E-commerce has changed how products move through warehouses and distribution centers. With more orders to fulfill, faster shipping expectations, and a wider variety of packaging, facilities need equipment that keeps products moving efficiently.
These challenges become even more noticeable during peak shopping seasons, when increased order volumes put additional pressure on fulfillment operations.
From small cartons and padded envelopes to polybags and other lightweight packages, e-commerce operations handle products of different shapes, sizes, and weights. Choosing the right conveyor and sortation equipment can help improve product flow, reduce handling issues, and keep orders on track.
Choosing the right conveyor starts with understanding the products being handled. Small cartons, polybags, and padded envelopes can require different types of support to move smoothly through a system.
A few things to consider when selecting a conveyor include:
Belt-over conveyors are often a good option for smaller or flexible packages because they provide a continuous surface for transportation. Roller conveyors with closely spaced rollers may also work well for certain smaller packages.
When one area of a fulfillment operation moves faster than another, products can back up and create bottlenecks. Accumulation conveyors help manage these changes by holding and releasing items as space becomes available downstream.
Zero-pressure accumulation can also help prevent products from coming into contact with one another, reducing the risk of damage. This is especially useful in e-commerce operations where packages move between picking, packing, and shipping at different rates.
As Hytrol Integration Partner Advanced Equipment Company explains in its article on accumulating conveyors in e-commerce operations, accumulation can help reduce congestion, limit manual handling, and accommodate changes in order volume.
Reliable product detection is also important, especially when handling polybags and irregularly shaped packages. Light bars and other sensing technologies can help detect these products as they move through accumulation zones.
Once orders are picked and packed, they need to reach the correct shipping destination. Sortation equipment helps direct packages to the appropriate lanes based on carrier, destination, or other order requirements.
Sliding shoe sorters are commonly used in high-volume fulfillment operations. Depending on the equipment and application, they can handle a variety of package types while directing products to multiple destinations.
But sortation involves more than the sorter itself. Several pieces of equipment work together to keep packages moving accurately:
For example, Hytrol worked with Parts Town to improve order fulfillment at its facility. The system includes nearly two miles of Hytrol conveyor and two ProSort sliding shoe sorters that direct packages through packing and shipping.
Conveyor accessories and transfer points may seem like small details, but they can make a big
For e-commerce operations, it's important to consider:
Taking these factors into account during system design can help reduce jams, product damage, and unnecessary interruptions.
Every e-commerce operation has different needs. Package sizes, order volumes, facility layouts, and shipping requirements all play a role in determining which equipment works best.
Whether it's selecting the right conveyor, improving accumulation, or adding sortation capabilities, Hytrol and our network of Integration Partners can help you find solutions that fit your operations. Ready to improve your e-commerce fulfillment process?