Know the carton. Know the next move.
Choose the trade-off. Keep the constraints.
Compare the same orders, inbound seed and pallet limits. Committed cartons stay locked; only future moves are replanned.
Objective weights
Hard constraints
ALWAYS ENFORCEDkg values are demo inputs, not approved manual lifting limits. Manual feasibility depends on reach, frequency, posture and site assessment.
Same-input comparison
Fresh replays of the same wave. Unknown-mode algorithms only receive measured items. A hold is a reported result, not a successful pallet.
Pallet sizing study
Uses unchanged carton dimensions and the same order. It changes the pallet, never digitally shrinks a box. Packaging redesign remains a separate supplier decision.
16 repeatable optimization samples
A buffer is an inventory location.
Each carton has exactly one recorded location. No pile of unidentified goods; no planning with unmeasured dimensions.
Addressed buffer positions
Discovery register
Physical cartons appear in the scene, but unknown records stay masked and unavailable to the planner until measurement.
| Carton / source | Known dimensions | Weight | Order | Live location | Touches |
|---|
One platform. Different inbound realities.
Guided consolidation for rigid cartons: receive, identify, measure when needed, track, optimize and verify. Not every logistics product is interchangeable.
Process map
Download PDF ↗Check pallet ID, condition and order
Mismatch → discovery route
Singulate, measure & weigh
Scan carton + slot → verify → commit location
Full → pause / drain / capacity review
Order · dimensions · support · load · access
QR face up · destination scan
No location commit / release
More cartons → replan
Zone clear → AGV handover
Three planning modes
Carton IDs, dimensions, weight, orientation and 3D stack positions are supplied and checked. Covered cartons still cannot be picked. Temporary moves expose the next suitable carton.
Measure a limited batch and record buffer locations, then build from those cartons. Lower buffer demand; a later large carton may require another pallet or exception review.
Discover everything first. Sufficient addressed capacity is essential. Hidden items cannot enter the plan; untracked floor overflow is not permitted.
How the optimizer works
- Admit observed cartons belonging to released orders.
- Compare eight candidate orderings using allowed rotations and exact edge-aligned positions.
- Reject overlap, overhang, inadequate support and excessive cumulative loads.
- Prioritize complete feasible orders, then rank packing, sequence and staging trade-offs.
- Lock completed placements; replan from the measured state.
Constructive heuristic, not a guaranteed global optimum. Layer overlap is geometric, not proof of dynamic stability. Infeasible cases remain on hold.
Physical equipment
4 source conveyors + 4 forklift-AGV docks. Each has two broad-field projectors, overhead Vision and QR reading. Measurement and addressed buffer areas have separate verification coverage.
Calibrate projection to changing stack height. Blank projection during scanning to reduce interference. Hidden labels require another view or relabelling, not an unauthorized carton flip.
Manual first; robot-assisted later
Manual guidance suits varied rigid cartons. Lift assistance can address difficult weights and reaches. Robot singulation is an option after grasp, reach, payload and exception trials.
Animated transfers are process trajectories, not validated robot paths. Robot kinematics, grasp selection and certified collision avoidance are not implemented.
Universal within an envelope
Suitable candidates include retail replenishment, mixed-case distribution, service parts, consolidation and rigid-carton returns.
Bags, drums, deformable packs, dangerous-goods compatibility, cold-chain segregation and damaged loads require additional models, rules and tooling. They are outside this cuboid demo.
Required data & integration
Carton identity, actual L/W/H, weight, order, lot/expiry, allowed orientation, compression/stackability, source pose + confidence, pallet limits and buffer address.
Production needs durable carton / location / reservation / move / placement / evidence records, idempotent WMS events and recovery reconciliation. This demo uses local memory; export before reset.
Questions before a physical trial
① Are actual source poses known, or only SKU quantities?
② How much inbound is unknown, damaged or unlabelled?
③ What are carton size, weight and stackability limits?
④ May an order split across pallets; at what extra cost?
⑤ What buffer capacity and replenishment rate are available?
⑥ Which restraint, transport and acceptance tests apply?
⑦ Which WMS/WCS messages and recovery rules exist?
⑧ What throughput, travel and reach targets apply?
Engineering references
Design interpretation, not a declaration of compliance.
HSE · Pallet safety (PM15)GS1 · Logistic Label GuidelineGS1 · EPCIS event modelEvery move has a before and after.
Source pallet → carton → measurement → buffer slot → placement → destination pallet → AGV mission.
Transaction log
| Event | Time | Action | Carton | From → To | Transaction / details |
|---|
Verification evidence
Structured simulated evidence, not photographs from a camera. Failed and corrected checks retain transaction links. Production image retention needs central storage and an agreed policy.