Possibilities for the joining mechanism of a modular Physical Internet handling container

One of the core elements for the realization of the Physical Internet (PI) are the PI-containers. These PI-containers should offer standardized sizes to fit perfectly together on EUR-pallets without any lost space and are mainly used for FMCG´s to ease their handling during the transportation process. They also should be reusable, interconnectable and built out of modular panels to fulfill all the requirements mentioned by Montreuil. First concepts for the interlocking mechanism have been developed in an earlier research within the project MODULUSHCA by a team of the Institute of Logistics Engineering of Graz University of Technology. Based on the concept developed in MODULUSHCA the focus of the presented research work was set on finding methods to join the reusable panels together, to further make the idea of building PI handling containers out of modular panels instead of building a rigid box possible. A requirement for this research was that mechanism can be built with available parts and knowledge. This poster shows the methods, results and concepts of the development step mentioned before acquired within the research by Roth. Used Methods: Requirement specification, methodological design (VDI 2221 & 2222), brainstorming, feasibility and benefit analysis, CAD – design visualization