Autumn 2006

Voice-directed warehouse management has been added to the portfolio of warehouse and logistics management specialist FWL Technologies.

Rather than start from scratch, the company has harnessed the voice picking resources of Belgian developer MCL Technologies, whose MCL-Collection software uses Vocollect know-how. FWL is offering the solution either as part of its fulfillmentSCE warehouse management system, or as a stand-alone product.

FWL is making some robust claims for its voice-directed approach. It says this can provide 99 per cent accuracy in picking and deliver more than 25 per cent gains in productivity, and adds that a return on investment can be achieved in less than 18 months.

The company says its voice technology can be used in a variety of warehouse operations including picking, receiving, put-away, replenishment and loading. IT can also be used for damage control, stock adjustments, stock checking, stock taking, stock movements and pallet racking.

FWL says each "voice solution terminal" can also be used as a scanner for traditional RF, in which case the operator simply keys in the data; and for optical character recognition (OCR), for which a light pen is used.

A mobile version of the technology will follow, FWL says. It plans a remote system that will enable delivery staff to download work instructions for the day while on the road.