— Newsletter Archive: Newsletter Vol. 6, 2024/1/17 —
In our last newsletter, we went through the use of RFID to improve operational efficiency in apparel warehouses.
In this issue, we will look at an automatic outer box selection solution that helps optimize packaging operations when shipping products.
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Challenges in Optimizing Packaging Operations
The packing of goods for shipment in logistics warehouses plays an important role in protecting goods, improving transportation efficiency, enhancing brand image, and taking the environment into consideration, and the optimization of packing is an important issue in the logistics industry. Among packaging operations, the selection of an outer box is particularly important, as the use of an oversized box directly leads to increased costs, so various factors must be considered along with product protection and efficiency.
Manual measurement of a wide variety of products, one by one, requires an enormous amount of time and effort. In addition to the size of the product to be packed, the space for cushioning material must also be taken into consideration when selecting the optimal outer box, which requires judgment based on the experience of the worker.
To solve these issues, it is necessary to introduce automated technology and develop a measurement system that takes into account product characteristics, and the cost of implementation is also a major challenge.
HAKO-FLO offers a service with an AR measurement function that can be used independently, and one of the benefits is that it can allow you to start small and expand as necessary later. We propose a solution that automatically selects the optimal size of outer boxes that can pack stacked boxes together.
HAKO-FLO’s AR measurement function utilizes an iPad equipped with LiDAR, a laser-based sensing technology, to improve the efficiency of measurement work and reduce the workload of the operator. LiDAR measures the distance, direction, position, and shape of an object with high precision by emitting a laser beam over a wide area while scanning the object and measuring the time it takes for the light to reflect back. LiDAR is also used in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for vehicles, and many people may already be using LiDAR.
In cases where packing is performed at a specific location, such as on a workbench, it is also possible to use a solution where inner boxes are stacked on the workbench, and LiDAR depth sensors installed around the workbench automatically measure the stacked boxes in a single shot (“One-Shot measurement”).
Various sizes of outer boxes are stocked for packing operations in logistics warehouses. By preparing information on these stocked outer boxes as data in advance, the system can propose the optimal outer box based on the information measured by the AR measurement function. Even inexperienced workers can proceed with their work efficiently based on the proposed box information, without having to worry about choosing the right outer box.
There are a wide range of issues involved in selecting the best outer box for packing goods for shipment. To solve these issues, it is important to select an outer box while optimizing cost and efficiency, taking into account the characteristics of the product.
If you have any concerns about improving the efficiency of your packaging operations, please contact us.
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