Data acquisition
shipment reaches the recipient. They are suitable for retrospective analysis and preserving evidence; they can be linked to a specific transport leg or the party responsible for the transport based on shipping documents. Live-tracking solutions transmit data during transport and also enable active intervention. If, for example, unusual humidity levels or severe vibrations are detected, a container can be stopped while still at the port and inspected before it continues on its journey. “Especially for project cargo with high-value goods and long delivery times, this helps avoid significant follow-up costs if the damage is not discovered only after it reaches the end customer overseas,” explains the expert. If such a custom- made item must be remanufactured, delays can quickly jeopardise entire projects or slow down the commissioning of entire facilities.
OBJECTIVE DECISION-MAKING CRITERIA INSTEAD OF ASSUMPTIONS The biggest advantage: Event data provides a factual basis for all parties involved and reduces discussions based on assumptions and anecdotal evidence. Reliable data is of central importance, especially in insurance claims. If the sequence of events leading to the damage cannot be reconstructed, liability remains unclear. Insurers, however, require documented and conclusive evidence before settling claims. Measurement data provides this – more reliably than any visual inspection. It objectively documents whether defined thresholds were exceeded, whether exceptional events occurred, and whether the transport conditions met the agreed-upon requirements. At the same time, data can also exonerate. Not every instance of damaged packaging automatically means that the goods were actually damaged. If the recorded stress data show no critical events, hidden transport damage can be ruled out. Being able to track the
Instrumentation Monthly September 2026
location and condition of the goods also facilitates communication with the end customer who is waiting for them.
Data collection also makes it possible to compare transport conditions with existing standards and guidelines. Standards such as IEC 60721-3-2, for example, define typical environmental conditions and stresses for multimodal transport. For certain product groups, such as large transformers weighing several metric tons, there are additional specifications regarding permissible levels of acceleration and stress. Only continuous data collection makes it possible to objectively verify whether the specified limits were adhered to throughout the entire transport process. Last but not least, event data plays a key role in optimising packaging. By analysing real-world stress data, companies can identify the forces actually acting on their products and pinpoint which transport legs pose particular risks. Based on this information, packaging can be validated and refined in a targeted manner: safety margins can be calculated more precisely, and costly overpackaging can be avoided, as can inadequate solutions that increase the risk of damage.
CONCLUSION
The more complex supply chains become and the more valuable the cargo is, the more important it is to have an objective data foundation for transport events. Digital data loggers – with or without live tracking – provide transparency regarding transport conditions, clarify responsibilities, and reduce lengthy disputes between manufacturers, logistics providers, packagers, customers, and insurance companies should damage to the goods occur. Assumptions are replaced by facts, leading to well-founded decisions.
ASPION
www.aspion.de/en/ 29
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