Sensors attached to or in load carriers such as crates or pallets record data such as temperature, humidity, vibrations, location data and product quantities removed. The data is forwarded to corresponding applications on computers, tablets or smartphones and evaluated in real time. RFID and NFC chips also ensure more effective protection against counterfeiting and theft. QR codes are also in widespread use today as a link between load carriers and the virtual world.

Tracking and tracing in real time
Sensors, chips and codes already allow logistics planners to track routes live and ensure that load carriers with the goods they contain arrive at the right place at the right time. Thanks to the transmitted data, those involved in the supply chain know about incidents and deviations from the plan at an early stage and can react quickly. Material planners are also aware of how many load carriers are in circulation at all times. This enables them to quickly identify and rectify any surpluses or shortages of load carriers at customers or service providers.

Such intelligent solutions play a decisive role, especially for automated transport and warehouse logistics. The digital extras offer added value for logistics companies and their customers if they can be connected to the IT systems of the respective companies. Another option is to give customers access to certain parts of their own service platform. This can be done via cloud solutions, for example. Such service systems enable companies to record and evaluate data on the current status of the supply chain, identify critical conditions and prevent disruptions in logistics.

Simplified material management
One example of cyber-physical load carriers are plastic pallets and crates, which use RFID or in-mold labeling to ensure that goods can be traced. In the latter case, the codes are permanently attached to the load carrier and therefore cannot be lost. However, QR codes on classic wooden pallets, crates and pallet cages also make them interactive. The communication can be read with various smart devices that are connected to a network.

Modern systems also offer interfaces for numerous other applications and can therefore also be linked to artificial intelligence (AI). For example, the Fraunhofer Institute IML presented an app for smartphones at Fachpack that makes it possible to count pallets using image recognition. This should make it much easier to exchange pallets and other transport packaging. Everyone involved in the supply chain then knows, for example, how many containers are in the warehouse, whether there are enough containers available or whether new ones need to be ordered and which products are on which load carrier.

The Fraunhofer Institute IIS is looking at a different aspect in the DProdLog research project: This involves the automatic reordering and tracking of Kanban containers in manufacturing companies. The smart containers record the fill level and are connected to a service platform. Logisticians can thus automate the recording of stock levels and the delivery of parts.

The use of intelligent load carriers makes logistics processes more transparent and efficient. As an effective tool against shrinkage or for the allocation of damage, costs can also be saved. In production, they use sensors to ensure that there is always a sufficient supply of material. Packaging and load carriers have thus long since expanded their functions as a protective and auxiliary tool and have become indispensable information carriers in the supply chain. as