There was a problem in one of the Midwest parts warehouses. The management had installed an automated handling system there and it wasn't working well. The DOS-based controller crashed frequently, and it couldn't drive the mechanicals to their maximum potential.

So the warehouse managers called the CIO and said "Fix this mess!"

I ended up spending six months out there, working as part of a team that replaced the DOS system with RS/6000 and Oracle.

My role was to write the workstation application, select the database software, and size the hardware.

The hardest part of this project was testing. We couldn't inconvenience our dealerships and their customers by shutting down the warehouse during business hours. We had to work at night. From 7 am to 10pm the warehouse used the DOS system. From 11pm to 6am we re-cabled the system and tested the Unix system.

This warehouse is the most automated of the eighteen. Below are some images of the system and additional technical descriptions.

The most important "fast moving" parts are stored this in the "rotary rack." It is three stories high and has six "inserter extractors" which move the orange parts totes in and out of the rack. The computer rotates the various levels of the carousel, controls the extractors, and gives orders to the conveyor system. Parts totes are delivered to a workstation where an associate picks out the required parts.

It is quite a site to see the eight levels moving back and forth, the extractors jumping up and down, and the conveyors filled with parts totes!

In the picture on the left, you can see a yellow extractor in the top left corner. It has just pulled an orange parts tote from the rack. You can also see the blue conveyors and an associate at a workstation picking or storing parts. On there right you can see that the yellow table on the extractor has moved down to ground level and is pushing the orange parts tote on to the blue conveyor.

For other parts not located in the carousel, an associate drives around the warehouse on a picker/forklift. Orders are sent via radio terminals mounted on the picker.

This another view of an extractor pulling a parts tote off the carousel.





The totes line up at a workstation for processing. A light shines on the proper bin, helping the associate pick the correct part.





Here's the RS/6000 and AS/400 that control it all. There are dozens of sensors, scanners, and conveyors on the carousel and they are all controlled by serial ports driven by event-driven C programs. Oracle us used to store the inventory, orders, and transactions.
An AS/400 in the image at right controls most of the warehouse and sends orders to the RS/6000 for processing. Astute readers will notice that there are actually two AS/400s in the picture. The newer black units are used the warehouse. The older beige unit is used by the field office located nearby. They share the equipment room.