Without a doubt, advanced loading technology has and will keep improving trailer and flight safety. Typically, that stems from the loading mechanisms being so precise in determining the load capacity of particular aircraft, trucks, and shipping vessels. In return, that contributes to cutting fuel burn, eliminating ground delays and reducing carbon emissions, among others. But, how many logistics operations are willing to invest in and shift to using this loading and unloading technology? Well, appreciably, a handful. Over the years, automatic truck, trailer and container un/loading solutions have proved to increase work efficiency and improve logistics. But, does that mean that manual loading and unloading systems cannot still help?
The place of manual truck-and-trailer loading solutions
Automatic loading and unloading technology is always your best bet in ensuring you get the right cargo weight and position, and reducing loading and unloading time. But still, the logistics industry cannot rule out the significance of using manual cargo loading solutions altogether. Most of the automatic loading technology runs on electric power. That means that during power outages and when the backup power supply fails, these automatic loading and unloading systems cannot operate. And, this puts all your logistics operations to a halt, if you run them solely on automated cargo management solutions. It, thus, is advisable you integrate manual systems into your automatic un/loading systems as much as is possible. It will help to reduce snarl-ups in your cargo management whenever there are power failures.
Can you have both in one?
Typically, most cargo loading and unloading systems come as entirely manual, automatic or semi-automatic. You, however, can have both automatic and manual un/loading solutions run in one mode. Ideally, that will require you design such a cargo management system from the ground up to best address the particular un/loading operations you run in your facility. Discuss with your provider of truck, trailer and container loading solutions to determine how you can switch your cargo management systems from automatic to manual during power failures. The converse should also be achievable to keep running your logistics operations when power returns. And, this switching should be so seamless that you can hardly tell any work inefficiency in the un/loading operations.
Addressing inefficient cargo management systems
Ideally, inefficiency in trucks, trailer and air cargo loading and unloading systems is not so much in whether they are manual or automatic. It is more in the error-strewn operations of such systems. And, that can affect even automated cargo un/loading solutions. However, correcting errors in automated logistics systems is easier and quicker than in manual ones. Typically, that’s because most automatic un/loading systems highlight the parts that are causing the error on the control panel. But, both manual and automatic cargo management solutions can use scheduled inspections to ensure that they operate optimally. You then can follow that with reactive maintenance to restore faulty container un/loading systems. However, couple that with proactive maintenance to correct any anticipated cargo loading and unloading failures.
Your truck, trailer and container loading solutions provider should advise you on how often and best you should perform maintenance. Your logistics operations depend primarily on that to deliver on efficiency.
