Released on: September 10, 2008, 8:35 am

Press Release Author: Thomas R. Cutler

Industry: Software

Press Release Summary: WMS Limitations Best Overcome by WCS Solutions

Press Release Body: Kevin Tedford recently pointed out some of the limitations of a
WMS suggesting, “Many warehouse management systems communicate with material
handling equipment such as Pick-to-Light (PTL), conveyors, A-Frame, Print and Apply,
etc. In most cases, the WMS is interfaced directly to those pieces of equipment. The
limitation of the WMS is that it doesn’t link all of those areas of automation
together. The WMS can download data to the PTL or A-Frames, telling them what picks
are required from that area, but it lacks the ability to orchestrate the flow of
material through the warehouse. It is safe to say that anyone that’s been in a high
volume facility understands that the ebb and flow of material doesn’t go smoothly.
Therefore, if you have one section of the warehouse controlled by a material
handling subsystem running at a certain rate, and another area running at a
different rate, you’ve created an imbalance.”


Kevin Tedford is a seasoned industry veteran with over thirty years experience in
distribution. His worldwide experience includes Red Prairie (formerly McHugh
Software International) where he was one of the original partners, and Forte
Industries where he served as Vice President of Technical Operations. In 2005, he
founded KT Consulting, LLC. During his career, he has helped companies achieve
distribution related operational efficiency and productivity goals through the
appropriate use of material handling automation equipment, information systems and
business process improvements. Recently QC Software, the leading WCS (warehouse
control system) provider published Tedford’s response to some of the key roles of a
WCS. According to Tedford, “If you have a small warehouse, it’s possible to keep
manual records or a spreadsheet, one’s own memory can usually suffice or you can ask
a fellow employee where the product is stored. But as the size of your operation and
facility expands, those methods are insufficient and fail miserably. WMS, (warehouse
management systems) in general, are deployed in facilities to address the inventory
control problem when a facility grows. The primary purpose of warehouse management
software is to control the movement and storage of materials and process the
associated transactions, including shipping, receiving, putaway, picking, cycle
counting, etc.”

Tedford explained the difference between a Warehouse Control System (WCS) and
Warehouse Management System (WMS) noting, “They may sound the same, but they perform
very different functions in the warehouse. Think of the WCS as bridging the gap
between corporate software applications such as ERP and WMS Host systems, and the
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) and/or PC-based cell controllers that control
the material handling equipment.”


Tedford believes a WCS help address the imbalance because, “Warehouse Control
Systems were designed to control the warehouse floor and islands of automation. They
provide the capability to route products, and regulate the workflow between areas of
automation. They provide real-time information directly to management to enable them
to take the necessary action in an environment that’s never constant. The mix of
orders in a warehouse on any given day can vary consider ably. The warehouse manager
needs to move people from one area to another to handle the ‘hot spots’. The WCS
provides management with the visibility and the tools to manage the systems and the
people by deploying them in the most effective manner—to get the right product out
the door, at the right time in an uninterrupted, steady flow.”
QC Software is the leading provider of Tier 1 warehouse control systems to the
warehousing and distribution industries. Since 1996, QC Software, utilizing state
of the art technology combined with extensive research, development, and rigorous
testing, has developed the QC Enterprise suite of products. Designed to be modular
in nature, easily configurable, and platform independent, this highly scalable
solution satisfies the needs of any size warehouse.

QC Software, Inc.
www.qcsoftware.com
Jerry List
JerryList@qcsoftware.com
(513) 469-1424


Web Site: http://www.qcsoftware.com

Contact Details: QC Software
11800 Conrey Rd.
Suite 150
Cincinnati, OH 45249
513-469-1424