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A Field Guide to Warehouse Execution System (WES) Terminology

NBWA Associate Member Block One discusses the language of robotics, breaking down key WES and warehouse automation terminology for beverage distributors.

Robotics in distribution can feel like its own language. For beverage distributors, understanding the different robotics components makes it much easier to see how autonomy actually works. Here’s your quick reference guide.

Arm Module – Palletizing & Case Handling

• Arms – Robotic arms that build customer-ready pallets by picking, rotating, and placing cases.

• End Effector – The “robot hand” that grips and orients cases in different ways.

• Pallet AMRs – Mobile robots that deliver cases/pallets to Arms for palletization.

• Cycle Time – The time in seconds it takes to complete one case pick. Lower cycle times = higher throughput.

• P2P (Product-to-Pallet) – The flow of turning product pallets into customer pallets, executed autonomously by Arms + AMRs.

ACR Module – Dense Case Storage

• ACR (Autonomous Case Handling Robot) – Robots that store and retrieve cases from dense racking.

• Case AMRs – Mobile robots that pull cases from ACR racks and deliver them to Arms.

• Vertical Retrieval Robots – Robots that manage case movement within tall racking systems.

• Goods-to-Robot – Instead of chasing cases, AMRs bring them directly to  Arms for palletizing.

ASRS Module – Pallet Storage & Replenishment

• ASRS (Autonomous Storage & Retrieval System) – High-density pallet storage system.

• 4-Way Shuttles – Robots that move pallets both vertically and horizontally within ASRS racks.

• Replenishment – Pallets can be automatically retrieved and staged for picking or pushed back into reserve storage as demand shifts.

WES – The Brain Behind It All

• WES (Warehouse Execution System) – The AI-powered orchestration layer that coordinates all modules: ACR, Arms, AMRs, and ASRS.

• Optimization – WES decides which cases and pallets move where, balancing cycle times, throughput, and exceptions.

• Autonomy – WES enables the system to adapt to real-world changes: blocked aisles, shifting SKUs, or urgent orders.

Why This Vocabulary Matters

By learning these terms, stakeholders can:

• Understand how modules fit together.

• Ask sharper questions of vendors and partners.

• See clearly how autonomy solves beverage’s unique challenges.

Takeaway

Speaking the language of robotics means seeing the WES big picture: Arms or palletizing, ACR for dense case and pallet storage, and AI powered smart software tying it all together.