5 Sortation System Considerations

Asking the right questions gets you the right answers

Implementing an automated sortation system can revolutionize your operations, but only if you consider the key factors before you make a decision on the conveyor type, sorter type, and its attributes.

Sortation conveyors may include shoe sorters, cross-belt sorters, pop-wheel and roller sorters, a variety of conveyors, and other automated sortation systems. (See details of many of these sorter choices here). These systems are designed for either low or high volume order sizes, to promote shipping accuracy, and the ability to ship more frequently. They also offer increased productivity, labor savings, cost reduction, and vastly improved customer satisfaction.

Whether you want to streamline facility processes, anticipate growth in the future, or ramp up throughput, these guidelines will help you make the right choices as you move down the path toward automation solutions for your operation.

What you should consider

  1. Throughput Requirements: How much product do I need to move through the sorter per hour? per shift? per day? This fundamental understanding will help you define your specifications from the ground up.
  2. The Load: What type of product will I be running through the sorter? Is your load heavy>? Fragile or delicate? A carton? A tote? Many of your choices will be dictated by this information.
  3. Load durability: What is the condition of the item being sorted? Will it hold up to high speed and/or impact conditions? Sorters aren't hard on the load typically, but certain types of products may have issues with high-speed sortation.
  4. Pneumatic vs. Electric Sortation:  is compressed air readily available or should an electric solution be evaluated?
  5. How much space do I have? A shoe sorter requires more floor space due to conveyor length, which can exceed 700 feet.

For assistance with any sortation project, you can contact Cisco-Eagle for prompt assistance.