3D Imaging for Virtual Grading of Package Walls in Trailer Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
In commercial trailer loading, existing methods fail to optimize packing efficiency, leading to increased shipping costs and poor loading habits due to the construction of package walls that obstruct visibility and hinder efficient arrangement within the trailer.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a 3D imaging system that captures and analyzes the interior of the trailer to assign a 'grade' to package walls based on height, depth, and other metrics, promoting the creation of tall, skinny walls for improved space utilization and visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If packages are stacked to form package walls from rear to front of trailer, then packing efficiency is improved, but visibility of previous walls is blocked preventing monitoring and correction
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a digital 3D copy of the trailer interior and package walls using depth camera imaging. This virtual model allows dock managers to view, analyze, and correct package wall arrangements without physically seeing the actual walls, thus resolving the visibility problem while maintaining packing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from 2D visual inspection to 3D virtual modeling by capturing depth information and reconstructing the trailer interior. This dimensional transformation enables viewing of package walls that would otherwise be obscured, allowing monitoring and correction of packing arrangements.
2Ease of operation
If short wide package walls are constructed, then ease of construction is improved, but storage area utilization decreases due to air gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback by assigning grades to package walls based on their dimensions and space utilization. This feedback mechanism guides workers to construct taller, narrower walls that maximize storage capacity while maintaining ease of construction through clear performance indicators.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the evaluation parameters for package walls from simple construction ease to optimized dimensions (height, width, depth) that maximize storage utilization. By grading walls based on volumetric efficiency, the system incentivizes parameter optimization without increasing construction complexity.
3Device complexity
If traditional manual grading methods are used, then device complexity is minimized, but measurement precision of package wall dimensions is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual visual estimation with automated optical measurement using depth cameras. This substitution of mechanical/human measurement with optical sensing achieves high precision in measuring package wall dimensions while keeping the overall system relatively simple through off-the-shelf camera technology.
Data Source
AI summary
Three-dimensional (3D) imaging systems and methods are described for implementing virtual grading of package walls in commercial trailer loading. The 3D imaging systems and methods comprise capturing, by a 3D-depth camera, 3D image data of a vehicle storage area. A package wall is determined, based on the set of 3D image data and by a 3D data analytics application (app) executing on one or more processors communicatively coupled to the 3D-depth camera, a package wall within the vehicle storage area. A wall grade is assigned to the package wall, where the package wall is defined within the set of 3D image data by a plurality of packages each having a similar depth dimension, and wherein the package wall has a wall height.