Load carrier
An RTLS locates load carriers such as mesh boxes, pallets and bins across halls and plants in real time. Companies cut search times, replace accompanying paperwork and manual scanning, and trigger bookings and transports automatically.
Load carrier at a glance
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Verified projects featuring Load carrier
Steering heterogeneous AGV fleets vendor-neutrally via VDA 5050
Autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) with IoT and real-time data for efficient material flows
Localisation systems, geofencing and real-time data in production control
Intelligent asset tracking: more transparency and automation in material flow
RTLS for load carriers: locate mesh boxes and bins in real time
In SICK's solution examples, the load carriers carry UWB tags whose signals are picked up by distributed antennas, so positions can be determined to the centimetre. The Tag-LOC system can be combined with RFID, barcode, GPS and LiDAR. Untagged objects are captured with a handheld scanner located by its own UWB tag. Via geofences, load carriers trigger notifications or ERP rebookings when they enter or leave a zone. INTRANAV links the tags via an app to the barcodes of delivery notes and production orders and posts bookings automatically in SAP. ORGATEX displays order information on the digital OX-Label directly on the load carrier and uses optical storage-space sensors to detect whether pallets, bins or cartons occupy a location. The data travels via Thread or NB-IoT/LTE-M to the ORGATEX Cloud.
The examples come from automation, mechanical engineering, logistics and automotive, mainly for object localisation and real-time inventory monitoring. A southern German provider of automation solutions uses INTRANAV to track mesh boxes holding 20 to 30 packaged cylinders each between two plants and a customer centre, without paper delivery notes. ZF uses SYNAOS at several sites to control automated guided vehicles that also transport empty boxes. With ORGATEX, fill levels and storage-space occupancy automatically trigger transport orders for the AGV system.
Podcast episodes featuring Load carrier
RTLS for load carriers: frequently asked questions
What is an RTLS and how is it used for load carriers?
An RTLS, or real-time location system, continuously determines the position of objects inside buildings and across a site. For load carriers, it shows where mesh boxes, pallets and bins are located and how long they stay in a zone. The INTRANAV software stores the entry into and exit from each zone and calculates the dwell time to the second. This makes it possible to analyse lead times for each material flow station.
Why use UWB tracking instead of GPS indoors?
UWB works inside buildings, whereas GPS does not, because devices cannot connect to the satellites there. Ultra-wideband is a short-range radio technology with a transmission power of only a few milliwatts, which makes it energy-efficient and resistant to interference. SICK's RTLS systems use it to achieve location accuracy in the centimetre range. Small objects without their own tag can be captured indirectly with a handheld scanner carrying a UWB tag.
What does geofencing achieve in warehouses and production?
Geofencing automatically triggers follow-up processes as soon as a load carrier enters or leaves a virtual zone. With SICK's Tag-LOC system, these include notifications, new work steps or ERP rebookings, so manual bookings are no longer needed. With INTRANAV, a geofence registers packages at every node without scanning. At the destination, a rule deletes the link, and the empty tag is collected and rewritten for the next transport.
How does asset tracking digitalise load carrier management?
Asset tracking digitalises load carrier management by giving each load carrier a tag linked to its order and contents. A southern German automation company uses INTRANAV to replace paper delivery notes for mesh boxes and wooden crates moving between three sites. At each station, employees scan the barcode and tag with an app, and the data goes to INTRANAV.IO and SAP. According to the provider, the system also raises alerts for potential theft and losses.
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Fuel tank
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