Pallet identity and dispatch-order checks
A readable pallet label does not establish that the pallet belongs to the dispatch order. The pallet event remains unresolved.
Line solution
Test this on your samplesPallet identification system for dispatch docks
// Short answer
A pallet identification system reads the SSCC label on every pallet as it leaves the stretch wrapper or reaches the dispatch dock, confirms the label is there and readable on both labelled sides, and checks the code against the warehouse system or dispatch order before the pallet is loaded. addaScan builds it with HIKROBOT ID5000 or ID6000 code readers beside the pallet conveyor. An indicative installed budget for a typical application is R 280 000 – R 1 180 000 excluding VAT.
// At a glance
The station in three lines
- Faults caught
- No label, unreadable label, label on one side only, two different SSCCs, a code the WMS does not expect for this load
- Configuration
- Two HIKROBOT ID5000X readers, or two ID6000 readers per side with bar lights; pallet sensor; WMS match
- Line link
- PROFINET or EtherNet/IP from the ID5050XM; TCP from the ID6000 to a server and the WMS; hold or divert signal to the conveyor PLC
// Fit & limits
What this station will not do, and what it needs
What it will not do
- RFID: tracking pallets with RFID tags and gate antennas is a different technology; this station reads printed labels only.
- Code grading: reading a label is not grading its print quality to the GS1 levels; that is a verifier’s job.
- The goods: the station checks the label, not the cartons under the film; a correct label on the wrong goods passes.
- Forklifts and robots: no detection of pallet pockets or guidance for forklifts, AGVs or robots, and pallets that bypass the conveyor are not read.
What makes it work
- Label rules: labels on agreed sides in an agreed height band; GS1 recommends two sides.
- A fixed reading point: pallets pass or stop at a known place on the conveyor, square to the readers.
- A WMS that answers: an SSCC list or a query that replies before the pallet reaches the hold position.
- Samples: wrapped pallets from your line, including your worst labels and every stretch film you use.
// On South African lines
SSCC pallet labels in South African distribution
Most retail goods in South Africa reach the shops on pallets through central distribution centres. The Shoprite Group alone reports 29 distribution centres with over 900 000 m² under roof (Shoprite fact sheet). Every pallet that leaves a factory for a centre like that carries a GS1 logistic label, and the SSCC is the single mandatory element on it, carried in a GS1-128 barcode (GS1 General Specifications, 2026). These are the pallet identification labels the whole chain scans: the supplier uses the SSCC when the pallet is loaded onto outbound transport, and the receiving distribution centre scans it to record the stock received (GS1 Logistic Label Guideline).
The same GS1 guideline recommends that two sides of a pallet carry the same label, so that one is always visible, with the barcodes between 400 mm and 800 mm from the base of the pallet (GS1 Logistic Label Guideline, 8.1). A pallet label applicator after the stretch wrapper prints and applies those labels. A pallet identification system is the check that follows: is there a label on both sides, does it read, are both SSCCs the same, and is this the pallet the warehouse system expects on this load.
No South African rule requires a camera at your dispatch dock. The point is practical: a pallet whose label is missing, unreadable or not on the despatch advice has to be dealt with by hand at the customer’s receiving dock, and it is cheaper to catch it while the pallet is still on your conveyor. This page covers printed labels only; RFID tags are a different technology.
What the dispatch team reports, and what the station checks
| What the line reports | What a station checks | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| “The DC sent the pallet back because the label wouldn’t scan” | Reads the SSCC on each labelled side at the wrapper outfeed; a pallet with no good read is held before it reaches the truck. | Reading is not grading: a label that reads here can still fail a verifier’s print-quality grade. |
| “The labeller missed a side” | Expects a read on each labelled side; a pallet with one label, or none, is held. | A label hidden behind printed or cloudy film, a strap or a corner board may not read; samples decide. |
| “Two different labels on one pallet” | Compares the SSCC from both sides; if they differ, the pallet is held. | The station cannot tell which label is right; the WMS and the team decide. |
| “The pallet went on the wrong truck” | Checks each SSCC against the WMS or the dispatch list for this door and load. | It checks the label, not the cartons under the film: wrong goods under a correct label pass. |
| “We scan every pallet at the dock by hand” | Fixed readers take the read as the pallet passes or stops at the reading point; handhelds are for exceptions only. | Pallets that bypass the conveyor on a forklift are not read. |
// The complete solution
Pallet identification system: readers, software and installation
A pallet sensor tells the readers a pallet has arrived at the reading point after the stretch wrapper. One reader on each labelled side reads the SSCC, the result goes to a server or the PLC that checks it against the WMS, and the conveyor either releases the pallet to the dock or holds it for the exception lane.
