Now that you have decided to supercharge your distribution centre’s warehouse management system with accurate SKU dimensional data let’s review which of the various CubiScan models is right for you.
To get started we first need to answer some fundamental questions:
First. Let’s clarify: In your DC, do you want to only Cube & Weigh SKUs as part of an inbound process? Or do you want to Cube & Weigh outgoing parcels and freight items at dispatch? Or, do you want to do both? (In the case of outbound, we both need to understand and consider packed item sizes, weights, volumes and throughput needs per hour.)
Second. If you are focused on inbound SKUs, how many individual SKUs do you need to measure in your warehouse right now?
Third. How many new SKUs do you anticipate will come into the system in the months and years ahead?
Fourth. What are the shapes of your SKUs? Are they all boxes and cartons? Or do you have irregular shapes too – including a mix of cartons? In other words, do you need to also measure the (usually) irregularly shaped each within the carton? The answer to this question will help define which CubiScan model is right for you.
These are the four critical questions to answer. This post mostly focuses on dimensioning SKUs and getting that data into your WMS. If you need to cube and weigh freight items at dispatch then scroll down and check out the CubiScan 100 and 150.
Okay, let’s begin. If you’ve got over, say, ten thousand SKUs and they are spread throughout the warehouse and you are continually receiving more into the DC then you will definitely want to do this automatically. And you will likely want to permanently own the solution that you decide is right for you so that you can have a consistent, operator-independent methodology in place to measure SKUs. Operators can come and go but the CubiScan remains a constant, operator-independent procedure.
I mention the concept of ownership to contrast with the capability to hire a solution, in some cases this is also a good option. But before you get too excited about he prospect of hiring please keep in mind that we only hire out the CubiScan 100.
Here’s the bottom line: If you have over, say, 5-10,000+ SKUs and you continue to receive more SKUs every month or year; and, you have a modern WMS or WCS that can make smart decisions with SKU dimensional data then you will definitely want to invest in a CubiScan model of some description.
Which CubiScan Model is right for you?
Above: The CubiScan 25 – Ideal to cube and weigh small irregular shapes and SKUs
CubiScan 25: If you have > 5,000 mostly small irregular shaped SKUs. Captures dimensions and weight of tiny and smaller irregular shapes – and “smallish” boxes. From 2 x 2 x 2 mm LWH up to 450 x 350 x 305 mm LWH and weight from 2 grams up to 6kgs. Ideal for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, small parts, party products, and those warehouses or even manufacturers that have mostly small irregular shaped items that fall within the measurement zones.
The CubiScan 100
Above: The CubiScan 100 – Ideal for dimensioning box shaped SKUs and parcels
CubiScan 100: If you have 5-10,000+ box shaped SKUs. Use also for legal for trade freight dispatch. The all-round solution for cartons. Captures dimensions and weight of small to large cartons, boxes, and cuboidal shapes only. From 5x5x5 cm LWH up to 60x60x90cm LWH and weight from 20 grams up to 60kgs. Again, cuboidal shapes only, not suited to irregular shapes. Ideal for warehouses whose actual SKUs to measure are mostly cartons and boxes.
Above: CubiScan 100 and Fully Mobile Trolley (Dashing Marketing Guy not included)
Above: the CubiScan 125 – Ideal for dimensioning SKUs of all shapes – boxes & irregular shapes
CubiScan 125: If you have 5-10,000+ SKUs of both irregular shapes and boxes. The universal measure-almost-anything solution. Captures dimensions and weight of small to large cartons and boxes as well as tiny to medium size irregular shapes. Cartons and boxes: 50 x 50 x 50 mm LWH up to 60o x 760 x 900 mm LWH and weight from 2 grams to 25 kgs. Irregular shapes: from 2 x 2 x 2 mm LWH up to 450 x 450 x 305 mms LWH and weight from 2 grams up to 25 grams. Ideal for medical, electronic, pharmaceutical, auto parts, garments, CDs and so on that have a mixture of irregular and boxed SKUs.
