By Bjarne D. Johansen
In a variety of different and important ways, automation has been an incredibly positive development for CEP companies and their customers. Just take a look at some of the benefits:
Guaranteed short delivery time with full information of where and when parcels will be delivered.
Not only will an automated high-speed sortation system minimise the cost per item, faster sortation capacity enables companies to achieve shorter delivery times, and precise placement during sortation results in fewer misrouted items. Then, there is the flexibility to handle parcels with different sizes, shapes, weights, and textures on the same sorter as well as the ability to use a single system to handle different sortation tasks.
The bottom line is that automation has been a huge hit. There is, however, one challenge that not even automation has been able to crack: odd-shaped parcels.
Too big, small or round
Odd-shaped parcels. Odd-sized parcels. Or perhaps the most descriptive term of them all: non-conveyables.
Think of round objects, such as footballs and tubes. And parcels with more than one natural surface, which the system will most often confuse with two parcels. Long, unevenly-shaped parcels, such as car exhaust pipes, for example, can also be tricky. Round objects will move uncontrollably, at any given time, and potentially create jams and blockages on the conveyors. Long items are difficult because – well – they are long and just not very handy.
Think of round objects, such as footballs and tubes. And parcels with more than one natural surface, which the system will most often confuse with two parcels. Long, unevenly-shaped parcels, such as car exhaust pipes, for example, can also be tricky. Round objects will move uncontrollably, at any given time, and potentially create jams and blockages on the conveyors. Long items are difficult because – well – they are long and just not very handy.