[Schematic]Plan view, not to scale
Swipe sideways to see the whole drawing →
[1]: A photo-eye marks the pallet at the reading point.
[2]: A code reader on the first labelled side reads the SSCC.
[3]: A second reader on the other labelled side reads the same SSCC.
[4]: The conveyor holds the pallet or sends it to an exception lane.
[5]: Confirms the held pallet left the main line.
Hardware
| Component | HIKROBOT example | Role in this station |
|---|---|---|
| Readers (low case) | Two HIKROBOT ID5000X code readers, MV-ID5050XM, with built-in red light; they read Code 128 including GS1-128 | One reader per labelled side of the pallet |
| Readers (high case) | Four HIKROBOT ID6000 12 MP logistics code readers, MV-ID6120PM-00C-NNG, with MVL-KF 25 MP lenses, two per side | Cover the 400–800 mm label band on pallets of different size and depth |
| Lighting (high case) | HIKROBOT MV-LLDS-H-1400 bar lights beside each ID6000 (the ID6000 has no light of its own) | Even light on the label whatever the dock lighting |
| Pallet sensing | Local supply: photo-eyes for pallet presence and height at the reading point | Starts the read and tells the PLC which pallet it belongs to |
| Exception reading (high case) | HIKROBOT IDH7000P industrial handheld reader | Reads held pallets by hand in the exception lane |
| Hold and divert | Not HIKROBOT: hold signal and divert to an exception lane, built by your pallet conveyor supplier | Keeps failed pallets away from the dock |
| Panel and server | Local supply: panel, stack light, small server for the WMS link and image archive, operator screen | Runs the WMS match and shows the result |
Software and vision tools
| Tool or software | What it does here |
|---|---|
| HIKROBOT IDMVS | Sets up each reader: exposure, code types, the area to search and the output. |
| HIKROBOT CodePlatform | Collects the reads from all readers into one result per pallet, drops duplicate codes and outputs it over TCP, UDP, HTTP or serial. |
| Label rule | Accepts the SSCC by its GS1-128 structure and ignores other codes on the label, such as a product GTIN. |
| WMS or dispatch match | Asks the WMS or the dispatch list whether this SSCC is known, not yet shipped, and on this load and door. |
| Result and image log | Saves each pallet’s SSCC, result and time, with images of no-reads and mismatches for the dispatch team. |
Installation and integration
01
Mounting and enclosure
Reader stands on both sides of the pallet conveyor after the stretch wrapper, set to the label band, with guard posts so forklifts and pallet jacks cannot hit them; covers where dock doors let in rain or dust.
02
Lighting and shrouding
The ID5050XM brings its own red light and a half-polarising lens cap against film glare; the ID6000 needs a bar light beside it. Readers are angled and shaded so daylight from an open dock door does not wash out the label.
03
Trigger and tracking
A pallet sensor starts the read at a fixed reading point; the conveyor PLC tracks the pallet from there to the hold or divert position, so the right pallet is stopped.
04
PLC link
The ID5050XM lists PROFINET and EtherNet/IP among its protocols, so its result can go straight to the conveyor PLC. The ID6000 lists SmartSDK, TCP, serial and FTP only, so its results go over TCP to the server, which talks to the WMS and the PLC.
05
Reject and confirmation
On a no-read, a one-sided read, two different SSCCs or a WMS mismatch, the PLC holds the pallet or diverts it with a confirmation sensor. If a reader or the WMS link is down, pallets are held, not sent to the dock unchecked.
