Features/Benefits Provided: Eliminated maintenance concerns over DC brushes Provided DME laser positioning to nearest mm Minimized load shifting Provided non-proprietary PLC Provided current status information

A packaging leader currently operates 79 facilities in 14 countries around the world. The distribution component of their Midwestern facility has an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS), installed in 1980, that is capable of storing almost 12,000 pallets. This system is critical to the packager's distribution operations. Thus, the need to eliminate the ever increasing risks associated with the obsolete and/or unsupportable technology became crucial. Critical issues to address were:

• proprietary controls
• obsolete drives, sensors, and other technologies
• legacy manager system for the inventory and equipment management

Overall, the primary project objective was to extend AS/RS system life by a 15-year minimum. To meet these modernization project challenges, the supplier developed the computer (manager) system based on the design specifications for the existing system's functionality. The hardware resided in the supplier's engineering office, allowing its team to develop the new system without any customer production impact. Simultaneously, the engineering team also developed the electrical controls upgrades. Appropriate equipment emulators were created to maximize testing ability prior to field installation. The new manager system was installed in parallel with the existing manager system. As each storage and retrieval machine (SRM) was upgraded, it was turned over to the new manager system for control. The 7 SRMs were upgraded successively, one at time. To minimize downtime, the supplier's engineering team worked during normal hours to preinstall all components that would not affect the production operations.

is a Proud Member of the AS/RS Product Section of Material Handling Industry of America

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