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Fast and Efficient Container Load Planning

Making the best use of container space can save transportation and storage costs. You simply have to find the right way to arrange the objects to be packed in the available container space. Experienced packing planners usually spend a lot of time meticulously arranging and packing parts with complex shapes and still, in most cases, they will not achieve the same packing density as with PackAssistant.

The PackAssistant software calculates the optimal packing arrangement of identical parts in standard containers by using 3D CAD designs. Using the CAD file for size and shape, the program also works for parts with complex shapes, as the program will identify and take the individual shape of the object into account to optimize the packing arrangement.

Benefits

Up to now numerous packing attempts were necessary to obtain an acceptable packing plan. With PackAssistant the exact arrangement of the parts in the container can be calculated and displayed as early as in the design phase of the parts.

PackAssistant saves time and money through:

• Optimal container utilization
• No time-consuming manual packing tests
• Transport, container and storage planning at an early stage
• Optimal pallet and truck utilization
• Important support tool for bids

Within seconds PackAssistant creates 3D images which can serve as an ideal basis for container optimization. The customer can immediately see how the objects should be arranged in the available space. Until now this had to be done by laborious drawings or graphs.

Saving Potential

Reduction of transport costs
PackAssistant users have improved the packing density of containers by up to 25 percent. This improvement also has a positive effect on other areas in the total logistics supply chain.

Save time by improved planning
PackAssistant not only enables you to improve packing densities, but – by better planning – it also helps you to save time.

How does PackAssistant work?

-Loading within shaped compartments

PackAssistant arranges the parts in layers and separate compartments. The software allows for standard rectangular, trapezoidal and hexagonal compartments. With a lot of parts, the trapezoidal compartment, in particular, provides a much higher packing density, compared with rectangular compartments. The extra effort for design and handling of trapezoidal compartments is minimal.

-Loading interlocking shapes in layers

PackAssistant arranges the parts in layers, but without compartments. The parts can be arranged in two ways: with or without overlap in the direction the parts will be taken out of the container. The software ensures that in either case the arrangement of the parts is as regular as possible to allow easy loading and unloading. The exact selection of the amount of space between the parts enables a realistic and individual solution.

-Loading with flexible layers

Apart from the rigid dividers between all layers, PackAssistant also arranges parts in so-called flexible intermediate layers. These can be plastic, foil or fleece material, for example. The thickness of these layers can be chosen in millimeters. If a thickness is set to 0, PackAssistant will arrange the parts directly on top of each other.

-Loading in stacks

In addition to arranging objects in layers, PackAssistant can also load them in stacks. This is particularly suitable for objects consisting of thin materials. Vertical or slanted stacking is possible. The following example shows a slanted stacking.

-Filling with bulk products

Small parts are often not put into a container in an orderly fashion but they simply fall out of a machine straight into a container. PackAssistant can estimate how many parts fit into a container by simulating the physical behavior of each part, i.e. by simulating gravity, velocity or collision among parts.

-Display of Results and 3D-CAD Output

Within seconds PackAssistant creates 3D images which can be used to plan each container of product. The user can immediately see how the objects should be arranged in the container. Until now this had to be done by guesswork, trial and error, and laborious drawings. Packing reports are generated as Microsoft Word documents. You can adjust the layout of the document to the needs of your company.

Additionally the results can be exported as CAD-datasets in the formats JT, STEP and VRML. You can use the results for further processing in CAD ​​programs. You can for example measure distances and make cuts.

References

Technical Specifications

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