Summary
AI-based computer vision technology is the trendy catchphrase emerging in the logistics and warehouse industry.
Currently, eCommerce has a tremendous need to convey more packages in a short period efficiently.
Due to the downpour of eCommerce online order requests, warehouse firms have decided to deploy automated dimensioners to calculate the dimensional information and DIM weight of varied size parcels in a jiff.
Read this blog to find out the checklist you should validate before selecting the right automated dimensioner for your business.
Customer persona:
- Operations Specialist:
Determines the storage requirements to run various processes like shipping, evaluating policies and procedures, and inventory management to better the warehouse operations using automation.
- Business Strategist:
Take responsibility for thriving various strategic plans to reach the organizations’ targets. Also, it explores the existing operational strategies to tweak profitability in the warehouse.
- Warehouse automation manager:
Maintains the statistical and financial records, ensures the quality and dispatches, and understands the modern technologies to heighten the warehouse’s working design.
- Logistics Specialist:
Sketch and optimize flexible transportation, logistics, warehouse, and customer services by understanding the up-to-date warehouse technology trends.
Introduction
Over the past few years, the rate of online sales has more than doubled; due to this, the warehouse and distribution centers are scrambling to deliver products to customers’ doorstep on time. As a result, the warehouse and fulfillment centers must automate the various iterative processes for seamless last-mile delivery. Furthermore, dimensioning is critical in the warehouse business, where first-generation systems were a game-changer for eCommerce warehouses that had been utilizing the measuring tape and clipboard approach for decades, but the mechanics remained practically unaltered. With the deployment of automated dimensioners, the warehouse associates can quickly toss the measuring tape and the ruler and effectively calibrate the dimensional information of the products in less than a second and increase operational efficiency.
What Is An Automated dimensioners?
The automated dimensioners are a computer vision-based dimensioning solution built to calibrate the dimensional and weight information of various size parcels and packages in a flash. This automated dimensioner ranges into automated parcel dimensioners and automated package dimensioners.
The automated parcel dimensioners, otherwise known as automated parcel dimensioning systems, are designed to measure small and medium-sized parcels’ dimensional and weight information. In addition, the automated package dimensioner, otherwise known as package dimensioning systems, can measure the DIM weight and dimensional information of pallets and boxes.
In contrast, the in-line or dynamic automated dimensioning system has a great hype in the warehouse landscape. With these in-line dimensioning systems, we can place the products on the conveyor belt that passes through the pick station. The 3D camera captures the product image and estimates the dimensional information quickly.
We can synchronize other devices with these automated dimensioning systems, such as label printers, barcode scanners, WMS/ERP software, and weighing scales.
Benefits Of Automated dimensioners
- Improved precision and accuracy:
Accuracy and precision are critical components of the warehouse environment. The warehouse employee uses a ruler and tape to determine the product’s dimensional measurements with conventional dimensioning. This traditional dimensional procedure usually takes longer.Due to many online orders, the manual dimensioning method has a greater risk of generating dimensional errors. And by installing automated dimensioners in the warehouse, we can raise accuracy and precision successfully.
- Increased slotting and cartonization:
Cartonization is an essential ingredient in the warehouse industry. First, we can evaluate the exact type of boxes that best fits the products instead of filling the box with dunnage and air. Then, once the cartonization is done perfectly, we can approximate the product’s size and allocate the space to raise your warehouse throughput.Effective slotting is the standard need for implementing a new facility. We need to install a suitable automated dimensioner in your workspace to work this out.
- Increased warehouse productivity:
Most warehouses are racing to maximize warehouse productivity by optimizing the working paradigm and automating several processes. For example, several warehouse owners have decided to deploy automated dimensioners to enhance operational efficiency, reduce manual dimensioning, and increase warehouse working capacity.
- Captures high-quality product images:
When warehouses receive a flood of orders, they need to keep track of their inventory for better amplification. We may capture the product’s image with an effective automated dimensioner, which aids warehouse associates during order fulfillment.
- Enhanced future capacity planning:
The most helpful information for planning the warehouse’s future capacity is by generating error-free dimensional data. Then, we can organize the warehouse for future readiness by fixing the appropriate automated dimensioners.
- High-level quality control:
We can retain customers to stick with the brand by enabling product quality. The automated dimensioners can detect defective products before the shipment phase.
- Reduced shipping costs:
Paying unnecessary shipping costs is inconvenient for both warehouse managers and customers. This is due to incorrect dimensional and DIM weight details being entered. The listicles below are some of the realistic considerations we can use to reduce unnecessary shipping costs: Standardize the work processes, invest in appropriate equipment to speed up the dimensioning process, and interact efficiently with customers regularly.
- Increased inventory management:
Inventory management is the soul of the warehouse industry. As the number of online requests increases, we need to keep track of all the in-house and delivered product details. By integrating WMS or ERP software with the automated dimensioner, we can track all the inventory details and perform multiple tasks one at a time.
Things you need to validate before choosing an automated dimensioner for your business
Choosing appropriate automated dimensioners is crucial for warehouse automation managers, as they need to be involved in various analyses such as warehouse workflow, throughput, and capacity. So here are a few considerations you can validate before picking the right automated dimensioner for your industry.
- What type of package do your automated dimensioners measure?
The two most critical factors that must be considered are size and shape. So, first, get a sense of the types of items your dimensioner would measure, whether small or big packages.
- How much are you willing to invest?
This includes the sum of money you spend on equipment. Therefore, before implementing the solution in your business, it is good to look into its services.
- How well does the automated dimensioner work with your shipping software?
For this, you need to understand whether your automated dimensioner can work on other interfaces and devices such as WMS/ ERP software, label printers, barcode scanners, and weighing scales.
- How fast do items need to be dimensioned?
In all industries, the pace is critical; to maximize efficiency, we must always effectively speed up the working framework. So, before selecting an automated dimensioner for your vertical, make sure the dimensioner’s speed is appropriate.
- How is the dimensional data utilized?
You can radically change your warehouse if you have error-free data. Find a unique solution to your vertical that performs various processes such as collecting, storing, and managing the device’s receiving data. By enabling the appropriate product dimensional information, we can quickly generate real-time forecast reports, which can help evaluate the fast-moving products in the market as per the latest trends.
- Do you want to collect additional data in addition to the dimensions?
Choosing the automated dimensioner, which only identifies the dimensional information, would not be the right fit. Furthermore, as the advancements expand, we need to look up equipment with various add-ons such as barcodes, text scanners, weighing scales, 3D cameras, and printers.
- Thoughts to consider when choosing a vendor?
When selecting a vendor, keep a list of factors in mind, such as evaluating business requirements, price, versatility, efficiency, and contract negotiating strategy.
Conclusion
Due to rising warehouse costs, warehouse managers are being pressed to find a particular solution to save space. Furthermore, dimensional weight pricing emphasizes the same verticals to lessen the box’s size and shipping costs. Therefore, we must install the appropriate automated dimensioner at the workstation to accomplish this.
