SIZING up your
SHIPMENTS
Gathering dimensional data has
traditionally helped with slotting,
picking, and order filling. But there are
applications on the shipping side as well.
Can shippers who determine for themselves the weight and dimensions of every shipment or load they tender save on freight charges? The
short answer is maybe. A lot depends on the accuracy of
the information that is gathered and how it is applied.
Traditionally, dimensioning systems have been used
for various applications in the warehouse. For example,
incoming products are routinely measured as they are
received. Knowing how big a product is and how much
it weighs allows for better utilization of storage space. It
also helps with the slotting of products in picking areas.
Managers need accurate dimensional data to make sure
they’ve allocated enough room for a product to assure
adequate stock—but not so much that it increases the
distance between products within the pick zones.
But it also turns out that the same dimensional information collected for storing and slotting can be used in
shipping applications. The experiences of two companies,
Monoprice and Interline Brands, are testament to that.
NO MORE “FAT FINGER” ERRORS
Monoprice is a direct-to-consumer retailer of electronic
products. Its distribution center in Rancho Cucamonga,
Calif., utilizes a CubiScan 125 dimensioning system
manufactured by Quantronix Corp.
