An Overview of How DWS Systems Work: Breaking Down the Technology
Today’s market is defined by a drastic rise in order volume and increasingly tighter fulfilment rates, which have influenced major players across industries to focus on improving productivity—and, hence, profitability—by leveraging automation solutions.
Being the key driver of order fulfilment in the supply chain, warehousing and logistics companies are at the forefront of adopting intralogistics workflow automation solutions. The adoption of these automation solutions aims to create a ripple effect, elevating the overall efficiency of the supply chain.
Dimensioning, Weighing, & Scanning (DWS) Systems, which we explored in our blog, Why Is a DWS System Required? Discover Its Role in Modern Logistics is one such solution in the suite of automation technologies that can fortify the entire supply chain.
Setting the Scene: Why Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning (DWS) Systems Demand the Attention of CTOs Today?
Whether it is the e-commerce industry, the warehousing, or any other operations, where logistics planning and volumetric weight-based billing, including shipping and storage fares, Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning systems are no longer good-to-haves but must-haves. Hence, if your competitors are investing in operations or warehouse automation solutions to boost their efficiency, i.e., order fulfilment rate, let this blog serve as a siren call.
Even before we dive into deconstructing what a DWS System is and the importance of Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning in supply chain, logistics, e-commerce, etc, here is a snapshot of the expanding market of the solution, sourced from the market research company DataHorrizon:
- The global Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning System market is set to grow at a staggering CAGR of 10.3% from 2025 to 2033.
- This growth rate is projected to take the market size from USD 3.4 billion—as measured in 2023—to a whopping USD 9.2 billion by 2033.
- The expansion of e-commerce services and a rising demand for automation and digitisation across industries are the causes of the skyrocketing need for DWS systems for e-commerce logistics, supply chain, etc.
The Importance of Dimensioning, Weighing, & Scanning (DWS) Systems for E-Commerce Logistics, in Supply Chain, & as Part of Warehouse Automation Solutions
As the name suggests, DWS Systems has enabled a human-machine interface of never-before-seen efficiency by eliminating (at least partially) human labour from these essential tasks in the logistics sector:
These tasks help determine the volumetric weight of objects scanned. Therefore, the technology suite is especially critical when it comes to high-order-volume operations, where automating volumetric weight-based billing—for both cuboidal and irregularly shaped objects—is critical. The solution also empowers warehouses, 3PL (third-party logistics) companies and other logistics-heavy sectors, and manufacturing units by:
- Verifying shipment details provided by customers/vendors, thus ensuring transparent billing and avoiding billing disputes
- Auto-identifying shipment data through scanning labels, preventing misplacement or worse, misshipment and enabling easy shipment tracking
- Checking if the weight and the L x B x H of the shipment comply with postal regulations
Need a Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning System? How Effective Are One-Size-Fits-All Solutions?
3PL operations, warehouses, and e-commerce hubs, based on the kind of shipments they process, may need an automated parcel dimensioning, weighing, and scanning setup capable of handling different ranges of parcel sizes and weights. Similarly, the time that the parcels stay under the label scanner may also differ based on how many parcels the business must process in a given time.
Therefore, to match the capacity of the solution to the operational need, customisation is critical, and this is where Warehouse and Supply Chain Solution builders such as Quinta shine.
How to Build a Tailor-Made/Customised DWS System?
Empowering entrepreneurs, C-suite decision-makers, and other stakeholders with varying technical depth, this blog aims to showcase a comprehensive, in-depth, yet simple exposition of the devices and technologies that go into the making of Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning Systems.
Curious, How DWS Improves Order Fulfilment Speed? Discover Now!
The following pointers are the benefits of a DWS system in terms of order fulfilment speed. These pointers are based on the workflow discussed above:
- Auto-capture of parcel details saves significantly more time than manual dimensioning, carrying, loading and unloading heavy parcels on scales, and individually scanning codes.
- Conveyor integration saves time spent between the DWS workstation and the sorter, eliminating the possibility of any in-between operational bottlenecks.
- The automatic material handling robots perform seamless G2P, accelerating the intralogistics process compared to a workflow involving manual labour and manned forklifts.
- The WMS enables smart storage, retrieval, carrier assignment, and dispatch planning, reducing the possibility of gaps in planning, thereby decreasing the overall order fulfilment time.
- Automation does away with the risks of accidents and the extra time mishaps like workers colliding with forklifts cause.
These benefits of the accurate parcel dimensioning solution culminate in a swifter delivery time, thereby improving customer experience.
Want to Know How DWS Improves Order Fulfilment Accuracy?
The Machine Vision-powered 3D profilers and code readers, being primarily or partially image-based tools, can assess the precise dimensions of the parcel and reduce the chances of no-reads, due to damaged labels or high throughput, thus making the reading more accurate.
