01The three forms of parcel dimensioning
The right form depends on how parcels reach the measuring point today, and how many arrive per hour.
Parcel dimensioner forms in the Goodscan range
| Form | Models | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Static DWS | GS210Y, GS210B Plus (glass tabletop) | Packing benches, returns desks, low-to-medium volume where an operator places each parcel |
| Dynamic DWS | GM210, GM210Pro (light-curtain), GS210M (vision) | Belt-fed flows: parcels measured in motion, no stopping, ready to feed a sorter |
| Semi-dynamic / desktop | GS210GP (semi-dynamic vision), GS210B (desktop) | Benches that are outgrowing manual measuring but are not ready for a full belt line |
02What one pass captures
Whether the parcel is placed by hand or arrives on a belt, the capture is the same. The 3D vision unit — or the light-curtain array on the GM210Pro — measures length, width and height and computes volume. The weighing section records actual weight in the same stop or pass. A barcode reader captures the label so dimensions and weight attach to the right order, waybill or SKU. The machine then works out dimensional weight from the divisor your carrier applies, so the billable figure is visible before the parcel leaves the building.
That record is what settles arguments. When a carrier re-measures a carton and bills a correction, your dimensioner log — parcel by parcel, timestamped — is the counter-evidence. When your own warehouse charges internal cost centres or 3PL clients by volume, the same log is the billing basis.
03Choosing between static and dynamic
Static DWS is an operator's tool: place, capture, remove. It suits volumes where a person already handles every parcel — packing, returns grading, marketplace seller intake — and it has the smallest footprint and the simplest installation. Dynamic DWS removes the handling: parcels are singulated onto the belt and measured at line speed, which is the only sensible pattern once volume reaches the thousands per day or the measuring point feeds a sorter.
The semi-dynamic GS210GP and the desktop GS210B sit between the two: vision measurement with a lighter mechanical footprint, for benches and cells that need real dimensioning data without a conveyor project. The static DWS and dynamic DWS pages go deeper on each form, and the static vs dynamic comparison on the blog works through the throughput maths.