When Flexibility, Innovation and Speed Unite

We’ve all been there, a project or initiative is coming to a close, and an obstacle or change in requirements arises, throwing the nearly completed project into uncharted territory.

Unfortunately, these situations happen in a fast-paced and ever-changing business environment that will only increase as globalization and digitalization grow.

None of us can predict the future, so it is imperative that successful people and businesses are able to react to a dynamic world by continuing to grow and optimize.

Agility and flexibility define successful businesses and people of the future.

Enter FORTE, a Swisslog company and industry leader in warehouse execution software (WES) and automation systems.

When faced with a challenge of a new requirement for a client during on-site system testing, the FORTE project team turned risk into opportunity.

Within a week, the team designed, built, tested and deployed an easy and simple-to-use case palletization solution to enable the client to efficiently palletize cases at a hospital, reject or any after-sort lane.

iOS was our best bet to solve the client’s palletization problem. Of the technologies we could use, iOS gave us the best mix of flexibility, speed and economy.

The iOS ecosystem is massive, which made sourcing both the right device and the necessary accessories the simplest part of the solution. The base-model Apple iPod Touch coupled with a Linea Pro 5 sled gave us a high-performance, lightweight and durable scanning platform that we could build upon.

We were able to leverage several parts of the developer ecosystem to take the shortest path from requirements to application. The app is written in the “Swift” programming language, which makes writing fast and stable code less of a chore than in languages such as Java or C#. We used “TestFlight” beta testing to coordinate development in Mason, Ohio, mixed with intra-DC testing at the customer site. This approach gave us the ability to respond to new requirements driven by “on the ground” use without having to break the flow of the on-site FORTE staff.

The ease of development, along with the advantages of mobility inside the DC, led to several features being added to the solution to support day-to-day operations. What had started as an exercise in risk mitigation gradually evolved into real productivity improvements for the DC staff.

The beauty is that any warehouse or distribution function can be developed and remain compatible with any system, any warehouse management system (WMS) and any interface. Gone are the days of expensive, clunky handheld RF devices with awkward and outdated user interfaces. A simple iPod Touch, rugged case and scanning attachment can perform the same functions with a modern, simple user interface at less than half the cost. Imagine the training, learning curve and productivity benefits when removing a clunky RF device interaction over a large employee base of seasonal workers and temps during peak times.

It’s not the challenges that define the person or company, but how one responds to them. FORTE’s WES and automation systems can help lead you and your business teams into the uncertain future by being more agile and flexible. Success is only a few steps away, or in this case, one week away.

Related: Eliminate Batch Processing to Speed DC Throughput

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