Prime Vision introduces automatic chute and container mapping

Dutch postal supplier Prime Vision has developed a new automatic mapping solution to provide a dynamic alternative to manual chute and container assignment as the number of delivery options grows.

To achieve optimal productivity and sorting efficiency requires an agile approach to chute and container use. A typical sorting centre will house anywhere between 50 to 500 chutes whose assignment to a task becomes harder with ever-changing parcel volumes and the growing number of delivery options such as those to retail outlets or parcel storage machines and evening delivery. 

To address this issue and provide a dynamic alternative to manual chute and container assignment, Prime Vision has developed a new automatic mapping solution.

For most operators that use parcel sorters, there are insufficient chutes for every product and destination. Organising the containers per chute is therefore both difficult and time consuming as there are many factors that must be considered to achieve the best outcome. 

For example, post code ranges for containers at the same chute should not overlap; the total load and distance from chute to loading station needs to be minimised and the number of containers as well as the load per chute should be as uniform as possible.

The Prime Vision System evaluates all these elements automatically. It uses smart algorithms to create highly sophisticated mathematical optimisation tooling, and data captured from the supply of parcels, to map out the best assignment of chutes and containers. 

The result is optimised sorting time and the most effective use of production space. When combined with Prime Vision’s OCR, tangible increases in belt capacity can be achieved, according to the company.