dobson, who has unrivalled contacts and experience within the industry and continued passion for technological advancement. I can contribute additional expertise in building strong partnerships and delivering enterprise level value.”

To bolster Synergy’s ambitious growth plans, he will be supported by Kirsten-Reece Tarpey, who has been promoted to Business Development Manager, and Dan Moss in his new role as Commercial & Operations Manager.

Synergy Logistics is a leading innovator in warehouse management technology, powering warehousing operations globally for over 50 years. Synergy’s cloud-based warehouse management system (WMS), SnapFulfil, delivers cutting edge technology and rapid return on investment using a proprietary and highly configurable workflow rules engine. With flexibility at its core, SnapFulfil is quick and easy to implement and can swiftly adapt to meet evolving fulfillment demands that ultimately improves warehouse efficiency. Synergy’s latest breakthrough technology, the award-winning SnapControl, is a multi-agent orchestration platform (MAO) that provides a device agnostic, unified approach to automation. SnapControl provides seamless and efficient orchestration of all warehouse devices and robots, with a low total cost of ownership and rapid time to value.

Multi-agent Orchestration Software is Game Changer

Posted on by David Priestman

Synergy Logistics, an innovator in warehouse technology, is reporting remarkable results with its ground-breaking multi-agent orchestration platform (MAO), SnapControl. This software solution empowers warehouses to achieve seamless and efficient control over all automation devices and robots within their distribution centres (DCs).

SnapControl stands out as a game changer because it enables comprehensive data capture, allowing businesses to assess the operational value generated by each device in real time. This data-driven approach empowers decision-making, ensuring optimum performance and efficiency. The software’s first deployment, in collaboration with a rapidly expanding U.S. online retailer, demonstrated the transformative capabilities of SnapControl.

By analysing data from this breakthrough installation, SnapControl was able to optimise the allocation of tasks between human and automated resources. It determined the quality of manual versus automated pick tasks and identified the manual picks required in areas serviced by Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). As a result, the operation achieved a sixfold increase in productivity.

This translated into a return on investment (ROI) in automated resources, amounting 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. Out of over 40,000 stock picks, more than 24,000 were automated tasks — equivalent to 61% of the workload — seamlessly controlled by SnapControl. This automation has significantly alleviated the workload of the existing warehouse staff.

Smitha Raphael, Chief Product & Delivery Officer for Synergy Logistics, explained the software’s swift deployment: “We deployed both the SnapFulfil and SnapControl solutions in under 60 days to manage allocation of work to AMRs and routing of work to carton right-sizing equipment without major software upheavals.”

She added: “The real added value is the complete data picture it brings, which can facilitate tangible labour savings, accurate asset management decisions, and rapid time to value. With this customer, for example, if a robot battery is dead, SnapControl tells them instantly and automatically reassigns the task to a worker with an RF scanner, so there is no downtime.”

In addition to achieving full operational status for their new 300,000 sq. ft. warehouse within one week of going live, the company’s receiving, inventory, and shipping processes were also fully operational immediately. This allowed the operation to swiftly pivot and focus on new initiatives, maintaining agility in response to evolving market demands.

SnapControl seamlessly integrates with the warehouse management system (WMS) SnapFulfil and is compatible with any other incumbent WMS, Order Management System (OMS), or e-commerce front-end system, whether in the cloud or locally. This versatility allows SnapControl to orchestrate the prioritisation of work, automatically allocate tasks and workflows, and evaluate which devices are best suited for specific operations.

SnapControl’s comprehensive capabilities position it as a pivotal tool in the realm of distribution centre automation. By interpreting bi-directional communication between machines and advanced WMS, SnapControl facilitates efficient, automated decision-making—a critical component of the second wave of automation recognized by leading industry analysts. This approach deviates from the mass adoption of robots and focuses on targeted automation, enabling productivity improvements as robot fleets expand from multiple vendors and diversified portfolios.

SnapControl – Warehouse Automation Connectivity

Posted on by David Priestman

Synergy, the experts behind cloud-based WMS software SnapFulfil, have unveiled a breakthrough tech solution that orchestrates all automation devices and robotic systems within the warehouse from one centralized and convenient platform. As a multiagent, rather than just a point solution, SnapControl brings a more uniform approach to automation, which also makes this pioneering orchestration platform completely device and technology agnostic.

Synergy has successfully delivered the solution in an expanding customer DC, featuring AMRs and automated packaging systems, where SnapControl was deployed in just weeks, without major software upheavals. This deployment is the first of many as more businesses explore the need for many different types of automation in their warehouses.

Rich Pirrotta, Group CEO said: “As businesses adopt new technologies and automation to mitigate labour challenges and make warehouses more efficient and productive, the ability to rapidly integrate and operate these investments is critical. Synergy is one of the very few WMS providers with an integrated, holistic and high value solution that can be deployed quickly, cost effectively and with minimum disruption.”

SnapControl orchestrates the prioritization of work, automatically allocates tasks and workflows, evaluates which robotic devices best match specific operations, and enables data capture to assess the value each device yields – all with a low total cost of ownership and rapid time to value. Equally, it connects to all types of devices, including RF, AMRs, Conveyors, Palletizers, Putwalls, ASRS, etc, plus in any possible transport method (API, CSV, etc,) – and if one type stops working, you can switch over to another device quickly and in real-time. SnapControl uniquely promotes bi-directional MQTT (MQ Telemetry Transport) messaging and conversational decision-making between the WMS and remote warehouse devices, which typically have a small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth.

“In other words, SnapControl speaks to the devices and the devices talk back, enabling the most efficient warehouse decisions to be made automatically,” explained Pirrotta.

Consequently, it’s an ideal solution for mixed portfolio and multiple vendors offering both AMRs and other autonomous/manual systems, plus it works hand in hand with SnapFulfil and any other incumbent WMS, OMS or e-commerce front end system – both in the cloud or locally. This latest technological differentiator from Synergy facilitates a much more efficient and adaptable warehouse that accelerates integration and gives customers the freedom to choose automation and robotic devices that best fit specific operational needs and can futureproof the business and workforce needs. Additional benefits due to the power of SnapFulfil’s Tier 1 WMS rules engine functionality include the capacity to make adjustments for expiry dates and traceability, create buffers for delaying tasks and manage exceptions without downtime.

Pirrotta concludes: “Single point integrations prolong onboarding time, slow growth and often operate within ineffective and separate silos. In today’s especially challenging times the ability to rapidly augment and orchestrate your technology investments, without unnecessary service fees, has never been more important. It’s now mission critical to harness control with 24/7 visibility from one centralized system.”

To download a free handy guide explaining multiagent orchestration and its many benefits visit here.

Subscribe

Get notified about New Episodes of our Podcast, New Magazine Issues and stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter.