A Digital Measuring and Load Planning System for Large Transport Assets

by Laura Dörr, Katharina Glock, Felix Brandt, Alexander Naumann, Martin Pouls.
Paper    Venue    Notes   

Abstract

Recently, the efforts involved in the digitization and digitalization of logistics processes have grown tremendously. In line with such efforts, we investigate the potential of the process-integrated measuring and load planning of large transport assets. More precisely, considering the case of a German timber processor and retailer, we implement a digital measuring system, which performs precise measuring of regularly shaped wooden assets. The cognitive system uses laser and vision sensors, and measurements can be performed during the asset’s transportation on a forklift. The resulting data can be used to conduct a comprehensive load planning for scheduled delivery tours. The performance of our measurement system is evaluated using a small example dataset of the use case at hand. The a-priori set goal of maximum deviations of 5 cm, 7 cm and 14 cm in height, width and length, respectively, are achieved in 89% of the test cases. The proposed load planning algorithm is integrated in a commercial tour planning service to verify the feasibility of serving several customers within the same tour. We present the method’s applicability to our described use case of integrated measurement and planning.