Benefits of Accurate Parcel Dimensioning & Precise Identification of Parcel Weight and Label-Encrypted Data
DWS integration in the supply chain improves order fulfilment accuracy because the solution does the following:
- Eliminates manual data entry, thus reducing the chances of human errors, especially as misreading the PIN Code can mix up orders, thereby negatively affecting customer experience
- Improves the quality of the packing processes by reducing the void between folds and parcel contours
- Prevents undercharging and chargebacks due to overcharging or fraudulent claims with precise volumetric weight data points, thus controlling revenue leakage
What Are the Key Devices Used to Build a Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning Solution?
Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning Solutions are composed of:
- 3D Profilers
- Scales
- Label Scanner, particularly those built for high-speed conveyors
While the market has different kinds of 3D profilers (also known as dimensioners), scales, and label readers, experts at Quinta prefer using:
- Load cells
- Dimensioners and scanners, which are powered by Machine Vision cameras
Both load cell and Machine Vision technologies ensure sensitive reading, despite the speed of moving parcels, ambient lighting, and label type. In fact, as Machine Vision technology is primarily image-based, the dimensioners work despite low-contrast backgrounds—much like the scanners, which can, at times, identify slightly damaged or fading labels.
Key Considerations for Building an Effective DWS System for E-Commerce Logistics, Warehousing, Etc.
Before implementing a Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning System for improving the efficiency of their logistics, supply chain, e-commerce, or warehouse automation solution suite, businesses must keep the following points in mind:
- Details of the Infrastructure: Size of the space available, operational conditions, such as temperature, lighting, and moisture, and other factors must be considered before planning the layout of the DWS Systems and other warehouse automation solutions that may be part of the Digital Transformation project.
- Throughput: Throughput is the speed of order processing. For the overall operations, the term refers to the ideal time a typical inbound parcel will take to be shipped out. On the other hand, as far as DWS Systems are concerned, throughput is the metric determining the top speed for error-free dimensioning, weighing, and scanning. Solution-building experts like those from Quinta weigh in on both definitions of the word to perfectly customise the project in question.
- Budget: There are different types of scales, profilers, and scanners, each with varying degrees of reading accuracy. The more sensitive the device reading, the higher the cost of solution-building. The total cost figure also depends on the size, the robustness of the setup, and the overall complexity of the design, among other factors.
- Type of Goods: Logistics-oriented businesses usually handle goods that can be divided into these categories:
- Conveyable, i.e., items which can be carried by one person
- Non-conveyable, i.e., shipments/items too difficult to be carried by a person due to their odd shape or weight
- Palletised, i.e., shipments stack one on top of each other and are to be shipped together and also considered as a whole
- Regular-Shaped
- Irregular-Shaped
Apart from these pointers, project managers and the customer must evaluate the existing automation setup, including the sorter’s conveyor speed, to determine:
- Changes needed to successfully integrate the DWS system
- The total scope of automation in the operations, especially if the goal of the Digital Transformation effort is to automate end-to-end.
On a different note, have you wondered why we have repeatedly referred to the speed of parcels and conveyors? Let’s unravel that in the following section of this blog.
What are the Different Kinds of Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning Solutions?
The basic configuration of the solution can be classified into two types. They are:
- Dynamic DWS: After capturing the encrypted details in the label and the factors for calculating the shipment’s volumetric weight, a Dynamic DWS sends the parcel for sortation on a conveyor-based sorter. In other words, Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning Systems that are built to capture the details of moving parcels are known as Dynamic DWS Systems. Usually, the conveyor belts of Dynamic DWS Systems, on which the parcels move, are connected to the conveyor belt of the sortation system, thus ensuring optimal throughput in high-volume operations—ideally without any manual intervention.
- Static DWS: While this DWS System can perform the core actions, automated parcel dimensioning, weighing, and scanning of labels, unlike Dynamic DWS Systems, Static DWS Systems are standalone workstations—not linked to a conveyor belt.
Is That All? Setting the Scene for Further Deconstructing Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning Systems
In this blog, we have endeavoured to offer a panoramic view of Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning Solution. However, as we mentioned earlier, there are different combinations of technologies used for dimensioning, weighing, and label scanning that decision-makers of the business may opt for based on their budget, throughput, and the other key considerations mentioned earlier. Therefore, to better inform the key stakeholders behind the sanctioning of a suitable DWS System, we will soon publish dedicated blogs on:
- Dimensioning technology used in DWS Solutions
- Types of weighing scales used in DWS Systems
- Label-scanning devices and their technological details
- The use cases of different Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning System configurations across the workflows of various industries
Stay updated on our website to read the in-depth blogs on the individual key components of DWS, and contact us now to learn more about Quinta’s DWS Systems, the other warehouse automation solutions we have, installation and post-sale services, and the impact of our “problem-first” approach to projects.
One of our product experts will reach out as soon as possible to address your queries and to share a quote for a Digital Transformation project, matching your needs and vision, that includes Dimensioning, Weighing, and Scanning Systems, among other solutions—automate now!
