BMW Group Plant Dingolfing and Landshut University of Applied Sciences are developing a smart logistics solution – AutoMart Canada

Dingolfing. Increasing efficiency through
digitization: In a successful cooperation between BMW Group Plant
Dingolfing and Landshut University of Applied Sciences, students have
developed an innovative solution for plant logistics. The new digital
tool automates the counting of empty containers using artificial
intelligence (AI), saving time and avoiding errors.

Looking for simple automation

At the BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, around 1,600 different types
of containers are in circulation every day, transporting parts for
vehicle production. Until now, these containers were counted manually,
which was time-consuming and prone to errors. “Our goal was to
automate empties counting as efficiently and simply as possible,”
explains Wolfgang Schratzenstaller, project manager at the BMW Group
Plant in Dingolfing.

Cooperation with Landshut University

The idea of involving students from Landshut University of
Applied Sciences in the project met with a positive response.
“Students bring in new perspectives and unbiased approaches,” says
Schratzenstaller. Prof. Dr. Abdelmajid Khelil, head of the IoT
Innovation Lab at Landshut University, supported the project as part
of a practical teaching module. The collaboration began with the
summer semester 2024.

Mobile video instead of mental arithmetic 

Within three months, the eight-person team developed a cost-effective
and efficient solution. A simple mobile phone video, taken while
running through the rows with the containers, is sufficient to
determine the exact number per container variant. “QR codes are placed
above the block storage lanes, which link to a database of container
data. The AI analyses the video and calculates the number of
containers,” explains Dominik Dama, an IT master’s student.

Outlook and development

The counting system is currently in the pilot phase to test its
performance under real conditions. In the future, the solution will
also be used in other areas of plant logistics. It is also planned to
further automate the counting process by using autonomous Smart
Transport Robots (STR) to record the videos.