Dimensional weight became incredibly popular in the logistics industry in the 2010s and is now the standard for shipping departments and companies around the world. As dim weight has become the primary factor used to determine shipping charges, capturing accurate measurements on every type of parcel and pallet is critical.
Automatic dimensioning technology evolved relatively quickly, and dimensioners began to include additional features that can further benefit shipping departments. Today, integrating dimensional data with existing shipping software and capturing parcel or pallet images are efficiency-boosting features many shippers rely on.
Postmaster Dimensioner
An overhead parcel dimensioner was first installed in Rice Lake’s mailroom in 2018 when USPS announced they would be prioritizing dimensional weight (dim weight) in coming years. While USPS hasn’t made dim weight the primary measurement to determine cost yet, the iDimension Plus still gets plenty of use for international shipments.
Jackee Johnson, Rice Lake’s Mailroom Coordinator, explained, “The size is perfect. We mail a lot of product catalogs and similar parcels, and the iDimension Plus easily measures all of them. It’s so much faster and more accurate than measuring everything by hand.” Jackee added that occasionally she mails calibration weights through USPS when customers request it, but most parcels are under 30 pounds and easily handled by the BenchPro™ BP-P postal scale paired with the dimensioner.
Pairing the iDimension Plus with a BenchPro scale simplified the quoting process with carriers because Jackee can quickly capture dimensions and weight in ounces and pounds. The flexibility of iDimension systems means there will be opportunities for growth and improved LEAN processes in the Rice Lake mailroom.
