The most popular application for IoT asset tracking is in the field of logistics. Labels can be attached to transportation vehicles, crates, packages, or individual items, which are then connected to a remote tracking solution (e.g., mobile network) and monitored throughout their journey in the supply chain.
In the short term, companies can leverage IoT asset tracking in logistics to reduce losses and thefts. Over time, companies can collect data generated by their asset tracking systems to identify delays and issues. This data can be used to optimize operations based on new sources of information.
Use Case from Air Cargo
The Challenge
Our customer’s objective was to achieve optimal transport logistics via air cargo. Special containers and pallets, known as ULDs (Unit Load Devices), were used to ensure the secure delivery of the cargo. However, organizing and managing these transports and intermediate storage poses a complex task.
Today, customers expect more than just monthly reports on transport and storage status. Transparency is becoming increasingly important in logistics, and standard software solutions quickly reach their limits in this regard. One challenge is the lack of control over the exact location of the container/ULDs, often due to errors during the check-in process. Even if the check-in is properly performed, it can still be difficult to accurately locate the ULDs. However, absolute control of intermediate storage is crucial in this context. All ULDs need to be temporarily stored at airports before they are loaded and transported.
As intermediate storage is a costly service, it is essential to define precisely how many ULDs need to be stored at which airports and at what times.
Unused space or unreserved space for ULD storage at the airport results in high costs.
The Solution
Finally, as part of a long-standing partnership, we were commissioned to develop and implement an asset tracking solution for sensor-based tracking of containers. The goal of this IoT solution was to fully and accurately track the containers.
This solution involves sensor-based tracking of ULDs/containers in air cargo. Sensors are attached to the ULDs, and the data is collected and processed through a customized software solution. This allows our customer to have transparent and cost-effective tracking and monitoring of their containers carrying valuable goods. hrough this platform, our customer now has transparent and secure access to all relevant data at any time.
Sigfox As an important IoT network partner, Sigfox provides the necessary LPWAN (Low-Power Wide Area Network) infrastructure.
The Benefits
- High process transparency in tracking ULDs (Unit Load Devices)
- High cost transparency for container management, positioning, maintenance, and repair
- High customer satisfaction
Technologies
- Sigfox network
- Azure Cloud
- Azure IoT Services
