Nautilus

The Nautilus is a web application I built to run on our intranet, designed to help employees perform various tasks—many of which emulate tasks in DelmiaWorks. The reason for this is that DelmiaWorks’ user interface can be clunky, limited by the Delphi UI software that the software uses, and in some cases, the workflow to complete tasks is unnecessarily tedious. The Nautilus simplifies this by combining many of these tasks into a single page—or even a single click. This not only saves time but also reduces employee errors, as it eliminates the need to jump from module to module and manually copy and paste data.

Drop Ship Orders

This was the original reason I created the Nautilus. Our previous system included a simple program that allowed users to scan a pick ticket, pull the order, scan the item, and then click to ship. This was used primarily for small personal orders—either shipped directly to customers or to hardware stores.

While DelmiaWorks supports this process, it requires users to switch between multiple modules to complete different parts of the task. This was slow, repetitive, and error-prone—especially when performed hundreds of times per day.

The Nautilus replaces this with a streamlined interface. Users simply scan the pick ticket to find the order, scan the item(s), and click a button. In the background, the system relieves inventory, creates the internal label, converts the order to a packing slip, processes the shipment through FedEx or UPS, and prints all necessary documents: the pack slip, the shipping label, and any other required forms. Weights are automatically calculated, and at the end of the day, all ASNs (Advance Shipping Notices) are sent automatically, with inventory verified in parallel.

Since the application processes everything on the backend as a separate thread, the user is free to continue with other tasks—or even close the browser.

Additionally, the Nautilus integrates with an external API I built to pull orders from Channel Advisor, allowing us to use both EDI and REST protocols for customers like Amazon and Walmart.

Pallet Builder

For many large customers, Aquamor ships mixed pallets. These may include cases of varying sizes, shapes, and quantities. It’s the responsibility of the lead on the packing line to determine what items go on which pallet.

Although algorithms exist to automate pallet building, Aquamor has traditionally handled this manually—and it works for us. The Pallet Builder module assists the employee by helping them match the correct units to the appropriate pallets. When the batch process runs, all orders, labels, and ASNs are tied to the correct serial numbers.

Wingstack / Sidestack Seasonal Orders

Twice a year—or as many as four times in some years—Aquamor receives large seasonal orders for promotional holiday events. These orders shift our workflow significantly, as they involve thousands of orders that must be manufactured, packaged, and shipped within just a few weeks.

IQMS isn’t capable of handling this volume effectively—not due to software limitations alone, but also due to the hardware demands. Technically, it could work—but it would take weeks to process the orders.

This is where the Batch program and the Wingstack module in the Nautilus truly shine.

As orders enter the system, my code creates a lookup table that associates all the required data. Combined with some clever caching, this allows each order to be processed orders of magnitude faster.

EDI Logs

This idea was inspired by the developer of our legacy EDI system. It’s essentially a detailed log of EDI transactions. Unlike REST, EDI uses automated FTP relays to transmit files, which sometimes results in dropped transactions.

This module allows users to track, reschedule, and when necessary, generate detailed logs of transaction history—for instance, during dispute resolutions. It includes a timestamp for when the ASN file was actually clicked, which is ideally right after the truck leaves the dock.

We once uncovered a bug in Home Depot’s EDI system where the truck's departure time appeared to match its arrival at the nearest RDC—about two hours away. It turned out their system was assigning timestamps using Eastern Time. It’s a reasonable mistake, especially since we don’t use UTC either—but we’re not a nationwide hardware chain.

Once we enforced ASN timestamps to reflect actual departure times and began logging them, it became clear the issue wasn’t on our end. As a result, we were refunded several hundred thousand dollars in erroneous fines.

PWA - Serial Tools 

Employees working in shipping and logistics typically use a local intranet app called WMS. Like IQMS, WMS has limitations that I was able to either augment or replace with modules in the Nautilus.

These tools were designed as PWAs (Progressive Web Applications), making them more mobile-friendly for use on Windows tablets—both in design and performance. These modules, along with the Lobby Screen, use a lightweight HTMX codebase. (Full disclosure: I’m not a huge fan of HTMX, but it was a practical choice in this case.)

Lobby Screen

Like many companies, Aquamor uses display screens throughout the office and lobby to showcase media, safety updates, and real-time statistics. The Lobby Screen module allows teams in customer service, HR, and other departments to easily publish information and media to the monitors across our buildings. 

News & Events

This is a simple blog on the Nautilus home page, featuring company news, team stories, photos, and the latest innovations in water technology.