Sortation conveyors are the piece of the material handling puzzle that helps get the products to the customer. They increase shipping accuracy and efficiency by separating products for better distribution. With so many sortation conveyors available, which one is the ideal solution for your system?
Answer These First
Product. You must identify the size and weight of the products that will be sorted. Poly bags transport different than boxes, and those differences need to be accounted for during the planning phase. The package weight and structural integrity need to be factored in, as well as package diversity (are there different types and weights of packages being sorted) when selecting the sortation conveyor.
Speed. What is the required throughput needed? Customers are wanting their deliveries faster and faster. Based on your product size, how quickly and safely can the product be sorted while also meeting the customers’ delivery demands.
Budget. How much are you allowed to spend on the system? Conveyors vary in price based on the drive, length, width, etc. Your budget will definitely impact your conveyor selection.
Other. There are many other questions that must be answered during the planning phase of your system. What are the floor space requirements? Does noise level need to be considered? Is energy usage important? These are just a few of the additional questions that must be answered before deciding on a sortation solution.
Now that you have an understanding of the goals and needs of the system, let’s look at the different sortation conveyor options.
Sliding Shoe Sorter
These sortation conveyors are high-speed workhorses that provide the highest rate of sortation available. They are built using aluminum slats with shoes that slide along the slat to gently divert the product. These sortation conveyors boast high throughputs and sort the smallest of packages, including flat envelopes. They are typically used in e-commerce and parcel facilities.
