Every warehouse, 3PL, and storage facility dimension their pallets and parcels. Their methods can be boiled down to three main types:
- Manual dimensioning
- Static dimensioning
- Mobile dimensioning.
Here’s a breakdown of these methods.
Manual dimensioning - Measuring Tape
Many warehouses use measuring tapes more extensively than one might realize to get the length, width, and height of their pallets and packages.
The sole advantage of manual dimensioning appears to be its cost-effectiveness, but hidden expenses, including low quality of master data, reduced warehouse productivity, and substantial labor costs, counteract this.
By using measuring tapes warehouses are at high risk of so-called "dirty dimensional data" or inaccurate master data in supply chain operations which lead to a 30% increase in operational costs.
Now, in high-volume supply chain operations, manual dimensioning methods are considered outdated and impractical.
Characteristics of Manual Dimensioning
- High mobility
- Time-consuming
- Error-prone
- Inconsistent
- High labor dependency
- No integration with WMS/TMS or ERP systems
Static Dimensioning
Static dimensioners are made to dimension specific items such as small parcels, large parcels, or specific-sized pallets, providing a solution for precise measurement.
While effective for their intended purposes, the cost of acquiring multiple solutions for various sizes of pallets and boxes can be prohibitive.
Characteristics of Static Dimensioners
- Boxes and pallets have to be brought to a dedicated dimensioning zone.
- Made for big OR small objects (not both)
- Expensive
- Single function - only capturing measurements
Mobile Dimensioning
Mobile dimensioning systems enable the dimensioning of boxes and pallets of all sizes, making it possible to use a single solution for all purposes.
Mobile dimensioning eliminates the need for a designated dimensioning area, allowing users to dimension items on the go.
Measures the length, width, and height of SKUs, boxes, pallets, and irregular items, using a mobile device
Characteristics of Mobile Dimensioning
- Mobility: dimension anything anywhere.
- Versatility: configure your own flow to fit the use case - scan barcodes, dimension items, scan weight, capture photos for quality control, add constraint information for the items (fragile, stackable or not, "this side up" info, and more).
- Integrable: Integrate with your WMS/TMS or ERP system streamlining your data collection and workflow automation efforts.
- Low Threshold / Quick Testing: Sign up, download the app, and start dimensioning.
Comparison of Warehouse Dimensioning Methods
| Feature | Mobile dimensioner | Measuring tape | Static dimensioner |
| Mobility | ✅ Measure anywhere | ✅ Portable and flexible | ❌ Fixed location |
| Accuracy | ✅ High | ❌ low | ✅ High |
| Multi-Size Item Support | ✅ Works with small to oversized items | ✅ Works with various sizes | ❌ Limited to size range per model |
| Easy Setup | ✅ App-based | ✅ Just use | ❌ Requires installation & calibration |
| Setup Time | Minutes | Instant | >1 day (hardware delivery + setup) |
| Multi-Data Capture | ✅ Dimensions, weight, photos, OCR, and more | ❌ Manual dimensions only | ❌ Dimensions & weight only |
| Workflow Builder | ✅ No-code customizable data collection | ❌ Not applicable | ❌ |
| Multi-Device Scalability | ✅ Use on multiple smartphones/tablets | ✅ Use across staff | ❌ One device per station |
| Integration | ✅ Standard API integration | ❌ Manual data entry | ❌ |
| Upfront cost | ✅ None (free to start) | ✅ €10-420 per tape | ❌ High (€15k–€50k typical) |
| Pay-as-you-go Pricing | ✅ Usage-based | ✅ One-time purchase | ❌ Gated pricing, hardware tied |
| Hardware Requirements | ✅ iOS/Android devices | ✅ Measuring tape | ❌ Specialized hardware required |
| User Training Required | ✅ No training required (intuitive UI) | ✅ None required | ❌ Required for operation/calibration |
See Optioryx Mobile Dimensioning in Action
Book a quick call to discover how it works.