PLC-5 integration to WMS (simple) - looking for direction

In one of our locations, we have a single ALLEN BRADLEY PLC 5 which will have Ethernet capability. It controls a simple conveyor system.

We are implementing a warehouse management system in the building. We need to get the shipping units (package labels) and associated divert lanes to the PLC.



Our original intention was to port our TRU64 UNIX interchange libraries (Rockwell) to IBM AIX and then create an application (C) that will watch for a file extracted from the WMS. Once the file arrives, the program will open the file and format the shipping unit/divert lanes into the interchange library format and send them to the PLC. The PLC would then receive the scan of the label, look it up and divert to the appropriate lane.

Since the interchange libraries have not changed since 1999, I'm looking at Windows based alternatives. I know there are lots of "big" packages like RSLinx/Factory Talk. I'm wondering are there supported systems out that that do what I'm describing above or am I better off getting a custom solution?

I worked at a plant in TO that used a Mathews conveyor system that deployed over 10 lanes from 2 main trunks. A simple Bar code scanner was used in the PLC Program via ASCII and used lookup tables for the lane association.
All was programmed in the PLC5, with an HMI.
It was all custom, and fairly simple. Maybe I am misunderstanding your app, but it appears you are making something more complicated than it needs to be.....

I'm leaning towards a simple custom solution. There are others however that want consistency and therefore the larger more functional package.

I'm looking for arguments like yours that support one or the other approach so that I can at least provide anecdotal evidence.

I can give you more details privately if you want, PM me,.....