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Airport Baggage Handling: Expertise meets Innovation

Deerns combines expertise, collaboration and innovation to shape the future of baggage handling.

Airport baggage handling systems are the unsung heroes of modern travel, ensuring that passengers’ luggage travels efficiently, securely, and reliably.

At Deerns, we understand the critical role these systems play in airport operations and have developed an innovative approach to transform their design and implementation. To meet evolving industry challenges, we combine decades of technical expertise, collaborate closely with clients, and leverage new technology.

Baggage Handling Systems are Complex

Designing a baggage handling system (BHS) is no small feat. These intricate networks must manage high volumes of luggage, adhere to stringent security regulations, and optimise operational efficiency.

Baggage handling systems involve numerous constraints, including:

  1. Space limitations
  2. Maintenance requirements
  3. Redundancy planning

A single flaw in the system, such as misalignment of a conveyor or an overlooked maintenance access point, can cascade into delays, lost luggage, and significant financial losses for airlines. This underscores the need for a well-thought-out, flexible design process.

Overcoming Design Limitations

Deerns embarked on a mission to develop its own in-house solution tailored to the unique challenges of baggage handling system design for complex projects. This was after experience with standard software packages whichlacked flexibility and could not support the interactive design processes needed for complex airport baggage systems..

" Our in-house tool has changed the way we think about design. It doesn’t just support designers; it drives innovation by automating complex processes, allowing engineers to focus on strategic decisions.
Pieter van der Kuil Special Airport Systems Consultant

This innovative journey began when a complex project exposed the inefficiencies of conventional methods.The Airports team at Deerns has gradually expanded the tool’s functionality, incorporating insights from real-world projects.

A Game Changer in BHS Design

Deerns’ in-house tool is designed to streamline the creation of conceptual BHS layouts. It enables designers to produce system designs in under an hour – a task that previously took at least a week – to optimise the final design.

Key features of the tool include:

  1. Flexibility and Modularity: The tool allows for rapid adjustments and is built on a modular framework, making it adaptable to diverse projects and scalable for future innovations.
  2. Performance Checks: By automating performance assessments, the tool identifies potential inefficiencies and conflicts, ensuring optimal system functionality from the outset.
  3. Intelligence and Precision: The tool “understands” BHS design principles, automatically generating specifications, complying with regulatory requirements, and optimising layouts for security, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

Security remains a critical consideration in baggage handling system design. Deerns’ tool ensures high speed, reliable, automatic screening and compliance with evolving regulations, such as the integration of advanced CT scanners for baggage screening. These machines, often weighing up to 7,000 kilograms, require robust infrastructure and precise planning for installation, operation, and maintenance. The tool simplifies this process, accounting for maintenance access, redundancy and future upgrades.

Solving Real-World Challenges – Salerno Airport

The tool has already demonstrated its value in high-stakes projects. At Salerno Airport in Italy, Deerns faced the challenge of fitting a sophisticated baggage handling system into a constrained terminal layout. Taking into account space and cost considerations, the tool enabled rapid design iterations, and our team was able to collaborate efficiently with the architects to develop an optimal solution.

Collaboration: The Cornerstone of Success

A hallmark of Deerns’ approach is its collaborative ethos. From the earliest stages of a project, Deerns works closely with clients, architects, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment on design priorities.

This proactive engagement minimises costly redesigns and ensures that the baggage handling system integrates seamlessly into the overall terminal design. Ongoing dialogue with clients and design teams allows for real-time adjustments, ensuring that operational and architectural needs are met effectively.

Ambitious Goals for the Future

While the current tool is a major leap forward, Deerns’ ambitions do not stop here. The team envisions a future where the tool can simulate entire systems, automate fault detection and even generate designs based on predefined parameters.

" These advancements could transform baggage handling system design into an even more data-driven, intelligent process, allowing airports to futureproof their infrastructure with ease.
Pieter van der Kuil Special Airport Systems Consultant

The long-term vision also includes designing systems with a 30-year horizon, ensuring scalability to meet future passenger demands.

A Commitment to Excellence

At Deerns, our dedication to innovation is matched by a commitment to excellence in client service. Designing a baggage handling system is not just a technical challenge but a strategic decision that impacts an airport’s operational efficiency and financial performance.

We are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in baggage handling system design, to help our clients make informed decisions with confidence. This work underscores a simple yet powerful truth: the best solutions emerge when expertise meets innovation.

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Matthias Pöter - Global

Sector Director Airports

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