UCS – Conductor in the warehouse

With its Unified Control System (UCS), Körber introduces an unprecedented software solution for bundling and orchestrating multiple warehouse technologies.

Imagine you are sitting in a concert hall: on stage, a large orchestra with violins, violas, cellos, double bass, wind instruments, drums, timpani, and perhaps a piano or harp. Each musician knows their part and becomes part of a work of art that evening. To ensure that all these instruments play in harmony, there is a conductor. He or she determines the cues, sets the tempo, and ensures everyone plays in sync.

What does this have to do with material flow control? Well, if you apply the image to a vast warehouse where goods, warehouse workers, and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) share the "stage," the employees and AMR embody the musicians, and the instruments, in turn, act as representatives of the numerous different picking technologies (e.g., pick-by-light, put-by-light, voice). The assortment of goods represents the piece being played.

Orchestrated intralogistics

And what about the conductor? This role is played by Körber's Unified Control System (UCS). It controls the flow of goods and materials, deploying people and robots as economically as possible and orchestrating the entire event. The result is efficient processes that integrate a variety of warehouse technologies and a wide range of material handling systems.

Bundling workflows

To do this, the UCS uses data from the warehouse management system (WMS), analyzes the inventory and availability of resources in the warehouse, and uses this knowledge to control the flow of materials as efficiently as possible. Workers, AMR, and material handling systems are automatically assigned tasks or activities based on suitability, destination, and current workload. The result is a harmonious, precisely timed sequence of operations in which every component is used, and the flow of materials is maintained.

The prerequisite for this interaction is interlocking state-of-the-art hardware and software with highly developed technologies. According to Körber's 2022 Benchmark Study, the integrative interaction of these three components is one of the most significant challenges in logistics. "We recognized this early on and developed a central solution that has not yet been available on the market in this form," he says. "With UCS, we are simplifying the system architecture," says Dirk Teschner, Managing Director in the Körber Business Area Supply Chain. "The software is designed to integrate various automation systems and warehouse technologies."

Ensuring scalability

Systems and technologies that previously ran side by side are linked, allowing automated processes to be optimized just as much as manual ones. This holistic view of operational requirements ensures high flexibility. It also improves productivity. Körber's UCS also provides customers with a solution that can be easily scaled. Adjustments to implementation and operational warehouse operations can be made at any time to reflect the company's growth, the development of global supply chains, and the overall economic situation.

Logistics ecosystems in action

Boxy, a fulfillment service provider based in Hungary, is already working with the UCS. Whether it's a small web shop or a retail giant, Boxy stocks, packs and ships the goods. Next-day delivery is guaranteed, even same-day within Hungary, using the company's own fleet. The startup relies on Körber's expertise and has created a logistics ecosystem.

Boxy uses a highly scalable fulfillment platform based on WMS, a Shipping and Dispatch System (SDS), and UCS. The platform orchestrates all automation technology, including pick- and put-by-light solutions and many autonomous mobile robots from multiple manufacturers. This covers an enormous 10,000 square meters of warehouse space.

Interoperable and manufacturer-independent

Another novelty of the Körber solution: UCS was designed to be compatible with various AMR manufacturers. The current release focused on complete integration in close cooperation with Körber's strategic AMR partners. In the broadest sense, UCS will function independently of manufacturers. "I don't currently know of any other installation in Europe where AMR from different manufacturers work virtually hand in hand in one warehouse," says Teschner. "We focused on AMR integration in the first stage of development because this area will see the greatest growth over the next few years." According to Interact Analysis, more than four million autonomous mobile robots are expected to be used by the end of 2027, representing annual growth of 30 to 40 percent.

Boxy's turnaround time from order entry to goods issue is just 25 minutes. This is only possible because the UCS has an overview of which orders can be processed the fastest, explains Teschner: "The system does not prioritize based on order entry, but rather based on order data, inventory, employees, and the warehouse technology used, and it does so across all systems. Orders are managed holistically to keep the whole system running optimally.”

More in stock

UCS's range of applications is still ongoing. A voice robotics application suitable for person-to-goods picking will be available in the future. In this type of picking, an employee goes to a storage location independently, picks the goods, and then packs them at the picking location. "With this application, however, it also depends on the optimization potential of the respective picking process whether it is worth orchestrating the voice system with the AMRs via the UCS," says Teschner.

If labor shortages continue to grow in the future, many warehouses are likely to literally go dark, becoming "dark warehouses" where robots take over picking, freeing humans for other tasks, such as packing and shipping. The fact that an enormous amount of energy and costs can be saved in a "dark warehouse" is a positive, sustainable side effect.

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