Posts Tagged ‘Control’
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.
Manufacturing journalist TR Cutler, profiled QC Software in a recent issue of Industry 2.0. The full feature can be read at http://trcutlerinc.com/Cutler%20Speak%20-%20Nov06.pdf.
Experiencing exponential growth, Arbonne, a leading cosmetic distributor, needed to re-engineer its distribution operations. Arbonne achieved this by implementing a third picking line that was fully automated, enabling them to double their output. A major component of this new system was QC Enterprise, by Cincinnati-based QC Software, Inc. (www.qcsoftware.com). QC Enterprise is a warehouse control system, which communicates in real-time with the host WMS as well as the material handling hardware. It manages the entire conveyor routing process and the operational aspect of the picking and shipping (order fulfillment) functions within the distribution center.
The QC OMS (Order Management System) module allows Arbonne to pick orders directly into shipping cartons
Utilizing cartonization logic. This ensures that each carton is not over packed based on product dimensions and weight. When the orders are downloaded to QC Enterprise, the volume and weight of the items are calculated, with a ‘dunnage’ factor for packing materials, and suggests the proper size carton for the order. Also, if it is determined that the order is comprised of more than one carton, QC Enterprise will allocate SKUs in such a way to minimize the route cartons must travel and avoid multiple cartons being diverted into the same pick zones.
Other inefficiencies of the ‘pick and pass’ process were overcome by implementing zone skipping. Cartons traveling on an automated conveyor are now routed only to the required pick zones, decreasing the actual throughput time and drastically reducing the number of times a carton is touched throughout the picking process. “Imagine driving down the road and stopping at every exit, even though it’s not your exit, just because it’s there. That’s what zone skipping prevents,” according to Tom Verzi, vice-president of QC Software.
Modifications to the shipping process were also put into place. This included automatic printing of packing documents and the implementation of QC SMS (shipment management systems) powered by ConnectShip (a UPS product) providing a single server, multi-carrier shipping system. Further streamlining the process involved installing ‘print and apply’ technology which automated the printing of shipping labels and applying them directly to the shipping carton. This eliminated the need for manual shipping stations.
The solutions provided by QC Software (www.qcsoftware.com) enables companies to streamline their warehouse operations with the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry ensuring increased corporate profitability. With a commitment to total customer satisfaction QC Software is the obvious choice for warehouse control, order management, and inventory management needs.
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.
ConnectShip’s goal is to make shipping management as easy as possible. Distributors who ship product via the world’s system of small package carriers are able to utilize a product line to ship efficiently including:
• ConnectShip Warehouse – A shipping management application designed for companies with mid to high volume shipping needs; ConnectShip Warehouse provides reliable and efficient small parcel and LTL shipment manifesting for distribution operations.
• ConnectShip Advisor – A shipment rating application designed to assist shippers with carrier/service selection decisions. ConnectShip Advisor provides comprehensive shipping advice and allows integration with order management, ERP and other backend systems.
• ConnectShip ChainLink – A suite of browser-based applications that support shipping functions throughout the enterprise, ConnectShip ChainLink includes shipping applications to support desktop shipping requests, customer service inquiries, and small parcel and LTL shipment manifesting.
• ConnectShip Merchant – An electronic routing guide for traditional and online order entry systems, ConnectShip Merchant provides functionality to determine preferred shipping methods and accurately calculate shipping charges at time of order entry.
According to Rich Hite, co-founder of QC Software, “Being a ConnectShip reseller is vital to our clients because it gives us total visibility as the outbound floor manager for the distribution facility, which allows us to provide a complete, rather than disjointed, system to our clients. ConnectShip is a flexible, extremely customizable product that allows us to meet each client’s unique needs and requirements. Additionally, the ConnectShip suite supports multiple major carriers which allow customers more shipping choices and flexibility.”
The solutions provided by QC Software (www.qcsoftware.com) enables companies to streamline their warehouse operations with the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry ensuring increased corporate profitability. Clients include Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour, and Arbonne. To see if WCS software is appropriate QC has developed testing methodology at http://qcsoftware.com/wcs_factors.html.
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.
Coach has emerged as America’s preeminent designer, producer, and marketer of fine leather accessories and gifts. As part of a major system upgrade in which the facility’s former WMS was being replaced with Manhattan & Associates PkMS, Coach required a flexible WCS system that could interface their new WMS to their existing conveyor system. The WCS needed to be able to efficiently route outbound orders to various pick locations as requested by PkMS. Prior to shipping the cartons are conveyed over an in-line scale for order verification. Cartons that are not within the specified weight tolerance are directed by the WCS to a reject line for manual inspection. To support the manifest requirements of PkMS, the WCS transmits divert confirmation messages in real-time back to PkMS.
Coach is utilizing the QC Navigator™ module of the QC Enterprise™ system. When compared with the original supplier’s solution, QC Navigator was determined to be a better solution, providing twice the functionality at half the cost. When Coach needed additional floor management tools, once again the QC Navigator proved to be the most cost-effective solution as compared to the WMS. The main highlight of this installation was that it was integrated and debugged entirely without QC Software’s staff on-site. With the QC Enterprise™ extensive debug tools, Coach was able to integrate the system themselves with limited remote support from QC Software. Coach was so confident in the QC Enterprise solution that the first time that QC Software’s engineer’s arrived on site was the night before “go-live”!
In 2006 Coach expanded its facility and was easily able to reconfigure QC Navigator to handle the expansion.
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.
The solutions provided by QC Software (www.qcsoftware.com) enables companies to streamline their warehouse operations with the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry ensuring increased corporate profitability. With a commitment to total customer satisfaction QC Software is the obvious choice for warehouse control, order management, and inventory management needs.