What challenges are logistics departments facing?

Shipping frequency has increased in the last few years and it isn’t slowing down. Many providers have struggled to ensure they have enough resources to accommodate this growth, so they’re seeking additional methods to increase efficiency and optimize the resources they currently have.

Carriers are investing in dimensioning and weighing equipment to ensure the Bill of Lading (BOL) submitted by shippers is accurate. Carriers will verify weight and dimensions of the shipment and, if an error is found, shippers will receive a chargeback.

Because most carriers rely on dimensional weight (dim weight) to determine prices, it is critical for logistics personnel to accurately determine dim weight. Dim weight is the amount of space, or the volume, that a parcel or pallet occupies in relation to its actual weight. Using dim weight to plan truck loading also ensures carriers are optimizing truckload potential.

While carriers have been increasing fees to help enforce compliance, shippers need to have evidence that proves a parcel or pallet was properly weighed and dimensioned. Without an image of the shipment captured by a dimensioning system, it is very difficult for a shipper to contest chargeback fees.

How do dimensioning systems help?

Dimensioning systems, or dimensioners, can calculate precise shipment dimensions, ensuring logistics personnel correctly determine package or freight class and shipping rates. Not only are automatic dimensioners more accurate than manually determining dim weight, but some dimensioners can provide measurements in less than 2 seconds, giving logistics operations a big efficiency boost.

What types of dimensioning systems are available?

There are a variety of dimensioning systems available today designed for different shipment needs, including parcel dimensioners, pallet dimensioners and systems that combine a scale with a dimensioner.

Rice Lake’s iDimension Series includes two pallet dimensioners designed for Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight. Both LTL dimensioners can be paired with floor scales or used in conjunction with forklift scales. The freight model is designed to accurately capture measurements of long freight, up to 12 feet long and 8 feet wide.

The iDimension® Series also has three different parcel dimensioners to fit a variety of facilities, including a mobile version for greater flexibility. All three options can be paired with a postal scale and easily capture dimensions of tubes, flats and irregular packages.

Finally, Rice Lake’s iDimension PWD is a dimensioner and scale system—providing shippers with the measurements of palletized shipments ranging from 6 feet cubed to just 6 inches tall. It’s available in multiple configurations and mounting assemblies to fit nearly any logistics department.

We are seeing more frequent requests for dimensioner integration with other automation equipment, such as mounting the dimensioner over a conveyor or stretch wrapper. We can also mount the sensors in non-standard locations to satisfy unique application requirements, such as needing to measure extra-long, thin boxes.