An AS/RS upgrade also presents the opportunity to cut the strings from the OEM. In the past, many AS/RS manufacturers equipped their machines with proprietary devices and software, making the user a captive customer. It doesn't have to be that way any more. Today, universal off-the-shelf devices can transform the AS/RS into a machine that is easily changed, reconfigured and reprogrammed - now and at anytime in the future - without having to spend the sort of money associated with being 'factory rebuilt.' "The need to improve reliability was the main impetus for the upgrade," says Bob Hand, manager, machine tools services group, and project engineer. "At the same time, we wanted to make sure that any upgrades would use 'over-the-counter' hardware and that the source code for software would be readily available. As well, replacement on-board components would have to be specified and fitted in a way that would simplify all future maintenance and troubleshooting needs." "Since we have upgraded many similar systems, we were able to readily identify which components needed to be replaced and which could continue to perform satisfactorily," says Tom Goetz, a technical sales representative for Retrotech. "Another important aspect of the Pratt & Whitney project with which we were perfectly comfortable was the integration of new physical components, not just among themselves and with existing components, but with the communications and control network."