ProMatDX 2021: Make invisible waste visible

To maximize supply chain efficiency and optimize costs, operators need accurate dimensions and physical characteristics of every SKU in their mix, which can be difficult to build and maintain in today’s high-throughput, high-mix environments with ever-changing source packaging. During a ProMatDX seminar Tuesday morning, Matt Reynolds, founder and chief scientist from imaging sensor manufacturer ThruWave Inc., discussed key sensing technologies for capturing this SKU-level data in real-time, including 3D depth cameras, and the newly available 3D millimeter-wave (mmWave) sensors that image items through opaque packaging. 

3D mmWave sensors use radio waves to penetrate most nonmetallic packaging materials such as cardboard, plastics, air packs, and wood. This technology is human-safe, easy to install, and requires little maintenance. 3D sensors can be used to automatically audit your storage and packing operations to provide real-time feedback on how well your facility is performing. This includes automated tracking of cube utilization, item count, and detection of missing or damaged items.

Reynolds explained the areas where mmWave imaging sensors can be utilized in a warehouse or distribution center:

• During the depalletizing process, sensors can detect missing or damaged items without opening boxes.
• In the decanting process, sensors can send data on where the contents in a box are located to robots to make sure they cut open boxes without damaging goods.
• When stowing items in totes or bins, mmWave sensors can identify available space to put particular items.
• At the time of picking or during a cycle count, operators can verify if the correct items are present in totes and bins.
• 3D mmWave data can be used to measure the fill fraction or cube utilization in boxes at the time of packing.
• Right before a package is shipped, the sensors can compute item count inside sealed packages to ensure accuracy.