ArcBest deploying freight-dimensioning forklifts

Transportation and logistics provider ArcBest announced Monday it has developed a forklift that can capture the dimensions of a shipment. The company is currently using the technology in a test pilot. It also announced it has opened its Vaux technology offerings to other industries.

“Accurate freight dimensions have become increasingly important, but standard static dimensioners can be cost-prohibitive and inefficient for many businesses,” said Dennis Anderson, ArcBest’s chief innovation officer, in a news release. “With its low barrier to entry and ease of implementation, Vaux Vision offers a flexible solution to this challenge.”

Vaux Vision allows forklifts to transform into mobile dimensioners using 3D perception. Sensors on the forklift are activated when lifting freight, and the data is transferred to tablets and stored in the cloud. The system takes photos of the freight and can determine if shipments have been damaged, contain hazardous materials or are capable of being stacked.

The technology can be used for freight of many dimensions, not just palletized freight.

“The pilot phase of Vaux Vision will give us critical insights as we refine the technology and ensure it delivers significant value,” Anderson said.

The company also announced updates to its Vaux Freight Movement System, which utilizes software and hardware to configure and load a mobile platform on a warehouse floor versus loading freight directly onto a trailer. (The full platform is then slid into a trailer.)

A new design allows the system to stack previously unstackable freight like data center servers. The technology has also been expanded to include new widths and dimensions used for air cargo containers and vehicle racking platforms.

ArcBest (NASDAQ: ARCB) also said its Vaux Smart Autonomy, which combines human-controlled autonomous mobile robot forklifts with fleet management software, can now be used to load and unload trailers. Enhanced functions include the movement of nonpalletized freight and vehicle racks. The units can also complete double stacking and bulk stacking.

“Working in customer environments has informed Vaux advancement, and its forklifts have significantly ramped the number of successful autonomous missions completed in the last twelve months,” a news release said. “In addition, the company’s Innovation Warehouse plays a pivotal role in the development and testing of this new technology. It provides a high-tech, real-world environment for R&D teams to ideate, test and iterate on new solutions.”

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