The physical infrastructure defines the capacity of your warehouse; the software defines how well you use it. Without a system that directs every task and keeps inventory accurate in real time, even the best rack and the fastest sorter run below their potential. At DEVA we integrate the three layers of intralogistics software and the guided picking technologies that connect them with the operator.
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A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is a software tool created to manage all the processes and material movements within a distribution center in an integrated way. It acts as the operational brain of the warehouse, and its purpose is to maximize efficiency through the precise coordination of tasks, staff and equipment.
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A Warehouse Execution System (WES) is a software system that acts as a bridge between the WMS and the WCS. Its main function is to ensure that the plans defined by the WMS are executed efficiently, connecting high-level planning with the actual execution of tasks.
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A Warehouse Control System (WCS) is a software application designed to manage how your warehouse automation equipment performs its tasks: cranes, picking stations, automated guided vehicles (AGV) and other similar systems.
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Pick-to-Light is a guided picking system that uses light indicators placed at the storage locations to direct the operator to the exact position and quantity of each product. It is one of the most effective ways to speed up order picking and reduce picking errors.
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Voice Picking (pick-by-voice) is a semi-automatic order picking technology in which the operator receives, through a headset wirelessly connected to your warehouse management system, instructions on which product to pick and in what quantity, and confirms the task with their own voice through a microphone.
It is the most frequent question in the industry, and the difference is simple:
| Layer | What it does | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| WMS | Manages the warehouse and the inventory | What needs to be done? |
| WES | Executes and coordinates tasks in real time | In what order and with which resources? |
| WCS | Controls the automation equipment | How does each machine execute it? |
You do not always need all three. A manual operation can be handled with a WMS; a highly automated operation requires all three layers working together.
The operational brain: it manages receiving, put-away, inventory, picking, packing and shipping, with real-time inventory visibility.
The bridge between planning and operation: it optimizes the order of tasks, assigns resources and adapts the operation to changes in real time.
The layer that talks to the machinery: it coordinates sorters, stacker cranes, AGVs and picking stations, and handles exceptions.
An accurate WMS is of little use if the instruction reaches the floor wrong. Guided picking technologies eliminate paper and screens:
Pick-to-Light: light indicators show the exact location and quantity.
Voice Picking: voice instructions, with hands and eyes free.
Both can coexist in different zones of the same warehouse, depending on the type of operation.