06
Recipes and operator screen
Label rules per customer (one side or two, which code to accept) and the dispatch list per door; the screen shows the last pallet, its SSCC, the result and the image of any failure.
// Indicative cost in South Africa
What this station costs, excluding VAT
Indicative budget for a typical application of this kind. Every project involves custom requirements (your products, line speed, layout, PLC and acceptance criteria), so the final price differs from case to case. A firm price follows the sample test.
- Low
- R 280 000
- two readers, one per side
- High
- R 1 180 000
- four readers, hold and exception lane
- Basis
- Typical application of this kind, indicative
- South African rand, excluding VAT
- Prices as at 2 October 2026
- Travel (Gauteng): outside Gauteng quoted separately
// Included and excluded
The low figure is two ID5000X readers, one on each labelled side after the stretch wrapper, with the SSCC checked against the WMS or dispatch list and a signal to your existing conveyor stop. The high figure is four ID6000 readers with lights, two per side, a server for the WMS match, an operator screen, a handheld for the exception lane and the interface to a hold and exception lane built by your conveyor supplier. The low case sits between the single-view and multi-view ranges on the cost guide, so it is priced here separately. The exception lane conveyor itself, WMS changes, utilities and VAT are excluded.
Hardware is priced from public list prices converted at the ECB reference rate, plus freight, clearance and margin; engineering at R 900 – R 1 300 per hour. How these ranges are built →
Swipe the table sideways to see the high figure and the basis →
| Cost block | Low | High | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vision hardware (landed, with margin) | R 140 200 | R 442 500 | Low: two ID5050XM readers with built-in light. High: four ID6000 12 MP readers with lenses and bar lights, one IDH7000P handheld |
| Software licence | R 0 | R 0 | None: the reader software and CodePlatform carry no licence cost in this budget |
| Local materials and reject | R 40 000 | R 220 000 | Low: two reader stands, pallet photo-eye, stack light, cabling, signal to the existing conveyor stop. High: reader frames with guarding, presence and height sensors, interface to the conveyor supplier’s hold and exception lane, panel, server and screen |
| Engineering (recipes, PLC link) | R 63 000 | R 260 000 | 70 h at R 900 to 200 h at R 1 300, including the WMS or dispatch-list match |
| Installation, FAT, SAT, training, documents | R 28 800 | R 124 800 | 32 h to 96 h |
| Project management | R 14 400 | R 62 400 | 16 h to 48 h |
| Travel (Gauteng) | R 3 000 | R 10 000 | Outside Gauteng quoted separately |
| Total (rounded) | R 280 000 | R 1 180 000 | Low: two readers, one per side. High: four readers, hold and exception lane |
// Related technology
Which technologies this scenario uses, and why
The technologies behind this station, how much each matters here, and where each is explained in depth.
| Technology | Role | Why it matters in this scenario | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed code reader (HIKROBOT ID series) | Core | Large-field fixed readers read the SSCC on a pallet side from a stand beside the conveyor, without anyone turning the pallet. | Choosing a code reader |
| Code content matched to PLC, MES or WMS data | Core | A good read is only half the check: the SSCC must be the one the WMS expects on this load, and the same on both sides. | Carton and pallet verification |
| Label inspection | Supporting | Label present on each expected side is checked as well as the code it carries. | Label inspection |
| Lighting technique | Supporting | Stretch film glare and daylight from dock doors change the image; built-in or bar lights and polarising caps keep it stable. | Machine vision lighting |
| PLC link and reject with confirmation | Supporting | Pallets are heavy: the PLC must hold or divert the right pallet and confirm it left the line. | PLC and reject integration |
// Acceptance
How the station is proven before handover
Every station is accepted on your products, against numbers agreed in writing before the build. How we deliver →
01
Sample test
Wrapped pallets from your line, with good labels, damaged labels, labels behind each film you use and pallets with one label, read with the proposed readers; the result says which label positions and films read reliably.
02
FAT with challenge pallets
Before delivery, a marked set of challenge pallets (no label, one side only, two different SSCCs, a damaged label, an SSCC unknown to the test WMS) must each be held, and good pallets released.
