Measuring bulky and irregular items: what is possible and with which system
Measuring oversize items, irregular shapes and long goods correctly
Request a demoBulky goods, oversize items and irregular freight can be measured automatically if the system captures the shape and does not just assume a box. The pallet and long goods systems from MetriXFreight measure freely shaped freight: the L23x and L33x up to 260 × 260 × 260 cm, the L63x long goods up to 6.5 meters long in one pass.
3D sensors capture the freight as a point cloud, and the software calculates length, width and height from it.
Why irregular freight is difficult
If you measure irregular freight by hand, it is easy to get it wrong: overhangs, slanted edges and loose parts are easily missed by a tape measure. With bulky goods, every centimeter costs volumetric weight, and with long goods a tape measure reaches its limits.
Camera-based systems create a three-dimensional image of the freight from thousands of measuring points, a point cloud. The software calculates length, width and height from it, without anyone having to measure along the freight.
Which system for which freight
- Packages and polybags: The L13x measures box-shaped and pillow-shaped objects up to 135 × 80 × 90 cm.
- Pallets, bulky goods and irregular freight: The L23x measures freely shaped freight up to 260 × 260 × 260 cm. For loads wrapped in black film, there is the L33x with the same measuring range.
- Long goods and oversize items: The L63x measures freely shaped freight up to 650 × 260 × 260 cm, such as pipes, profiles and long crates, in one pass.
- Individual items: The S140 captures box-shaped and irregular items up to 120 × 85 × 70 cm for master data capture.
Where the limits are
With the L23x and L63x, limitations are possible with black film and with transparent or highly reflective surfaces; for black film there is the L33x. With the L13x, transparent or highly reflective surfaces can limit the measurement.
If you want to bill by the measured dimensions, the limits of the approval apply. With the L235, L335 and L635, irregularly shaped freight is approved only when stationary and palletized, and the L135 only for box-shaped and pillow-shaped objects. Transparent packaging is not measured in this case. The details are on the page Legal-for-trade volume measurement.
Which other criteria count in the selection is shown on the page Choosing a dimensioning system.
AI-generated Frequently asked questions about bulky and irregular items
Which system is best for dimensioning bulky goods?
For bulky goods on pallets, the L23x, or the L33x with black film, both up to 260 × 260 × 260 cm. For long goods and oversize items up to 6.5 meters, the L63x.
Can irregular objects be measured automatically?
Yes. The pallet and long goods systems capture freely shaped freight as a point cloud and calculate length, width and height from it. For legal-for-trade measured values, irregular freight must be stationary and palletized.
Can extra-long goods be measured automatically?
Yes. The L63x measures long goods up to 6.5 meters in one pass, legal for trade as the L635.
How do I measure large and bulky goods quickly and accurately?
With a permanently installed camera system that measures the stationary freight. One measurement takes around 200 milliseconds, and the L235, L335 and L635 measure to ±2 cm in length and width and ±1 cm in height.