At Inter Airport 2009, Crisplant – a leading global leader, integrator and supplier of baggage handling systems – will be presenting its industry-first systems for high-speed automated baggage handling both inside and outside the terminal. The show will be held in Munich, Germany, on 6-9 October 2009, and the Crisplant RFID and barcode identification and RampMate systems will be displayed on stand 851, in hall B5.

The new RFID tunnel is the first system in the industry to completely integrate RFID and barcode identification technologies in order to provide the most accurate read-rates on check-in of baggage.

The SITA Baggage Report 2008 estimated that approximately 42 million items of baggage go missing each year around the world’s airports. Crisplant’s new RFID and barcoding system will not only reduce the number of items which are short-shipped, but will reduce the costs considerably by minimising the need for manual baggage handing.

“The RFID tunnel introduces a whole new level of read-rates in automated baggage handling; it is also designed for easy plug-and-play integration, allowing the system to be installed into new sorting systems or retro-fitted into existing set-ups to provide the best and near-perfect automated baggage handling system on the market,” commented Kim Nyborg Carlsen, director for airport systems at Crisplant.

The RampMate is another of Crisplant’s industry-firsts, and replaces manual handling of baggage between the terminal and aircraft ramp, featuring fully automated carts for transportation and storage. The control system integrates the baggage reconciliation status enabling handlers to gain full access to information about each cart, baggage status and destination or origin.

RampMate can significantly reduce the number of mishandled baggage by 100% track-and-trace on the ramp, enhancing security and minimising risk as well as reducing costs and improving efficiencies and safety by eliminating manual lifting.

Like the RFID tunnel, RampMate can also be installed in both new and existing baggage handling processes, regardless of current technology. RampMate provides fully automated baggage transfer and handling from check-in, through every stage of sorting and routing to locations.

Following check-in, the Crisplant automatic make-up unit (AMU) sorts the baggage to flight-specific bulk RampMate carts, and then each cart is unloaded automatically and baggage is transferred by RampSnake to the aircraft hold. Inbound baggage is then unloaded to the RampMate carts and taken to a Crisplant automatic discharge system (ADS) for automatic unloading and sorting to the baggage claim area.

“These systems represent significant advances in baggage handling technology and capabilities, allowing airports to continually improve on baggage handling and transportation services,” continued Carlsen. “These new systems will help to reduce long-term costs in manual handling and lifting and ensure that no baggage is short-shipped.”