The International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that air travel will grow by nearly 50% by 2035. The air transport industry faces the challenge of continuously increasing passenger numbers, while also needing to reduce baggage handling error rates, cut costs, and improve customer satisfaction.
Passengers' luggage typically travels long distances between different airports and aircraft. Even with the best baggage handling systems, baggage tags naturally become damaged and degrade in quality. If a baggage tag cannot be read, the system must send the baggage to a manual processing station. This increases labor costs and may also result in lost baggage, incurring additional costs.
The Spring Festival, as the biggest travel peak of the year, poses a huge challenge to airport passenger transport. Cognex's airport baggage handling solutions utilize high-performance image barcode readers to improve the speed and accuracy of baggage handling. Compared to traditional laser scanners, image barcode reading systems offer several advantages, including :
3 major advantages
High read rate ensures efficient baggage handling.
Performance feedback ensures baggage tracking and security.
No moving parts that are prone to wear or failure
Cognex addresses five major issues in airport baggage handling:
Problem 1
In the check-in area, the automated baggage drop-off system uses printed tags to transport baggage from the check-in area to the boarding gate and monitors the process. The system needs to simultaneously and quickly read baggage tags from different angles. At this stage, the system also needs to quickly detect oversized or overweight baggage to ensure continuous baggage movement.
Solution
Cognex image readers can be easily integrated into airport baggage handling systems, which are crucial for decoding data and ensuring proper baggage sorting. High read rates significantly improve efficiency at this stage of the process and ensure baggage is moved from one point to another as quickly as possible. Cognex baggage measurement arrays can generate baggage information in a short time to assess the system's ability to process each piece of baggage.
Problem 2
Tracking and security, high-quality baggage handling: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) requires all airlines to demonstrate that baggage is safely received and delivered at three key points throughout its journey. The quality and readability of tags can be affected by dirt, scratches, creases, or weather conditions each time baggage is handled throughout the entire process from check-in, security screening, transit, to the arrival hall. Furthermore, the system must provide baggage size information when baggage enters the security screening area.
Solution
Cognex image readers help system operators meet evolving industry standards. Unlike the laser scanners traditionally used by airports and airlines, Cognex readers can quickly and accurately read damaged tags. High read rates improve tracking and security capabilities, while also helping to deliver baggage accurately to its final destination. Cognex can generate baggage size information for the system and also offers optional image capture capabilities to acquire color images of each piece of baggage. Baggage tag codes can be matched with the unique color images of the baggage for security purposes, as well as for quality verification and personnel training.
