Table 8 Cross-case comparison of the... | Emerald Publishing

Table 8

Cross-case comparison of the activities performed during the L/UL stages

Stage	Performed by	Case 1 pallet conveyor	Case 2 rack conveyor	Case 3 pallet AGV
Before loading	Logistics operators at the 3PL/shipper, Sorting system, AGV system	Logistics operator picks orders and stacks pallets to be loaded in a pattern so that the load will be secured on the trailer	Mechanical sorting system sequence racks to be loaded	AGV stacks pallets to be loaded
Truck arrival	Gate control, Truck driver/Remote driver/Autonomous truck, Loading bay sensor, L/UL control	Driver gets access through external gate. Driver docks trailer and loading bay sensors confirm alignment	Driver gets access through external gate. Driver docks trailer and loading bay sensors confirm alignment	Autonomous truck gets access through external gate and docks independently. Sensors confirms alignment
Loading/unloading activities	Truck driver, L/UL control, WMS, Conveyor, AGV system	Truck driver starts, stops and monitors L/UL. Calls maintenance if necessary. Conveyor performs loading/unloading. Loadin/unloading requires supervision as pallets tend to get stuck	Truck driver starts, stops and monitors L/UL. Calls maintenance if necessary. Conveyor performs loading/unloading, scanning of barcodes and load securing	L/UL control initiates unloading/loading. WMS instructs AGV to performs loading/unloading and load securing
Truck departure	Truck driver/Remote driver/Autonomous truck, L/UL control	Truck driver initiates departure and disconnects the trailer from the power grid	Truck driver initiates departure and disconnects the trailer from the power grid	L/UL control verifies truck ready for departure. Remote driver initiates departure of autonomous truck and verifies load securing
Post-unloading	Logistics operators at OEM/warehouse	Operators scans barcodes and transfers to internal logistics systems	Operator transfers to internal logistics systems	Operators scans barcodes and transfers to internal logistics systems

Stage	Performed by	Case 1 pallet conveyor	Case 2 rack conveyor	Case 3 pallet AGV
Before loading	Logistics operators at the 3PL/shipper, Sorting system, AGV system	Logistics operator picks orders and stacks pallets to be loaded in a pattern so that the load will be secured on the trailer	Mechanical sorting system sequence racks to be loaded	AGV stacks pallets to be loaded
Truck arrival	Gate control, Truck driver/Remote driver/Autonomous truck, Loading bay sensor, L/UL control	Driver gets access through external gate. Driver docks trailer and loading bay sensors confirm alignment	Driver gets access through external gate. Driver docks trailer and loading bay sensors confirm alignment	Autonomous truck gets access through external gate and docks independently. Sensors confirms alignment
Loading/unloading activities	Truck driver, L/UL control, WMS, Conveyor, AGV system	Truck driver starts, stops and monitors L/UL. Calls maintenance if necessary. Conveyor performs loading/unloading. Loadin/unloading requires supervision as pallets tend to get stuck	Truck driver starts, stops and monitors L/UL. Calls maintenance if necessary. Conveyor performs loading/unloading, scanning of barcodes and load securing	L/UL control initiates unloading/loading. WMS instructs AGV to performs loading/unloading and load securing
Truck departure	Truck driver/Remote driver/Autonomous truck, L/UL control	Truck driver initiates departure and disconnects the trailer from the power grid	Truck driver initiates departure and disconnects the trailer from the power grid	L/UL control verifies truck ready for departure. Remote driver initiates departure of autonomous truck and verifies load securing
Post-unloading	Logistics operators at OEM/warehouse	Operators scans barcodes and transfers to internal logistics systems	Operator transfers to internal logistics systems	Operators scans barcodes and transfers to internal logistics systems

Source(s): Table by authors