AEROFLEX Workshop on logistics

The initially phase of the AEROFLEX project the boundaries and constraints of the European freight transport market are analysed in order to define and meet the freight market’s needs for new vehicle concepts.  In this context AEROFLEX organised a logistics workshop at Fraunhofer (Dortmund) in March 2018 together with some practitioner in logistics of the Sounding Board.

The main objective of the workshop was to discuss the logistics requirements and opportunities for innovative vehicle concepts and loading units in a multi modal context with these practitioners.  Furthermore, it was the aim to define criteria and KPIs with the collaboration of stakeholders for being able to judge the impact and the cost/benefit of new vehicle concepts and features on the logistics operation in a multimodal context.

After the plenary presentations two parallel sessions were held dedicated to the topics “Matching of logistics sectors with innovative vehicle concepts and loading units” and “Possible applications, use cases and appropriate KPIs”.  In both sessions different route types, prescribed logistics segments and 27 new vehicle concepts coming from the FALCON project were the discussion basis.  The following topics were intensively discussed: optimal loading, loading safety, cargo security, requirements of loading units, smart loading, and comparability of the new vehicle concepts with the companies’ ramp management.

One outcome of the workshop was that it is important for the practitioners from logistics that the loading units considered and/or developed in AEROFLEX are compatible with other transport modes.  The new vehicle concept should be compatible with the current road infrastructure.  Moreover, loading units and vehicle concepts which can be used from the start to the end of the supply chains would meet the stakeholders’ needs. Common most important KPIs couldn’t be defined as they are depending on the logistics segment and product characteristics which prioritize different indicators. Beside requirements which should be met, first practical use cases which should prove the energy efficiency of new vehicle concepts has been defined in the workshop by the help of practitioners. These use cases are intended to be further elaborated by technical tests and calculated related to KPI.

AEROFLEX organised a logistics workshop at Fraunhofer IML (Dortmund) in March 2018 together

with some practitioner in logistics of the Sounding Board.