The Future of Cargo Measurement Automation
The measurement and weighing of packages and palletized cargo is an ideal target for automation. This is a particularly labor-intensive and time-consuming manual process that is prone to error.
The worldwide ecommerce market is projected to grow 30% by 2026, reaching more than $8.1 trillion in retail sales. The rapid, precise, and efficient fulfillment of orders is tantamount to success in this industry.
Modern warehouse automation solutions hold significant potential to massively streamline the processing of shipments in and out of the warehouse. With that in mind, there is no better time than now to capitalize on this massive growth.
An ideal target for automation is the measurement and weighing of palletized cargo and packages. This is a particularly labor-intensive and time-consuming manual process that is prone to error. By automating this process, the speed of processing and accuracy of recording shipment dimensions and images can be improved by several minutes per item.
The return on investment with automated dimensioning is rapid, particularly in high-volume warehouses.
Considering the costs associated with inaccurate measurements, such as ongoing chargebacks and accessorial charges, the revenue impact can be significant. Being off as little as one quarter inch truly impacts the bottom line and prevents accurate billing.
Dimensioner automation
A dimensioner system, which combines high-quality cameras and precise scales, can be used to automate the process of weighing and measuring packages. Automation boosts efficiency and data accuracy to optimize warehouse storage and delivery space as well as the space in an outgoing truck or cargo container to reduce carrier surcharges and improve route and capacity planning.
In addition, real-time dimension data can be fed directly into a warehouse management system (WMS) to enhance other logistics processes, such as inventory management and replenishment.
Intelligent technology
The next generation of package measurement technology will be further augmented by the addition of AI (artificial intelligence) and OCR (optical character recognition) for an even faster process that captures even more shipment information.
By combining these two technologies, the measurement and weighing of cargo and transcribing of label data can be accomplished in seconds when a fully integrated powered conveyor belt and in-motion scale are part of the system.
Automation and intelligent technologies are reshaping the way warehouses operate to boost efficiency, speed up order fulfillment, reduce labor costs, and enhance order accuracy.