Optocycle´s material recognition and analysis integrated into VAS Yard Management

Axians IAS and Tübingen-based Optocycle GmbH have agreed on a strategic partnership to fully integrate Optocycle’s innovative AI-based material recognition and analysis into the market-leading Axians VAS plant logistics solution. This powerful end-to-end solution enables building material manufacturers and recycling companies to handle their inbound and outbound delivery processes even more precisely, safely and efficiently.

For both traditional building material manufacturers and the operators of landfill and recycling facilities, a more precise allocation of delivered materials and the avoidance of incorrect loads during delivery creates direct added value – while optimizing and simplifying existing processes.

From left: Reiner Bachthaler (Axians IAS), Max Gerken (Optocycle) with INA camera system, Jens Büschl (Axians IAS), Marc Graner (Axians IAS)

VAS Yard Management already records all relevant delivery information for both inbound (e.g. waste delivery) and outbound (delivery of building materials) processes, e.g:

• Supply plant / delivery plant
• Receiver
• Material type (always for outbound delivery, partly for inbound delivery)
• For waste delivery: Waste code
• Material volume
• Vehicle (license plate)

However, when materials such as mineral waste are delivered, a manual, visual inspection is usually required to ensure that the material actually corresponds to the announced delivery information – sometimes with individual, non-reproducible results.

The new VAS Smart Material Analysis module based on Optocycle’s innovative, intelligent machine learning technology solves this challenge: Manual processes become largely unnecessary as automated analysis and recognition of the delivered material on the truck bed is ensured. The automatic allocation or verification of the information on the AVV key and material type specified in the delivery documents is therefore reliable and independent of subjective impressions.

The Optocycle camera system scans the loading area of the truck at the plant entrance, the captured image data is analyzed by the specially developed AI. Both the recognized AVV code (for waste delivery) and a variety of other material attributes such as grain size, purity, color, impurities or edge length are evaluated with probabilities and made available to a customer-specific configurable decision matrix. VAS uses this decision matrix to automatically derive whether the material meets the pre-defined specification or which material type was actually delivered.

VAS Smart Material Analysis can create significant added value not only during material delivery, but also during dispatch. If a truck is inadvertently loaded with the wrong material, this is often not recognized until it reaches the recipient, resulting in angry customers, high efforts and costs to redeliver the correct material.

But it can be done better and easier:

The Optocycle camera solution scans the license plate and the loading area of the vehicle at the exit and the AI-based evaluation software checks whether the loaded material corresponds to the material shown in the associated delivery. VAS then either gives the OK for printing the delivery note and the exit, or stops the delivery if an incorrect material load has been detected.

• No training period required
• User-friendly integration that requires little training
• Preliminary workshop to define the requirements –> Configuration in VAS according to the required rules
• Offline teaching of the AI-based evaluation software with saved material images
• The Familiar VAS interface is expanded and supplements the existing workflow with buttons for material recognition and analysis. Your employees continue to work with the familiar system while benefiting from new, powerful functions

• Configuration in VAS, according to which criteria and detection probabilities a material assignment should be made
• Configuration of what should happen if an incorrect material (compared to the delivery/delivery data) is detected

• No dependence on the knowledge and experience of individual persons for material analysis or recognition
• Consistent, reproducible and verifiable results
• More precise classification and therefore fair pricing for delivered materials
• Avoidance of incorrect deliveries with high follow-up costs
• Avoidance of manual, security-critical actions at check-in and check-out.

Smart Material Analysis – powered by Optocycle – reduces conflicts, enables optimized routing for high-value materials and increases sales through precise pricing of waste streams. At the same time, the solution ensures complete traceability. The result: transparent processes, higher margins and a clear competitive advantage