Vehicle Detection at Loading Dock

Vehicle Detection at Loading Dock

Improve Productivity and Efficiency

Vehicle detection at a loading dock can be used to quickly identify available bays, facilitate fast load and unload times by alerting staff when trucks are present, verifying vehicles are in the correct position before opening doors, and more.

These capabilities help improve productivity and efficiency at manufacturing facilities and warehouses. 

Challenge

Detecting vehicles at a loading dock can be difficult because of unpredictable weather and environmental changes. Sensors installed here are exposed to the elements and need to be able to withstand fluctuations in weather and ambient light.

In addition, truck surfaces are made of a variety of materials and come in a  range of colors and sizes, which can be challenging for traditional sensors to detect reliably. A solution is needed that consistently detects trucks regardless of the color, reflectivity, or size of the vehicle.

There are a variety of technologies that can be used to solve these applications, including radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and fully wireless solutions.   In addition, pairing a vehicle sensing technology with bright indicator lights helps staff quickly react when trucks arrive.

Solution

Verify the Presence and Position of a Vehicle

Application: A reliable solution is needed to detect presence the of large trucks at a loading dock even in harsh conditions and verify that trucks are in the correct position before the door is opened. to ensure the safety and security of the facility.

Solution: A radar sensor, like the QT50R high sensitivity radar sensor, uses Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar to ensure reliable detection of moving or stationary targets regardless of environmental conditions.  Radar is an ideal solution for detecting large targets like semi trucks in outdoor environments.

Benefits: Radar technology is unaffected by weather conditions such as wind, rain, ambient light, etc.  A radar sensor with a rugged housing built for outdoor use, reducing the need for frequent maintenance or replacement.

Featured Product

Banner’s R-Gage QT50R senses vehicles as they approach a loading dock, sending a signal to workers inside the facility of a truck’s arrival/departure. Monitoring the arrival of trucks at loading docks is simple with the R-Gage radar sensor coupled with Banner’s quality lighting and indication solutions.

The radar sensor reliably detects trucks pulling up to the loading/unloading dock from 15 meters away. When the R-Gage radar sensor detects a vehicle, it sends an output signal to an indicator inside the building to signify a truck is present. The sensor detects objects up to a specified distance, ignoring objects and backgrounds beyond the set point.

Since the detection is occurring outdoors, it is important for the sensor to withstand weather conditions and ambient light. Unlike photoelectric sensors, which may be impacted by sunlight, and ultrasonic sensors, which may be impacted by wind and temperature changes, the radar sensor is reliable for detection of moving and stationary vehicles regardless of wind, rain, fog, light, humidity and air temperature.

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For more information or to request a quote, contact sales@shingle.com, or contact your local Shingle District Manager.

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