Above Images: CubiScan 125 with Mobile Trolley. Bottom two images: with XL SKU Measurement Option: simply place the scale or scales on the ground, scan SKU barcode, capture barcode and weight and then measure SKU LWH by hand and enter LWH using the keypad. All the rest of the data automation export happens naturally.
Above: The CubiScan 325 – Ideal to cube and weigh the widest range of irregular shapes.
CubiScan 325: If you have a wide range of mostly irregular shaped SKUs. Ideal for eCommerce fulfilment. Captures dimensions and weight of tiny to large irregular shapes – and boxes, of course. All shapes from 2 x 2 x 2 mm LWH up to 900 x 600 x 600 mm LWH and weight from 2 grams up to 25kgs. Ideal for auto and medical parts, consumer goods, eCommerce goods, and those warehouses or even manufacturers that have a wide range of mostly irregular shaped items that fall within the measurement zones.
Above CubiScan 325 and fully mobile trolley. The most beautiful mobile SKU dimensioning automation solution ever conceived by mankind.
Above CubiScan Mobile Trolley Power Station. Neat, elegant, purpose-designed to meet stringent Australian Standards. Charge the battery overnight and it is good to go for twenty hours before the next charge.
Mobile and Powered. The CubiScan 25, 100, 125, and 325 units are typically supplied fitted onto a heavy-duty, purpose-built trolley suited to the size of the particular model. Supplied with a rechargeable battery and Power Station enabling full system use over a normal 8-hour shift. This means you take the mobile CubiScan to the SKUs, wherever they are in the DC, rather than trying to bring the SKUs to the CubiScan.
Above: The CubiScan 150 – legal for trade, ideal for cubing and weighing cartons at freight dispatch areas
The CubiScan 150 if you want combined freight dispatch and measurement of carton SKUs. Ideally suited to capturing the cubic dimensions and weight of packed orders at the freight dispatch section of the warehouse. It can be supplied with a variety of host IT interface options including a PC running freight integration software that enables a robust interface to your host shipping application. The CubiScan 150 is also available in a legal-for-trade version.
The CS 150 captures dimensions and weight of small to large cartons, boxes, and cuboidal shapes only.
From 8 x 6 x 6 cm LWH, up to 120 x 100 x 100cm LWH, and weight from 40 grams up to 70kgs.
Again, cuboidal shapes only, not suited to irregular shapes.
Although it is mobile, it is not as easy to move around as the other CubiScan Trolley models above.
Above: the CubiScan 1200 AKL – Ideal legal for trade Freight & Big Ugly SKUs
The CubiScan 1200 AKL: If you want combined dimensioning of outgoing palletised freight orders and have 5,000+ large SKUs.
The ideal solution to cube and weigh large and extra-large boxed or irregular shaped SKUs. Engine blocks, auto parts, mufflers, garden tools, hardware, you name it. It can also be used to cube and weigh outgoing packed freight orders at dispatch to ensure the warehouse records the legal for trade dimensions of the freight item for easy reconciliation of invoices and freight charges received from the freight carriers. SCACO also supply freight integration software that enables a robust interface to your host shipping application.
The CubiScan 1200 AKL captures dimensions of any shaped item from a minimum size of 20 cm L & W and 10 cm H up to 3.5m L x 2.5m W x 2.5m H. Almost any weight range is possible with a variety of flexible weighing options to sit particular user needs. We usually supply a 1.5 m x 1.5 m, 3,000kg, heavy duty platform scale for pallets
So there you have it! The primary CubiScan models that are used to empower and supercharge warehouse management systems around the world. Have you decided which one is right for you?
In separate blog posts you can learn more about both the operation of the CubiScans, and SCACO’s exclusive “CubeMaster” Warehouse Management System (WMS) Integration Software.
Above: CubeMaster SKU Data management and WMS Integration Software: screen shot.
Intelligent SKU-level automation is redefining traditional SKU metrics. Read the blog post in the link below to learn more.
https://diverseco.com.au/blog/intelligent-dc-automation-redefining-sku-metrics/
To learn more about the CubiScan or to get pricing please talk to one of the experts at SCACO today!
Rhett Talley, Marketing & Business Development Manger (0403-244-267)