The KNAPP AG is the world's leading provider of automatic order fulfillment systems. Located in Hart bei Graz, Austria the company offers a wide variety in warehouse management solutions. From goods-in to goods-out and from simple transport to complex warehouse computer systems, KNAPP enables wholesale operations, mail-order and e-commerce business, supply chain distribution centers and manufacturing plants to deal with large numbers of orders at short notice.

Since warehouse automation is quite an investment, in some cases KNAPP provides its customers with a full range computer simulation even before the contract is signed. Simply to reassure the customer that whatever they ordered will indeed work. To that end, KNAPP uses INCONTROL's simulation software. However, once the order is placed the process of implementing the new warehouse management solution still lies ahead, looming in the dark. "That's another area in which computer simulation proves very helpful", Klaus Malli, manager of software engineering at KNAPP acknowledges. "Software in general is a nightmare; even if 95 percent of your customer's specifications are common, the remaining five percent of extras will always cause difficulties. In simulation, we show customers what can be done and what needs to be done under the given circumstances."
"In complicated warehouse situations it is of eminent importance to have a clear view of the entire process: what happens when? Somewhere in the flow of the process you'll inevitably meet surprises, but using computer simulations you are one step ahead. Thus simulation minimizes the implementation time; we can run several tests on the site itself and make modifications on the spot. Customers rely on the quality we provide, simulation makes it easier for us to maintain that standard."

Operational functionality
But that's not all. The in-house development programs at KNAPP also benefit from INCONTROL's expertise. Malli: "We develop and build new machinery and software applications ourselves. It stands to reason that we would want to check their operational functionality before releasing them. Again simulation rises to the occasion; it gives us the chance to experience whether the new product is usable, user friendly and reliable. It's mostly in this particular field of expertise that we rely on INCONTROL's specialists to offer detailed support."

"We are firmly rooted in both the pharmaceutical and food industry, where every day millions of cartons and packages run over and through our caster roller sorters, zip sorters, pusher systems, check stations, continuous scales, belt conveyors and so on. Making sure the customers get exactly what they need is crucial. Simulation helps us in doing just that."

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