When selecting a dimensioning system for your business, there are a few keys to make sure you get the best bang for your buck. There are a variety of dimensioning systems available, each one different from the next, and it's crucial to select a system, and a vendor, that will make the greatest impact. Whether you manage a typical warehouse, an ever changing 3PL, or a small grocery distribution operation - there is a dimensioning system that will fit your requirements and budget. Below are seven tips to more effectively search for a dimensioning system that will help minimize your overall operating costs.
1) What are you trying to measure?
Visualize your warehouse! Now determine which box sizes could be measured on a single cubing system. Is your main objective to measure and weigh small to medium size boxes or do you have mostly odd-shaped items or pallets stretched throughout your facility? There isn't a dimensioning device on the planet that could accurately and cost-effectively measure everything from a tiny ball bearing to a 14 foot engine block. Search for a device that will have the ability to measure the majority of your items and measure the other stuff by hand. The last thing you want is to feel like you purchased a dimensioning system that is overkill, when all you really needed was a cubing device that could measure a simple shoe box.
2) SOFTWARE! SOFTWARE! SOFTWARE!
What would you like to do with the data once the measuring device captures the measurements? Whether you are exporting the cube and weight data to a simple text file, or customizing the interface to send the data in real-time to your host warehouse management system (WMS), the greatest feature for any cubing device is often the software interface. The cubing systems themselves are quite impressive, but unless you have a sophisticated, but user friendly interface to support the dimensioning system, you simply have an expensive tape measure.
3) Got Wheels?
Where are you planning on using the device within your facility? Would you like to take it throughout the warehouse instead of placing it in a receiving dock or shipping station? Selecting a system that can be used with a cart, equipped with portable power kit, is one way to finish your slotting project quicker and boost productivity.
4) Experience Matters!
Find a company with a winning team; a team that will stand by you and support you along the way. Pick a team with passionate industry experts that will give you the necessary tools and strategies to win the race, a team that will listen to your needs and provide solutions that have real value. Do your research! Find a vendor where cubing and weighing is all they do, and do it better than anyone!
5)Odd Shapes?
Need to measure more than a standard box? Small, irregular, or unboxed items such as medical devices, clothing, blister
packs, bagged items, etc., may also need to be measured with extreme precision. There are not many devices that are capable of measuring cases and those small, odd shapes using a single dimensioning system. Picking a machine that does not have these capabilities may be like putting a square peg in a round hole for your application. And, using a tape measure to accurately cube a set of tweezers, a tire iron, or a bag of popcorn is virtually impossible.
6) Need to More Accurately Manifest Your Freight?
Cubing systems allow shippers and carriers to capture more accurate dim-weight information for an existing freight/billing system. If you are a shipper and consistently receive unexpected corrections to your freight charges, then a cubing device to accurately declare dims and weights will minimize, or potentially eliminate, those annoying "back-charges." If you are a carrier, you may need a dimensioning and weighing system that is certified as a Legal-for-Trade (LFT) device to ensure you are compliant with applicable freight charging laws. Finally, if you are a large carrier or shipper, you may need to consider a high-speed, conveyorized, dimensioning and weighing system to keep up with your throughput requirements.
7)You May Not Need Season Tickets!
Don't buy an amusement park season passport if you are only in town for the 
weekend! Rental systems are available! If you're looking to update your current item master file with accurate cube and weight data and you have relatively few items to measure and weigh, you may have a one-time temporary need. There is no reason to purchase a device. Don't feel pressured into buying something long-term when you could rent a portable device on a month-to-month basis for a small cubing project. Use it and loose it!
The above seven tips will help you more effectively search for the best dimensioning and weighing system that will minimize your overall operating costs. You have choices; and if you follow these seven simple steps you'll walk away knowing you chose the perfect system that will get you the greatest return on investment, in the quickest way possible.
Takeaways
1 - Search for a device that has the capacity to measure the majority of your items on a single dimensioning system.
2 - Software is often the greatest benefit to the cubing system; give it the respect and time it deserves.
3 - You may benefit by purchasing a mobile system; no need to trek all your items to one location.
4 - Work with an experienced vendor that has served thousands of applications worldwide.
5 - Measuring individual, odd-shaped pieces with high precision is becoming more critical. You may need to find a system that will cube and weigh both case packs and small odd shapes using a single device
6 - Using a dimensioning system, you can eliminate charge-backs from carriers. You may need to look for a certified Legal-for-Trade (LFT) system.
7 - For short term projects - RENT!
