Warehouse managers are well aware of the challenges of packaging. One of the challenges, with a significant commercial impact, is choosing the ideal type of box for an order made up of several items of different sizes and weights, while minimizing the amount of air transported or stored. This, in the warehousing and logistics industry, is the problem of bin packaging.
While many warehouses still operate on traditional principles, such as manual picking and packing, 3D bin packing solutions can complement and dramatically improve warehouse processes and have a major business impact.
With cardboard and transportation costs continuing to rise, the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered 3D packaging solutions has become more relevant, timely, and logical for warehouse processes.
Here’s how 3D bin packaging software can optimize warehousing processes by combining it with warehouse management systems and APIs.
Benefits of 3D Bin Packaging Solutions
One of the ways that 3D bin packing software optimizes warehouse processes is through outbound delivery splitting, where an order needs to be split into multiple containers (boxes, pallets, trucks, shipping containers) into due to order size and available loading meters or difference in shipping points, routes, delivery priority or delivery dates. 3D tote packaging solutions come into play to find the optimal container size of the goods as well as to take into account all the previously mentioned variables.
When the solution is applied, the system reduces the delivered quantity in the original delivery and splits the distribution of the delivery into new deliveries. While this process is sometimes handled through manual means, the need for an AI-powered solution can be more beneficial and cost-effective for all parties involved.
A second enhancement of warehouse processes by 3D tote packing software is box matching and further optimization of fill rate in boxes, on pallets, in shipping containers or in trucks. , taking into account the principles of truck load construction (weight limits and axle weight limits).
By manually attempting to choose the correct box size and arrange the boxes in a container, human miscalculation could result in the payment of an extra shipment of a box or even a pallet. While that might not seem like too big a loss, those numbers add up, forcing companies to pay for avoidable mistakes.
A 3D tote packaging solution avoids paying for an extra container or partial shipment due to the limited number of loading meters. Arranging items as close together as possible will minimize the number of containers required, thereby minimizing the required number of pallets and increasing capacity for limited load meters.
3D Tray Packing can also bring improvements to warehouse capacity planning, where the software can help forecast the amount of space needed in a warehouse for certain items or orders, or forecast the capacity of transportation X days in advance, minimizing the number of vehicles used, avoiding costly and last-minute truck bookings, finding the right types of vehicles (by size and their weight capacities) on time, and reducing transport costs.
Just-in-time truck loading management is also a capacity planning issue, where the priority of last minute orders may change and suppliers need to change the delivery plan, thereby changing the truck capacity plan.
Another benefit of AI-powered 3D packaging solutions is support during loading operations with scheduling algorithms. With 3D packaging software, you can plan delivery routes while determining which trucks to fill and how since the software can provide 3D visualizations to ensure the optimal fill rate while considering the loading sequence — the first order loaded into the truck or should be the last to get off the truck.
This means you can be sure that you are always getting the maximum efficient routes with minimal operational overhead. This solution can also be implemented with 3D load planning visualizations, where you can see what the truck load looks like in real time as well as the type of cargo you have loaded.
However, an important factor in fully utilizing these 3D bin packaging solutions is having quality master data for inventory dimensions (length, width, height) and weight. Master data management can help maintain data consistency in the warehouse, so you can easily access and efficiently analyze inventory data in seconds. Luckily, baseline data levels improve dramatically with advanced automated sizing systems.
conclusion
Although many AI-based solutions may seem like the future, they are not. AI-powered 3D packaging solutions and more are the present and a necessity in today’s warehousing and logistics industry. Due to increased transport, cardboard costs and sustainability goals that must be met.
Adopting these solutions will provide benefits such as saving time, money and increased overall efficiency of warehouse operation. If you are a business looking to expand or optimize your ways of operating, implementing AI-powered 3D packaging solutions can show the significant business impact they can bring.
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