DHL Aviation Revolutionise Package and Pallet Handling

METTLER TOLEDO UK have installed a number of highly advanced package and pallet
scanning technologies at DHL, the most recent being DHL Aviation's extensive air
freight logistics division at East Midlands Airport.
This installation follows on from the introduction of METTLER TOLEDO's letter and
package scanning technologies at various DHL Express locations across the country
and the development of a model specifically for the scanning of palletised freight.

Over recent years, METTLER TOLEDO has been working with UK-based DHL Express to install the very latest equipment for the automatic, in-motion data capture of parcels and packages. Whereas, traditionally, delivery charges would have been based on weight alone, the switch to a system able to provide a complete data profile of packages, including dimension, weight and object identification, was necessitated due to a growing trend towards lighter packages and the requirement for more convenient data capture.

Having proven the benefits of its Cargoscan TLX MultiCapture^TM technology for the scanning of smaller packages, via the installation of some fifty machines at various DHL Express collection depots, METTLER TOLEDO as approached by DHL to develop a solution that would enable large pallets to be quickly and accurately weighed, measured and scanned.

Developing a large pallet solution for up to 200 pallets per hour

The solution from METTLER TOLEDO was the Cargoscan CSN840 Pallet^TM, a complete data capture system that automatically collects dimensions, weight and identification information
from virtually any kind of pallet, including those with dark and glossy surfaces, in less than five seconds. Able to handle up to 200 pallets per hour, throughput of freight is significantly
improved. The non-intrusive overhead dimensional scanners can be floor, ceiling or wall-mounted, a benefit that not only reduces the system's footprint but also provides operators with the flexibility to place pallets under the measuring system from any direction and orientation.

The first two Cargoscan CSN840 Pallet^TM machines were installed at DHL's International Gateway in London Colney, followed by a single system into DHL Dublin. With the advantages of the system being clear, in spring 2009 DHL Aviation at East Midlands airport took the important step of ordering a further two Cargoscan CSN840 Pallet^TM model, as well as Cargoscan TLX MultiCapture^TM machine.

Providing significant benefits

While the arrival of the MultiCapture models has provided DHL Aviation at East Midlands Airport with the capability to benefit from the comprehensive data capture of smaller items, it is the larger Cargoscan CSN840 Pallet^TM model that will perhaps bring the greatest convenience to this major hub for international airfreight.

Calculating volumetric weight

"When large parcels have a low overall weight," explains DHL London Colney International Gateway Manager, Angus MacDougall, "we calculate their shipment cost according to their volumetric or dimensional weight - the amount of space they take up in a vehicle or aircraft."
"While measuring smaller parcels is standard practice in the transport and logistics industries, measuring large pallets is often very difficult using conventional technology, so their dimensions often have to be manually measured and recorded," he added. "This is obviously a time consuming process and is not cost effective. What we needed was a product that could quickly, reliably and accurately capture and record a pallet's weight, volume and barcode information and transfer this information in a format compatible with our information management system."

Faster invoice processing
"By capturing weight, dimension and barcode information quickly and efficiently, the Cargoscan CSN840 Pallet^TM unit allows invoicing to be processed quicker than previously, increasing our revenues. The unit also ensures correct track and trace of all pallets by accurately recording their movement."

Extremely cost-effective
"Until we installed the Cargoscan CSN840 Pallet^TM we had no efficient, reliable, accurate system for measuring pallets. The system was extremely cost effective and has proven to be extremely robust and fit for purpose. It also fits seamlessly into DHL's existing interface software," he concluded.