What is inventory management?
Inventory management involves ordering, storing, using, and selling company inventory, including components and finished products. The objective is maintaining an efficient balance of stock availability and cost efficiency while meeting customer demands and preventing overstocking or shortages.
The inventory management process
Receiving
Products arrive at the warehouse and are recorded in the system. Information such as serial numbers, dimensions, weight, and delivery dates are entered manually or via barcode scanner. Forward-thinking companies employ parcel dimensioners connected to warehouse management systems to automatically capture weight and dimension data for all incoming items.
Storage
Staff organizes and stores items in the warehouse. Accurate measurements are essential for optimizing space usage. When the warehouse management system has precise inventory data, it can suggest optimal storage locations and help staff locate items efficiently, preventing wasted time and maximizing valuable warehouse space.
Order fulfillment
Products are retrieved from storage, packed, and prepared for shipping. Precise measurements during packing are crucial for selecting appropriate boxes and reducing shipping costs. Automated systems provide greater savings than manual measurement methods.
Why accurate measurements matter
- Optimizing warehouse space and reducing expansion needs
- Saving labor time through organized systems
- Reducing packing errors and packaging material waste
- Lowering shipping costs through correct dimensions
Methods for obtaining measurements
Manual measurements and data entry
Traditional tape measures and calibrated scales provide reasonable accuracy but remain prone to human error and are highly time-consuming.
Automated dimensioning systems
Parcel dimensioners use 3D cameras and scales to capture weight and dimensions of boxed and irregularly shaped items in less than 0.5 seconds with 0.1 cm accuracy. These systems integrate seamlessly with warehouse management systems for real-time inventory updates and optimized operations.
Industrial scales
These precise tools capture weight but require pairing with dimensioning devices or manual measurements to obtain complete master data.
Conclusion
Parcel dimensioners used with warehouse management systems represent the most accurate, fast, and efficient method for capturing inventory measurements, achieving 0.1 cm accuracy in under half a second.
