The OEM’s German plant has partnered with Landshut University of Applied Sciences to develop an AI tool that makes container management more efficient.
BMW’s plant in Dingolfing, Germany has partnered with students from Landshut University of Applied Sciences to develop an innovative solution for plant logistics, using AI to make container management more efficient, saving time and avoiding errors.
The partnership has developed a tool that automates the counting of empty containers using AI. At the plant, around 1,600 different types of containers are in circulation every day, and had until now been counted manually. Now, a video of the containers taken on a mobile phone can be used to determine the exact number per container variant, due to QR codes placed above the block storage lanes which link to a database of container data. The AI analyses the video and calculates the number of containers in real-time.
“Our goal was to automate empties counting as efficiently and simply as possible,” said Wolfgang Schratzenstaller, project manager, BMW Group Plant in Dingolfing.
“Students bring in new perspectives and unbiased approaches,” Schratzenstaller added. Within just three months, the eight-person team developed the cost-effective solution. An IT masters’ student who worked on the project, Dominik Dama, explained: “QR codes are places above the block storage lanes, which link to a database of container data. The AI analyses the video and calculates the number of containers.”
The system is currently in the pilot phase to test its performance, but BMW hopes the solution will be scaled and used in other areas of plant logistics in the future. It is also planned to further automate the counting process by using autonomous Smart Transport Robots (STR) to record the videos.
At the upcoming Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Europe event, running from 18-20 March 2025 at the Kameha Grand Bonn in Germany, we will be launching our new packaging focus. We will be diving deeper into how innovative packaging solutions and container management strategies are becoming the next competitive advantage in the automotive supply chain, unlocking cost savings, boosting efficiency, and driving sustainability through optimised material flows and cutting-edge designs, with input from experts at CHEP, Tri-Wall Circular, GALIA and ODETTE
The packaging focus will also be looking at European packaging and waste regulation and the implications for the automotive industry. Experts will share strategies to navigate compliance, reduce waste, and implement eco-friendly packaging solutions while maintaining cost efficiency and supply chain resilience.
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