5 Major Considers When Purchasing a Sortation Conveyor

Selecting the Right Sortation Conveyor Requires Insight and Foresight

A sortation conveyor system is an automated solution designed to efficiently organize and distribute items based on predetermined criteria such as destination, size, or weight. Commonly used in manufacturing plants, distribution centers, and e-commerce fulfillment centers, sortation conveyors play a vital role in streamlining operations by quickly segregating diverse items into specific categories, product groupings, destinations, and packaging. These systems enhance operational efficiency, reduce labor costs, minimize errors, and contribute to faster, more accurate order fulfillment, making them essential for industries reliant on timely and precise inventory management.

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Selecting a sortation conveyor for your facility involves a significant investment in hardware and software, which can become costly to reconfigure if your requirements change. To optimize your investment, you need to answer the following five questions. Ensure you define your current needs and any future expectations your team is considering.

1. Inventory Specifications

2. Throughput

3. Space Availability

4. Application

5. Budget

With this background in mind, let’s delve deeper into each of the five criteria necessary to configure your sortation conveyor solution.

1. What Are the Physical Attributes of the Products You Are Sorting?

Sortation conveyor designs encompass a wide range of techniques and technologies. For example, sorting relatively consistent medium-weight products packaged in cardboard boxes presents different options than sorting garments packed in plastic bags or hung on hangers. Size, shape, weight, and physical characteristics significantly influence the sortation conveyor best suited for your application. Product fragility is also a critical consideration. A shoe or slot sorter may be ideal for lightweight electronics packaged in boxes, while a tilt-tray sorter works effectively for sweaters packed in plastic.

Another aspect is anticipating future needs. If your facility will sort the same products five years from now, you can comfortably choose a specific sorter. Conversely, if your product mix changes frequently or is expected to change, consider a system that provides flexibility to handle diverse products.

2. What is the Throughput Rate Your Facility Needs to Achieve?

The speed at which products move and need to be sorted is a major factor in selecting your sortation system and determining the technology required to achieve that sorting rate. Key questions to answer include:

• What is our usual throughput rate in units per minute, per hour, or per shift?

• What is the variability of that rate? Are there peaks, such as truck unloadings or seasonal variations?

• Does my budget allow for employing the fastest and most flexible system? Generally, the quicker the sortation, the more expensive the system.

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3. What Are My Space Limitations?

Different types of sortation conveyors require varying amounts of floor space. The size of your warehouse and the available floor area may limit your selection of sortation conveyors. Is vertical space available? Can the systems be configured in a loop, or must they remain linear with branches extending from the main conveyor line?

4. What is the Application of the Sortation Conveyor?

A sortation system designed for unloading products from trucks and directing them to storage may differ significantly from a system that separates items destined for various retail stores. Size, weight, and product variability are determining factors, as are the number of sources and destinations that must be integrated into the system. Will packing or shipping stations need to be established? All these considerations impact the choice of sortation conveyor best suited for your application.

5. And, Of Course, What is Your Budget?

Can you afford to utilize the most advanced technological sortation solution, or do you even need it? Sortation systems can be quite complex, incorporating sensors, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), mechanical devices for executing the sortation, and software that integrates with your Warehouse Control System (WCS) or Warehouse Management System (WMS). The level of automation required in your application will significantly influence the cost of your sortation conveyor system.

A well-designed sortation system can greatly enhance your warehouse, production plant, or distribution center's efficiency. However, selecting the right sortation conveyor is a complex, multi-faceted process that begins with asking the right questions. The experienced design team at Apex is available to assist you at every stage of the process, delivering a sortation system design tailored to meet your current and future needs. Contact us today!