AS/RS upgrade puts Big Blue in the black

摘要

After more than 16 years of continuous service, the automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) at IBM's Charlotte, NC manufacturing facility was showing extensive wear and tear. Much of the existing control system was quickly becoming obsolete. Parts were either proprietary or very difficult to find. Plus, there were Y2K problems. IBM faced either the purchase of a new system or a total upgrade to their existing AS/RS, which serves as the primary warehousing system for raw materials used in production of PCs and point-of-sale terminals. Everything from boards and chassis to individual components are stored in the system. About one-fifth of the AS/RS capacity is also used for finished goods.