Sortation systems

01

Compare sorting mechanisms on throughput, item range and speed

Cross-belt sorters carry each item on a carrier with its own belt that runs at right angles to travel. Interroll's MX-H horizontal cross-belt sorter lists speed up to 2.7 m/s, throughput of 4,000 to 20,000 items/hour, operating noise under 68 dB(A), item weight up to 50 kg and a single-carrier size of at most 1,200 × 700 × 700 mm, with double-carrier operation available. [1] Dijie's loop cross-belt sorting system drives a train of carriers with a linear motor; it lists 600 mm carrier pitch, 700 mm carrier width, 1 m/s carrier belt speed, 2 m/s maximum ring speed, 12,000 parcels per hour with one-side infeed, parcels from 100 grams to 20 kg and from 85 × 85 × 10 mm to 800 × 600 × 400 mm, and running noise of 70 dB or less. [3]

Sliding-shoe sorters push items off a carrier conveyor. Vanderlande's POSISORTER moves divert shoes across full-width carriers to push parcels diagonally into output spurs, with the number of shoes set by product length; it handles products up to 1,500 × 900 mm, sorts over 10,000 parcels per hour, can sort to one or both sides, and a shoe can be changed in less than 60 seconds. [2]

Swing-wheel (diverter or pendulum-wheel) sorters steer items with servo-driven wheel modules. Dijie's wheel sorter lists a 1,000 or 1,200 mm conveying width, a ±70° diverting angle and parcels from 120 × 120 × 10 mm (100 × 100 × 10 mm direct-drive) to 1,000 × 800 × 700 mm; the friction-drive version runs at 1.5–2 m/s with a 0.25 s swing period and 3.4 kW total power for 6,000 parcels per hour, and the direct-drive version at 2 m/s or more with a 0.15 s swing period and 4.5 kW for 7,200 parcels per hour, both rated on 500 mm parcels at 2 m/s. [4]

Editorial calculation: at 2 m/s a conveyor moves 2 × 3,600 = 7,200 m per hour, so Dijie's 7,200 parcels per hour on 500 mm parcels implies one parcel every 1.0 m (a 500 mm gap), and 6,000 per hour implies one every 1.2 m. On Dijie's cross-belt loop, 2 m/s ÷ 0.6 m pitch = 3.33 carriers per second, or 12,000 carriers per hour — equal to its stated 12,000 parcels per hour, so that figure assumes every carrier is loaded. [4] [3]

Give the supplier the item mix (cartons, polybags, envelopes, totes) with minimum and maximum dimensions and weights, the peak throughput per hour, the number of destinations and chute or spur sizes, induction method (manual, semi-automatic or automatic), scanning and weighing needs, available length and width, noise limit, power supply and the controls interface. Ask which throughput figure assumes which item length, gap and loading.

02

Check sort accuracy and conveyor safety

Vanderlande states POSISORTER performance as one missort every 10,000 items. [2] Dijie lists a wrong-sort rate of 0.01% for its loop cross-belt system. [3] Editorial calculation: one missort in 10,000 items is 1 ÷ 10,000 = 0.01%, a 99.99% sort accuracy, so the two claims are on the same scale; ask how each supplier counts no-reads, recirculation and rejects.

For US construction work, OSHA's conveyor rule (29 CFR 1926.555) requires a means of stopping the motor at the operator's station, and at the motor if the operator's station is remote; an audible warning signal sounded immediately before start-up; emergency stop switches that must be reset before the conveyor can restart; guards where a conveyor passes over work areas, aisles or thoroughfares; marked crossovers and passageways; and lockout with a "Do Not Operate" tag during repairs. It requires conveyors to meet ANSI B20.1-1957, Safety Code for Conveyors, Cableways, and Related Equipment. [5]

Editorial note: ask the supplier which conveyor safety code and edition the design follows for your country, and for the guarding, emergency-stop layout and lockout points on the layout drawing.

03

Compare what suppliers offer

Suppliers linked to this page list sorting systems or sorting modules; each card links to the page reviewed.

Listings range from complete express sorting lines with cross-belt, narrow-belt, linear and wheel sorters to motorised rollers and pendulum-wheel modules for sorter builders.

04

Trace the sortation system

This is a functional reference built from the sources cited; it is not one maker's design.

05

Fill the specification fields with values for your project

A sortation system quotation needs values for your project. The table explains each field, gives published values where a reviewed source states them, and says what to obtain from the supplier.

06

Send the item mix, throughput and layout together

Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.

Items: [types; min/max L × W × H; min/max kg]
Throughput: [peak items per hour; item length and gap]
Destinations: [number; chute or spur size]
Mechanism: [cross-belt; sliding shoe; swing wheel; other]
Induction and scanning: [manual/automatic; barcode; weighing]
Site: [length × width; power supply; noise limit]
Safety: [conveyor code; e-stops; guarding]
Quantity: [lines]

See manufacturer records Send an enquiry through CNFX