Development of operating software for AS/RS including communication protocol

Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS), which is an element of Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), is a widely used material handling equipment with conveyors and Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs). Until now the evaluation of operational policies of AS/RS and control algorithms is done theoretically or by computer simulations. In this study, a real-time control and communication software for an AS/RS is developed for actually moving AS/RS miniature. A PC-based real-time operational program can control the AS/RS directly through the communication port. The operational system has additional functions such as storage/retrieval management, inventory management, statistics management, and protocol simulation. The communication protocol simulator of S/R machine can be used for the controller of an S/R machine.clos