In logistics, accurate labeling plays a crucial role, ensuring the smooth flow of goods from point of origin to destination. Labels serve as critical markers, providing essential information about products, packages, and shipments – have they cleared customs yet, do they meet certain standards, or do they contain dangerous goods, as examples.
But there are several challenges to labeling processes which can cause inefficiencies and errors in the supply chain.
Firstly, manual labeling is a time-consuming and error-prone task. Today, many labels are affixed onto packages and products, from smartphone boxes to glass vials, by human operators. This can result in slower processing and possible mistakes, further leading to misplaced shipments and increased costs due to the need for manual intervention and rework – or worse, recalls.
Secondly, there are challenges associated with reading and interpreting labels accurately. Factors such as poor label quality, damaged or obscured labels, variations in label design, and inconsistencies in labeling standards can hinder the automatic detection and reading of labels. This may cause errors in inventory management, order fulfillment, and transportation planning, negatively impacting the overall supply chain performance.
As such…
