Movu Warehouse Execution System (WES)
For automated warehouse management
Three pillars,
one philosophy
Software for managing shuttles and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in warehouses is a crucial tool for optimising the operation and control of these systems. It facilitates the efficient management, coordination and monitoring of shuttles and robots, ensuring a smooth flow of materials.
Movu follows a clear philosophy with its software: our customers should be able to work with it immediately and without any problems. That’s why we only have one software interface for integration into the customer's system; the rest is handled internally by our modular software.
Movu ops:
Software for managing all operations. Movu ops takes the orders from the higher-level customer system and prepares them for Movu tower.
Movu tower:
Checks the available resources, selects the most suitable shuttle or AMR, and then sends the order to Movu pilot.
Movu pilot:
Ensures the execution of the order at the level of the individual shuttle or AMRs.
Together, these three pillars make up the Movu warehouse execution system (WES) for shuttles and AMRs.
What are the tasks of the Movu Warehouse Execution Systems?
A Warehouse Execution System (WES) is a control system that coordinates various tasks, equipment and resources within a warehouse environment.
Similar to a central WES that assigns tasks to warehouse workers, tracks their productivity, monitors their performance and manages work schedules and shifts, the Movu WES performs this functions for shuttles and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)
In the process, the three components of the Movu WES perform different tasks at different levels:
Movu ops
receives order information from the higher-level customer system or creates orders itself, then converts these into missions for shuttles, lifts and AMRs. For example: SKU at location X needs to be moved to location Y. Movu ops selects the right means of transport (e.g.: “AMR – shuttle – lift – shuttle”) and transmits this mission to Movu tower. Movu ops also receives information from lower-level instances, such as cycle times and equipment utilisation. This allows bottlenecks and areas for improvement to be identified, enabling data-driven decision-making and continuous process optimisation.
Movu tower
assigns the best placed shuttle or AMR to carry out the mission. The software determines the optimal routes for shuttles and AMRs and monitors and tracks the activities of shuttles and AMRs in real-time. It provides an overview of the positions of the shuttles or AMRs, as well as their current status and progress on assigned tasks. This enables proactive decision-making and an immediate response to any problems or bottlenecks that may arise. Movu tower calculates efficient routes to minimise travel time, maximise productivity and reduce warehouse congestion. This results in accelerated order fulfilment, reduced cycle times and increased throughput.
Movu pilot
is in charge of controlling the movements of an individual shuttle or AMR. It activates the correct motor, controls the speed, and monitors the correct sensors during pick-up/drop-off, etc. Movu pilot also sends the status and position of the individual shuttle to Movu tower.
The Movu Warehouse Execution System at a glance
Movu ops
Order acceptance
Task transmission
Flow control
Management and optimisation of warehouse operations
Movu tower
Fleet management
Traffic control
Route planning
Task planning and management
Battery management
Idle management
Visualisation
Movu pilot
Shuttle and robot routing
Command control
Unsurpassed
know-how
Movu ops, the higher-level control centre of the Movu WES, was developed by ourselves. This not only ensures smooth operation, but also guarantees that the capabilities of our shuttles and robots are fully utilised. After all, no one knows Movu's products and systems as well as we do.
Highest safety through embedded systems
Movu tower is designed as an embedded system. The PLC is located in a special enclosure directly on the Movu atlas and Movu escala automation systems. It cannot be addressed directly by the customer systems – and vice versa. This ensures maximum data security for the higher-level customer systems and a high execution speed.
Data analysis for predictive maintenance
The Movu WES records data from all shuttles and robots and enables predictive maintenance of the Movu systems through appropriate data analysis. This reduces downtime due to malfunctions and ensures the smooth and uninterrupted functioning of the shuttles and robots.
