Softeon showcases smart warehouse of the future capabilities

Softeon (Booth C7466), whose software spans warehouse management system (WMS), warehouse execution system (WES), as well as distributed order management (DOM) functionality, stressed the capabilities of its solution set to support a “smart, automated warehouse of the future” concept at Modex.

There are several capabilities needed to support a smart warehouse, but they center on having a WMS/WES platform which can dynamically orchestrate and optimize order fulfillment processes, even as conditions change throughout a day or shift, explained Dan Gilmore, chief marketing officer (CMO) for Softeon, during a Wednesday booth visit.

One key capability not found in traditional WMS, Gilmore says, is an “always-on” operation mode to proactively look for opportunities and bottlenecks during order release, while using that same intelligence layer to feed up dynamic metrics on how the warehouse is performing.

“Softeon is leading the way in delivering next generation smart warehouse capabilities today, ushering in a step-change in distribution center software functionality while maximizing materials system performance,” said Gilmore.

Other capabilities to look for to support a smart warehouse, added Gilmore, include granular, real-time visibility to throughput and bottlenecks by processing area, and automated order and pick release based on multiple attributes, including optimization opportunities, order priority, resource and inventory availability, carrier cut-off times and more. A dynamic rules engine supports this optimized order release, he added.

“It’s critically important that these optimized order and batch optimization capabilities are automated, meaning they don’t require human intervention,” Gilmore said.