Hoisting Appliance Scanning for Real-Time Inventory Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hoisting systems, such as bridge cranes and overhead travelling cranes, lack the capability for fully automated inventory management, leading to discordance in stock inventory, inefficient output stream optimization, and the need for manual intervention due to issues like missing products or temperature discrepancies.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a hoisting appliance equipped with a scanning device and a supervisory system that generates an optimized trajectory for navigating through the hoisting area, scanning objects, and updating inventory data in real-time, while considering obstacles, safety, and workload constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a hoisting system operates without automated scanning and inventory tracking, then the operational complexity and safety requirements increase due to manual monitoring needs, but the system lacks real-time inventory accuracy leading to discordance in stock data
Solution Approach 1:
The hoisting appliance is equipped with a scanning device that enables it to perform both its primary function of transporting loads and a secondary function of scanning and updating inventory data. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain accurate inventory records without adding separate dedicated monitoring equipment, thereby improving measurement precision while controlling device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hoisting appliance autonomously performs inventory scanning and data updating during its normal operations without requiring separate manual intervention or additional dedicated systems. The appliance serves itself by integrating the scanning capability, allowing it to maintain accurate inventory records as part of its regular movement tasks, thus improving inventory accuracy without proportionally increasing system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If the hoisting appliance follows a direct trajectory between start and target points, then the movement time is minimized, but the scanning coverage of objects in the hoisting area is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The trajectory of the hoisting appliance is dynamically optimized by the control device to balance scan coverage and execution time. The control device calculates trajectories that deviate from direct paths only when necessary to improve scanning coverage of objects with outdated inventory data, while minimizing the time penalty. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt trajectory planning based on current inventory accuracy requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device changes the trajectory parameters (position, speed, path segments) to optimize the balance between scanning coverage and execution time. By adjusting these parameters dynamically based on inventory data age and object locations, the system achieves adequate scan coverage without excessive time loss, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and time efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If the control device optimizes the trajectory to scan more objects, then the inventory accuracy improves, but the computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device applies optimization locally by focusing scanning efforts on specific areas where inventory data is outdated or uncertain, rather than uniformly scanning the entire hoisting area. This localized approach improves inventory accuracy in critical zones while minimizing the computational burden, as the control device only intensifies scanning in regions where it is most needed based on data age and object priority.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device performs partial scanning optimization by selectively updating inventory data for objects based on their priority, data age, and location, rather than attempting to scan and verify every object in the hoisting area. This partial action approach achieves sufficient inventory accuracy for operational needs without the excessive computational complexity of complete systematic scanning.
4Measurement precision
If manual inventory verification is performed regularly, then inventory accuracy is maintained, but the productivity and operational efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical process of inventory verification is replaced with an automated optical/electronic scanning system integrated into the hoisting appliance. The scanning device automatically captures and processes inventory data during normal operations, eliminating the need for manual counting and verification activities. This substitution maintains high inventory accuracy while preserving operational efficiency, as the scanning occurs during routine movements without requiring dedicated manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The inventory scanning function operates continuously during the normal operation of the hoisting appliance, rather than requiring periodic stops or separate manual verification sessions. As the appliance moves through the hoisting area performing its primary function, it continuously scans and updates inventory data, maintaining accuracy without interrupting productivity. This continuous action ensures inventory information is current while operational efficiency remains high.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for updating an inventory of objects located in a hoisting area wherein a load is handled by a hoisting appliance equipped with a scanning device and spanning a hoisting area, a control device:generates a trajectory of the hoisting appliance for navigating through the hoisting area taking in account a time interval and log data,wherein the trajectory comprises a starting point, a target point and a number of consecutive line segments connecting the starting point and the target point,optimizes the trajectory for allowing a scan of objects associated with old log data during the time interval,executes the optimized trajectory and scanning objects during the optimized trajectory, yielding to scan data related to the scanned objects, andsends the scan data to a supervisory system for updating the inventory with the scan data.