Synergy Releases Orchestration Software Designed for Warehouse Automation

Warehouse management software, or WMS, maker Synergy has released a new product designed to help its customers orchestrate all their automation and robotic systems within a warehouse using one centralized platform.

The company has named the software SnapControl, and noted that one of its customers has already been using it at its distribution center. Using the software, the customer has been able to better control its AMRs and automated packaging systems. Synergy noted that installing the software took several weeks and required no “major software upheavals.”

"As businesses adopt new technologies and automation to mitigate labor challenges and make warehouses more efficient and productive, the ability to rapidly integrate and operate these investments is critical,” said Synergy Group CEO Rich Pirrotta.

SnapControl integrates with a variety of warehouse management systems. Source: Synergy

Orchestration increases productivity

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, the company said.

It connects to devices including RF, AMRs, conveyors, palletizers, putwalls, automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS,) etc, plus in any possible transport method (API, CSV, etc,). If one type stops working, you can switch over to another device quickly and in real-time, the company said.

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.

Warehouses with multiple autonomous systems could see benefits

The company explained that its the ideal solution for mixed portfolios and multiple vendors offering both AMRs and other autonomous/manual systems.

Synergy also makes SnapFulfil, which it describes as a real time WMS used by both B2C and B2B customers in the manufacturing, food and beverage, and electronics and medical supply industries.

The company said SnapControl works hand-in-hand with SnapFulfil and any other incumbent WMS, OMS or e-commerce front-end system–both in the cloud or locally.

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.

“Single point integrations prolong onboarding time, slow growth, and often operate within ineffective and separate silos,” Pirrotta said. “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.”