Machine Learning Techniques for Estimating Amount of Coolant Required in Shipping of Temperature Sensitive Products

Abstract

This paper implements and compares machine learning algorithms to predict the amount of coolant required during transportation of temperature sensitive products. The machine learning models use trip duration, product threshold temperature and ambient temperature as the independent variables to predict the weight of gel packs need to keep the temperature of the product below its threshold temperature value. The weight of the gel packs can be translated to number of gel packs required. Regression using Neural Networks, Support Vector Regression, Gradient Boosted Regression and Elastic Net Regression are compared. The Neural Networks based model performs the best in terms of its mean absolute error value and r-squared values. A Neural Network model is then deployed on as webservice to score allowing for client application to make rest calls to estimate gel pack weights