Yard Management system for central warehouses
Challenge
With so many vehicles entering and exiting a yard daily with different arrival times for loading and unloading, it is important that the yard management system has all the necessary functions to achieve a good flow, overview and the ability for employees to plan as much as possible in advance.
Communication and assigning the right gates and spaces is crucial for operations and efficiency, and when unpredictable incidents occur, the yard management system's ability to find quick solutions is a crucial factor.
Approach
The Yard Management System improves the efficiency, accuracy and safety of handling cars arriving and leaving the yard. It also helps to reduce costs, errors and delays that can occur due to manual and paper-based methods.
Solution
This solution is integrated into an existing booking and inventory management system that was already implemented.
The Yard Management System uses LPR (License Plate Recognition) and vending machines/app for check-in, so the driver can inform the warehouse via the app about e.g. early/late arrival.
Operational Overview
Warehouse staff have access to a web-based dashboard that provides a real-time view of scheduled, active, and completed visits, as well as the status of driving routes and the facility.
Automated Processes
The system supports automatic or manual assignment of loading docks and waiting areas, structured driver check-in, and controlled traffic management based on bookings and capacity.
Integration with Existing Systems
The Yard Management System can be integrated with the Warehouse Management System (WMS) to ensure seamless handling of vehicles and warehouse operations.
Security and Traceability
Access control, video surveillance, visitor registration, and incident logging provide enhanced security and full traceability of activities on the premises.
The system has these features, among others:
- Tracking and scheduling of trucks entering and leaving the site matched against purchase orders
- Waiting area for cars that have been assigned a new gate/space, e.g. in case of late arrival
- Assign a gate/parking space to each truck based on availability, cargo type and vehicle unloading method (top, rear or side)
- Goods registration such as: quantity, weight, barcode and destination
