Stacker update
So I’m going to start updating my trials and travails regarding my current project. So basically I’m creating a custom Warehouse Controls System. We’re trying to replace an old system that was built in an old language and running on old hardware. The project basically has 2 parts, The robotic stacker crane manger, and the conveyor manager. The conveyors bring the loads to the cranes which store, retrieve, and also have the ability to pick (a person rides the cranes and will be taken to a location where they retrieve only one parcel from a specific pallet location). The crane then takes the load back to the conveyor and it’s conveyed out to the depalitization area. So far I’m the guy for the Stackers. It’s been super super fun and VERY challenging. So far we can connect to the cranes and send a few commands. Our first big test is Saturday. Gonna try a Store, Retrieve, and transfer from one aisle to another. These are huge machines, in a huge facility. 4 warehouses, each one 325 x 325 x 90tall. Each warehouse has several stackers and dozens of aisles. Stackers are super tall and weigh over 15 tons. They can move at 14 mph at full speed. So it gets very complex. Have to make sure stackers don’t crash, optimize movements, etc. etc. Super fun! The newer ASR’s (automated storage and retrieval systems) do a lot of this stuff in their PLC logic, but these are old enough we get to do a lot of it. It’s totally one of a kind stuff, completely custom. I’m up to about 4000 lines so far, and it’s based at it’s heart on a state processor that checks dozens (hundreds) of flags (flags with bitmasks being and’ed and or’ed) to determine state and then process. Multithreaded, and asynchronous communication.
