There are only about three brands of equipment that are worth looking at when you are a customer looking to add Pallet Dimensioning capability to your Distribution Center. In the end, economics matters. And for two of the companies, Cubiscan and Mettler, they are fighting an uphill battle against a company like FreightSnap due to a wide disparity in component costs. They are also forced to add expensive moving chassis and mirrors to enable a laser type device, which is two-dimensional, to move across an area to provide a three-dimensional result. Three dimensions referring to length, width, and height. FreightSnap utilizes three dimensional IR devices which can sit in a fixed position and do not require expensive components to drive them.
More and more we are seeing outlandish claims made by the laser companies about accuracy and consistency. These are subjective claims that are not based upon fact. The NCWM, or the National Conference of Weights and Measures, which handles the testing of Dimensioners in the U.S. has gone to great lengths to provide the type of examination to dispel these very claims. Manufacturers can claim their equipment is better or more reliable or even lasts longer, but the facts speak otherwise, and the NCWM would also. In fact, it is not just the NWCM, but all three of these companies have obtained certifications worldwide by many regulatory bodies. They have all been tested stringently in the field and around the world. They are all accurate, reliable, and consistent. All of them can operate for years without the need for replacement. Each of these companies have scores of users who swear by these products.
The issue here is that one company, FreightSnap, offers Dimensioners at half (1/2) the price of the other two. And for Cubiscan and Mettler, that is a tooth grinding problem. Some people will always choose a brand they recognize over one they don’t. Cubiscan and Mettler have been around for a long time. FreightSnap has only been around for about ten years. That being said, I have interviewed customers that use all of the products and FreightSnap’s customers are just as happy as those of Cubiscan and Mettler. Over time, we see FreightSnap dominating the Pallet Dimensioning world. The reasons are simple, economics matter and there is nothing either Cubiscan or Mettler can do to change that. In my opinion, they should have bought FreightSnap long ago after they got started, but it is too late now. The genie is out of the bottle, and the world is catching on.
Both Mettler and Cubiscan have In-Motion models that provide maximum throughput and great ROIs for the higher volume users. In fact, 95% of users don’t require that type of throughput. FreightSnap is introducing an In-Motion unit later in 2024, and supposedly it is a third of the cost of the same units produced by Cubiscan and Mettler and still utilizing IR. I am really excited to see these new units in action.
Some will say that I just want to choose the least cost option. That is not true. I drive a BMW, which I consider to be a superior automobile. But I can look at the features in my car vs others and justify the cost differential. A Dimensioner is a utility item, similar to a scale. Here is where value matters. The customer wants the unit to turn on, accurately dimension their freight, integrate to their scales and devices, and have a favorable uptime rate and produce a great ROI. FreightSnap does this very well and according to their customers, at a cost far less than their competitors. Money matters, and in this case economics matter.
