Load-Aware Package Stacking Simulation for Delivery Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current delivery systems face inefficiencies in packaging and stacking of items, leading to potential damage during transit due to inadequate consideration of package weights, dimensions, vehicle capacity, and route conditions, resulting in increased costs and waste.
Innovation Solution
A computer-based method that determines package attributes and vehicle attributes to simulate forces on packages, selecting appropriate packaging types, including containers and materials, to ensure safe delivery by optimizing stack configurations and minimizing dynamic loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stronger containers and packaging materials are used for all packages, then package protection against damage during transit is improved, but shipping costs and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines packaging requirements on a per-package basis by simulating forces specific to each package's position in the stack, weight, dimensions, and route conditions. This allows stronger containers to be used only where necessary (packages experiencing high forces) while using standard packaging elsewhere, resolving the contradiction between universal protection and cost efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs force simulations and determines optimal packaging types before packages are actually packed and shipped. By predicting which packages will experience high forces during transit based on stack configuration and route conditions, the system can pre-determine appropriate packaging requirements, avoiding both over-packaging and under-packaging
2Productivity
If packages are stacked to maximize vehicle cargo capacity, then delivery efficiency is improved, but packages may experience excessive forces leading to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system simulates forces on packages in the proposed stack configuration before actual stacking occurs. By predicting which packages will experience excessive forces, the system can adjust the stack configuration in advance to protect vulnerable packages while still maximizing cargo capacity, preventing damage before it happens
Solution Approach 2:
The system identifies specific packages that require protection from excessive forces based on their position in the stack, weight, and fragility. Rather than reducing overall stacking density, it applies protective measures (adjusted packaging types, modified positions) only to specific packages experiencing high forces, maintaining delivery efficiency while preventing damage
3Volume of stationary object
If package stacking configuration is optimized for cargo capacity, then vehicle utilization is improved, but package damage risk increases due to unaccounted dynamic loads
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs comprehensive force simulations including dynamic loads from acceleration, braking, and route conditions before finalizing the stack configuration. This preliminary analysis ensures that packages are positioned and packaged to withstand expected forces while maximizing cargo capacity, preventing damage that would occur with capacity-optimized but force-unaware stacking
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses simulation results to iteratively adjust stack configurations and packaging assignments. By feeding back force analysis data to modify the stacking plan, the system achieves a balance between cargo capacity utilization and package protection, ensuring that high-capacity configurations do not compromise package integrity
Data Source
AI summary
Stack load aware stacking and packing of items can include determining, using computer hardware, package attributes for a plurality of packages. The package attributes include weights of the packages and dimensions of the packages. Vehicle attributes for a delivery vehicle used to transport the plurality of packages are determined using the computer hardware. The vehicle attributes include dimensions of a cargo space of the delivery vehicle. A simulation configured to simulate forces acting on individual ones of the plurality of packages as placed in a stack configuration for a route is generated using computer hardware based on the package attributes and the vehicle attributes. The simulation is executed using the computer hardware to determine a load on respective ones of the plurality of packages. Using the computer hardware, a packing type for each package is selected based on the load for the respective packages.