Production plans built on guesses
If the pile holds less than the books say, a line stops or a schedule slips. If it holds more, cash sits in material you didn’t need to buy.
You can’t manage what you can’t measure
Bulk Material Inventory Volume and Weight Measurement
Production starts with knowing what you have.
CRATUS measures the volume and weight of bulk solid raw material in storage, continuously, with fixed LiDAR sensors and an edge computer at the site. Raw material is the start of the manufacturing process: if you can’t quantify what you have on hand, you can’t know how much you will produce, when to reorder, or what your inventory is worth.
- One system for
- LiDAR
- Edge
- Software
- AI
InventoryVolume and weight, on demand
WeightBulk density per material
- ContinuousInventory measured on a schedule you set, not once a month
- Volume + weightWeight from volume and the bulk density of each material
- Per structureEvery pile, bay, bunker, silo or dome reported separately
- Edge → cloudOne dashboard for operations, purchasing and finance
The challenge
What an inaccurate raw material count costs.
Most plants know their finished goods to the unit and their raw material to an estimate. The estimate drives everything downstream.
Month-end surprises
Book inventory drifts from physical inventory. A walk-around estimate or a periodic survey then forces a write-off or an adjustment nobody can explain.
Counts that are already old
A manual count or a drone flight is a snapshot. Between counts, receiving, consumption, moisture and spills change the number every shift.
Measure raw material the way you measure finished goods: continuously, per location, in units finance trusts.
See the approachWhy it matters
Raw material is where manufacturing starts.
Every downstream number depends on the first one: how much raw material is on hand.
- ProductionWhat you can make this week depends on what is in the pile, not what the books say.
- PurchasingReorder timing and quantity follow measured consumption, not estimated consumption.
- FinanceRaw material is inventory value on the balance sheet; measured volume supports it.
- CustomersDelivery promises are only as good as the material available to make the product.
- Yield and lossComparing received, consumed and measured material shows loss, spillage and moisture effects.
- AuditA measured history per location replaces end-of-period estimates and adjustments.
- SafetyFewer people walking or climbing piles to estimate inventory.
- Multi-site viewEvery site and structure in one place, in the same units.
Our approach
From laser return to inventory number.
For inventory, the number that matters is the one purchasing and finance can trust: volume from the surface, weight from bulk density, history for every structure.
LiDAR sensing
Fixed LiDAR sensors above each pile, bay, bunker, silo or dome measure the material surface as a dense 3D point cloud with their own laser light, so lighting never changes the count. Wide field-of-view units cover the overall surface; directional units look into corners, craters and far walls.
- Wide field-of-view and directional LiDAR
- Mounts that fit the structure you have
- Cleaning or air purge where dust is heavy
Edge computing
One edge computer per site merges every sensor into a single surface and calculates volume for each structure and zone. Only results, not raw video, leave the building, over Ethernet, Wi-Fi or cellular; sites without easy IT access can start on cellular.
- One surface per structure
- Volume calculated on site
- Ethernet, Wi-Fi or cellular
Software & dashboards
Purchasing, operations and finance read the same numbers: volume, weight and history for every material and structure, with reports and exports for the systems you already run.
- Cloud or local dashboard
- Volume and weight per material
- History for every structure
AI
AI separates the material surface from loaders, trucks, people and airborne dust so the count stays clean, and flags changes that do not match the plan, such as an unplanned draw-down.
- Vehicles, people and dust filtered
- Unplanned draw-down flagged
- Consumption trends for planning
What we deliver
Inventory measurement for bulk raw materials.
From one pile to every storage structure across a company.
Continuous inventory
Scheduled scans of every structure, with history that shows receiving and consumption over time.
Sensing · Software
Volume to weight
Weight from measured volume and the bulk density of each material, with density adjustable as material or moisture changes.
Software
Per structure, per zone
Each bay, bunker, silo or dome, and each zone inside it, reported separately, so mixed materials stay separate.
Edge · Software
Book-to-physical reconciliation
Measured inventory you can compare with receipts and consumption at month end, not after a quarterly survey.
Software
Low-level and reorder alerts
Thresholds per material and location, so purchasing hears about a low pile before production does.
Software · AI
Usage trends
Consumption patterns per material to support purchasing and production planning.
AI
The CRATUS VMS system
Building blocks, combined per structure.
The structures differ; the inventory output is the same: volume, weight and history per location.
CRATUS VMS
Wide-FOV LiDAR node
Overall surface coverage
- Wide field of view
- Works in the dark
- Ceiling or wall mount
Covers most of a pile or bay from one mounting point and follows it as receiving and consumption change its shape.
CRATUS VMS
Directional LiDAR
Targeted, longer reach
- Narrow field of view
- Long range
- Aimed at one feature
Added where a wide view leaves gaps, such as reclaim craters, far corners, deep bins and the back of tall bays, so every structure reports a complete number.
ASSET-Rx
Edge computer
ASSET-Rx EDGE middleware
- Multi-sensor merge
- Per-zone volume
- Ethernet · Wi-Fi · cellular
Runs at the site and turns many sensors into one volume per zone, so only the numbers that feed inventory leave the building.
CRATUS VMS
VMS dashboard
Cloud or local
- Subscription
- Unit, site or company license
- Reports & exports
Volume, weight and history per structure and zone for purchasing, operations and finance. Choose a cloud subscription or a local license per unit, per site or company-wide.
CRATUS VMS
Universal mounting bracket
For trusses, walls and ceilings
- Fits common structures
- Sets the sensor angle
- Service-friendly
Holds each sensor at the angle chosen in the coverage model, on the truss, wall or ceiling you already have.