03
SAT on the line
On your conveyor, at your dispatch rate, the challenge pallets are run again, and false holds and escapes are counted over an agreed run of production.
// FAQ
Questions about pallet identification systems
What is a pallet identification system?
It is a fixed reading point on the pallet conveyor, usually after the stretch wrapper or before the dispatch dock, where code readers read the SSCC label on each wrapped pallet. The system checks that a label is present and readable on each labelled side, that both sides carry the same SSCC, and that the warehouse system expects this pallet on this load. Pallets that fail are held or sent to an exception lane.
How much does a pallet identification system cost in South Africa?
An indicative installed budget is R 280 000 – R 1 180 000 excluding VAT, at 2 October 2026 prices. The low figure is two HIKROBOT ID5000X readers, one per labelled side, with a WMS match and a signal to your conveyor stop; the high figure is four ID6000 readers with lights, a server, an operator screen and a hold and exception lane. Both include engineering, installation, FAT and SAT in Gauteng. A firm price follows a sample test on your pallets. This is a typical application: every project involves custom requirements, so the final price depends on your products, line and acceptance criteria.
What do pallet identification labels need to carry?
On a GS1 logistic label the SSCC, carried in a GS1-128 barcode, is the one mandatory element. The station reads the pallet identification labels on two sides and checks the SSCC against the WMS; any other fields on the label are set by your customers’ requirements.
What is SSCC pallet label verification?
Reading the SSCC on each pallet label and checking it against the WMS record for that pallet: the right number, on every required side, before the pallet leaves the dock. A pallet whose SSCC is missing, unreadable or unknown to the WMS is held for checking.
Is this the same as an RFID pallet tracking system?
No. A pallet tracking system based on RFID reads tags through antennas at gates and dock doors, and needs tags on the pallets. This station reads the printed GS1-128 barcode that is already on your logistic label, so nothing is added to the pallet. The two can sit side by side; this page covers barcode reading only.
Our pallet label applicator already checks its label. Do we still need a pallet scanning system?
If the applicator reads its own label, that proves the label was printed and applied on that side. It does not prove that the second side was labelled, that both labels carry the same SSCC, that the label survived wrapping and transfer, or that the pallet belongs on this load. An automated pallet scanning point at the end of the line checks those, for every pallet, before the dock.
Can the readers read labels under stretch wrap?
Often, yes, when the label sits under clear film: the readers are angled to avoid glare, and the ID5050XM has a polarising lens cap. Printed, cloudy or many-layered film, straps and corner boards over the label make reading harder or impossible. That is why the sample test uses every film you run, and why GS1 placement on two sides matters.
Where does a pallet scanning machine go on the line?
Usually at the outfeed of the stretch wrapper, once the label has been applied, because the pallet is still on the conveyor and can be held. A second option is the last conveyor position before the dispatch dock, where the dispatch list for each door is known. Pallets moved only by forklift are not read by a fixed station.
Sources
- Shoprite Holdings fact sheet: supply chain and the Riverfields DC (29 distribution centres) (company fact sheet, checked 2026-10-03)
- GS1 General Specifications 2026 (SSCC as the mandatory element of the GS1 logistic label, in GS1-128) (standard, checked 2026-10-03)
- GS1 Logistic Label Guideline, Release 1.3 (section 8.1 label placement on pallets; label use by role) (guideline, checked 2026-10-03)
- HIKROBOT MV-ID5050XM-08M-RBN code reader (ID5000X) (vendor product page, checked 2026-10-03)
- HIKROBOT MV-ID6120PM-00C-NNG logistics code reader (ID6000) (vendor product page, checked 2026-10-03)
- HIKROBOT vision solutions for 3PL warehouses (palletizing acceptance system reading several codes for the WMS) (vendor news, checked 2026-10-03)
- HIKROBOT CodePlatform (result outputs, duplicate filtering) (vendor page, checked 2026-10-03)
Related:
More line solutions in distribution:
// Next step
Send us photos of your pallet labels after the wrapper
Describe the line, the products and the fault. We test on your good and faulty samples and reply with a feasibility note and a budget.