WMG at the University of Warwick and Trans-Rak International (TRI), a Warwickshire-based manufacturer, have devised software that automates the task of finding the optimal placement of cars in a shipping container – theoretically doubling the average number of cars that can be shipped per container from two to four.
The software, which was developed by Piero Filippin, innovation manager at WMG, works in conjunction with a car racking system designed by TRI. Together, the two technologies could lead to massive savings for the global automotive industry.
It works by generating recommendations on any number of cars, of any make or model, to be stored in the most efficient way. Users can select the number of cars, as well as the make and model, they want to transport. From there, a numerical process simulates hundreds of thousands of different loading options before generating a report on the most efficient solution.
Piero Filippin said: “The solution developed for TRI has totally transformed the manual-based processes previously used for generating the optimal placement of a set of cars. This has helped save considerable time, resource and money. The new system is a great example of how digital technologies can provide added value to manufacturing.”
