Summary
- Warehouse, logistics, and supply chains industries have become increasingly reliant on artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and edge computing technologies
- The warehouse embraces technology to revamp the operation entirely by automating the processes to optimize the supply chain and decrease order fulfillment expenses.
- To automate warehouse operations, you need a deeper understanding of the process flow and technology best suited to your business vertical.
- eCommerce businesses can deploy automated package dimensioners to the workspace to increase warehouse productivity by up to 17 percent.
Customer persona
- Logistics Specialist: sketch and optimize flexible transportation, logistics, warehouse, and customer services by understanding the latest warehouse technology trends.
- Operations Specialist: determines the storage requirements to manage various processes like inventory management, shipping, and evaluating policies and procedures to improve the warehouse operations using automation.
- Business Strategist: take responsibility for developing various strategic plans to reach the organizations’ goals and targets. Also, analyzes the existing operational strategies to improve profitability in the warehouse.
- Warehouse automation manager: maintains the statistical and financial records, ensures the quality and deliveries, and understand the latest technologies to optimize the working pattern in the warehouse.
Deploying package dimensioners in the warehouse
Isn’t that unusual to hear a lot about automated package dimensioners these days? From Amazon to Flipkart, and every e-commerce site in between, parceling is an unavoidable aspect of the shipping process. While e-commerce has been growing in popularity for a few years, the Covid-19 outbreak has only increased demand. In recent days, Online transactions are at an all-time high, thanks to people who prefer to shop from the comfort of their homes.
There is much buzz about online shopping right now, and numerous warehouses and order fulfillment centers are rushing to deliver items to customers’ doorsteps within the stated timeframe. But this doesn’t sound as simple as you hear; when a customer taps the order button, the backend process begins immediately. Once the order has been initiated, the warehouse associate begins picking the products from relevant shelves, packs them accordingly, and then starts the actual game.
The shipment procedure begins when the packing process is completed, and the warehouse associate must calibrate the product’s length, width, height, and weight information. However, when an associate is tasked to calculate the dimensional weight details of irregularly shaped items, this can turn into a mess, and if done wrong, it can result in unnecessary shipping chargebacks.
Therefore, package dimensioners must be deployed in warehouses and order fulfillment centers to quickly calibrate product dimensions and weight information to eliminate these dimensional problems. By eliminating manual dimensioning with the automated package dimensioners, you can mitigate dimensional errors, unnecessary shipping tariffs, improve pick-pack efficiency and in-house productivity.
Types of package dimensioners:
The package dimensioners usually fall into two main categories:
- Systems utilized to measure freights and pallet loads – Automated package dimensioning system.
- Systems used to measure parcels or individual boxes – Automated parcel dimensioning system.
The Package dimensioners can be further broken into two units: static tabletop dimensioning systems and in-motion dimensioning systems that weigh objects as they travel through a tunnel.
With a range of automated package dimensioners, it could seem challenging to pick the right one for you. So we’ve curated a list of the different dimensioners’ to help you out.
Automated package dimensioner system
An automated package dimensioning system (S200 page link), also known as package dimensioners, is used to measure a pallet load’s precise volume before being mounted in a trailer. The pallet to be measured is transported by forklift to the system, where it’s inspected and dimensioned. Package dimensioners are an excellent option for trucking companies looking to estimate delivery costs depending on the precise volume a load takes up in the truck.
depending on the precise volume a load takes up in the truck.
They also offer a means for shippers at the end of the month to prevent freight-charge shocks and gather data to settle carriers’ disputes.
The package dimensioners, with all their advantages, still have their limitations. Perhaps the most significant drawback of using these machines is that it’s a little cumbersome to pick up, transfer, and scan pallets.
Automated Parcel dimensioning system
Automated Parcel dimensioning systems, or parcel dimensioners, are now present in both static and in-line types. The static dimensioning method is a “semi-automated” approach. An operator puts a parcel or object on the dimensioning system, and then the system calculates (and also weighs) the parcel. The machinery may be stationary or mounted on a cart and wheeled around the distribution center.
By comparison, when it comes to an in-line/in-motion or dynamic dimensioning system, a box or parcel goes down a belt. Then, it travels through a tunnel, where either a 3D camera or laser sensors capture its measurements. These tunnels are typically installed after pick and pack stations and before shipping and labeling stations.
At the outbound end of distribution centers, static or in-motion dimensioners can capture the dimensional data required to estimate shipping costs. For example, to measure how much storage space the object would need or determine the carton size for shipment, they’ll also be used at the inbound end of a facility to obtain the measurements of stock-keeping units (SKUs).
Static Vs. In-Motion Dimensioners
Compared to a static dimensioning system, in-motion parcel dimensioners are usually more straightforward and ideally suited for high-throughput operations. For operations that ship out 700 cartons or more per day, in-line systems are good.
In many situations, these tunnels function not only as dimensioners but also as in-line inspection points that record the weight of the carton, bar code, and other details dependent on text. At that stage in the handling process, some also take photographs of the package and record its status. For pick confirmation or defect identification, systems with these capabilities may be used before an outbound package or parcel is put in a vehicle.
In-line devices are usually costlier than static systems, but they’re becoming more affordable with advancing camera technologies.
Conclusion
Now with this information, you should be able to decide which package dimensioner works best for you. And once that’s done, it’s time to start assessing the products of various manufacturers. First, take different systems and measure them side by side using the same kinds of parcels or loads you manage in your everyday operations. Then, before opting to pick it up for your warehouses or distribution centers, measure and test it for yourself. We have got a variety of automated package dimensioners at VIsAI Labs that you may check out for yourself.
At vMeasure.ai, we’ve got a range of dimensioners that you can test out and try for yourself.