CRATUS VMS
Air purge collar
For extremely dusty sites
- Uses site compressed air
- Keeps the window clear
- Optional add-on
For heavy dust where compressed air is available: keeps the sensor window clear between scheduled cleanings.
One system
Sensors, edge, software and AI from one team
CRATUS designs the coverage, supplies the sensors and edge computer, runs the software and supports the system after commissioning. One point of contact from site survey to the daily inventory number. Browse the VMS systems for bulk solids.
All CRATUS productsCRATUS VMSStack
AI
- Surface filtering
- Change alerts
- Usage trends
Software
- Dashboard
- Reports
- Exports
Edge
- Sensor merge
- Volume per zone
- Connectivity
Sensing
- Wide-FOV LiDAR
- Directional LiDAR
- Brackets & purge
What to send us
These details let CRATUS build a coverage model for your structure.
- Structures to measure: piles, bays, bunkers, silos or domes
- Material in each structure and, if known, its bulk density
- Size of each structure: width, length and height
- Fill method: auger, conveyor, truck or loader
- Reclaim method: loader, bottom reclaim, gravity or pump-out
- Combustible dust or explosive gases present?
- 120 VAC and 12 VDC available near the structure?
- Internet access, or cellular coverage at the site
- Dust level and compressed air availability
- Number of structures now, and potentially later
How we work
Modeled first, then installed.
Every site is different, so we start with a coverage model of your structures and materials. Sensor types, counts and positions are set before anything ships.
- 01
Share your structures
Which piles, bays or bins hold which materials, how they are filled and reclaimed, plus power, connectivity and dust conditions.
- 02
Coverage model
CRATUS models each structure and material to choose sensor types, counts and mounting positions before anything ships.
- 03
Install
Brackets, power and network, with instructions and remote support for your contractor or ours.
- 04
Commission & calibrate
Reference scans, zones and bulk density per material, checked against a delivery weighed on a truck scale where one is available.
- 05
Monitor & support
Dashboard, reports and alerts for each structure, a lens-care schedule and engineering support for the life of the system.
Standards & practices
Planned around site safety.
Raw material storage often involves combustible dust, and the rules depend on the site. Area classification comes first; the installation is planned around it.
- NFPA 61Dust hazards in agricultural and food processing facilities
- NFPA 652Fundamentals of combustible dust
- NFPA 654Combustible particulate solids in manufacturing and handling
- NEC Articles 500–503Hazardous (classified) locations
- OSHA 1910.272Grain handling facilities
- IEC 60825-1Laser product safety; we specify eye-safe laser classes
- IEC 60529Ingress protection (IP) ratings for dust and water
- ISA/IEC 62443Security for industrial networks and devices
Area classification and compliance decisions rest with the site owner and the authority having jurisdiction. CRATUS plans the installation around these requirements and documents it to support your review; we don’t self-certify.
The basics
Why does raw material inventory accuracy matter?
Because every production plan starts from it. Raw material on hand sets how much you can produce and when you need to reorder, and it is a balance-sheet number. An inaccurate count shows up as stoppages, excess purchasing or write-offs.
How does CRATUS measure bulk material inventory?
With fixed LiDAR sensors above the material and an edge computer at the site. The sensors measure the surface, the edge computer calculates volume per structure and zone, and the dashboard reports volume and weight with history.
How often is inventory measured?
As often as you need. Measurement runs on a schedule that suits the operation, from many times per day to daily snapshots for reporting.
Volume and weight
How is weight calculated from volume?
Weight is measured volume multiplied by the bulk density of the material. Density is set per material at commissioning and can be checked against a known quantity, such as a delivery weighed on a truck scale.
What if bulk density changes with moisture or compaction?
The density value can be updated per material when it changes. Comparing measured volume with weighed receipts over time shows when the density assumption needs adjusting.
Can it replace our periodic inventory surveys?
In most cases it reduces how often you need them. Continuous measurement gives a current number between surveys; many sites keep a periodic check as an audit reference.
Installation & site
What does each site need for power and network?
One 120 VAC supply near the edge computer, 12 VDC for the sensors and a network connection. Where 12 VDC, an enclosure or internet access are missing, CRATUS can supply the power supply, enclosure and a cellular modem.
Will dust change the inventory number?
Dust on the sensor window is handled by scheduled cleaning, and AI filtering keeps airborne dust out of the measurement. For extremely dusty sites with compressed air, an air purge collar keeps the window clear between cleanings.
Is it suitable for storage with combustible dust?
Yes, with the right planning. Area classification comes first, then the installation is planned around it, including where equipment is placed and when it is energized. CRATUS documents the installation for the site owner and the authority having jurisdiction.
Working with CRATUS
What do we send for an inventory proposal?
The structures and their sizes, the material in each and how they are filled and reclaimed. CRATUS replies with a proposal that shows the sensor layout and expected performance, followed by a quote with options.
Who can see the inventory numbers?
Anyone you give dashboard access. Choose a cloud dashboard subscription, or a local dashboard license per unit, a site license for several units or a company license.
Can inventory data feed our own systems?
Yes. The dashboard supports reports and data exports for the systems you already run, and CRATUS works with plant teams, system integrators and IT departments, with installation instructions, network requirements and remote support.
Talk to a CRATUS engineer
How much raw material do you have right now?
Tell us what you store and where. A CRATUS engineer will reply with a coverage approach and what continuous inventory would look like at your site.
Illustrations are not to scale. Specifications subject to change without notice.