How to Get the Most Out of Your Sorter Investment

Sortation conveyance is the backbone of any industry that prioritizes speed and accuracy. By selecting the right sortation conveyor you not only save time and money, but you also get the most out of your investment. There are several things to consider and important questions you must ask before you make your final selection.

Products

What types of products will you be sorting? Boxes, envelopes, poly-bags, or a mixture of items? It is important to understand the product types being moved, to ensure your goods can be sorted properly by the desired sorter. The weight and size of your products are also important to decide the type of sorter needed.

Sort Rates

What types of products will you be sorting? Boxes, envelopes, poly-bags, or a mixture of items? Important to understand the product types being moved to ensure your goods can be sorted properly by the desired sorter. The weight and size of your products are also important to decide the type of sorter needed. Sortation rate is calculated off of the size of the product you want to sort, the rate per minute you want to sort, and the required gap between products.

Total Footprint

How large or small does your sorter need to be? Do you need to move a couch in a box or a first-class envelope? The length, width, height, and weight of your products will guide you to an optimal sorter. The product being sorted and the size of your facility will need to be factored into your decision.  The type of sorter you choose also decides depends on the area it will take up. For example, sliding shoe sorters require a larger space, whereas a narrow belt sorter may work in a smaller space.

Budget

Most sortation solutions can match any budget size depending on your desired result along with any additional features you may need. Typically, the price of the sorter will be based on size, speed, and technology.

So once all these factors are taken into consideration, what do you do next? Below are a few popular sortation systems and their main features to help get you started on deciding the type of sorter you need.

Belted Pivot Wheel

The belted pivot wheel is a great option for those who are needing a budget-friendly option. This is a medium-rate sorter that can handle 65-85 products per minute. It is a great sorter for small to medium size cartons and/or totes with good flat bottoms. It features either single side or dual-sided diverts. The diverts can be configured with close divert centers to maximize floor space. This works well in warehouse/distribution and manufacturing industries.

Narrow Belt

The narrow belt sorter is a great option for small to medium-sized facilities. This sorter is offered with 30 degree and/or 90 degree diverts. It is a medium-rate sorter that can handle 60-70 products per minute at 90 degree divert and up to 65-85 products per minute at 30 degree divert. This product works well with cartons, totes, and Jiffy packs. However, it does not work well with poly bags because they can deform around the belt strands. This sorter works well in smaller spaces, taking up to 75 percent less space than other equipment. When 90 degree diverts are used, customers can have downlines spaced 2 feet apart, on either or both sides of the sorter.

Sliding Shoe

From large to small products that need to be sorted accurately at high rates, a sliding shoe sorter would be the best pick for those in warehouse distribution, e-commerce, and parcel industries. Sortation rates with these conveyors are among the highest and the aluminum slats with shoes allow items to slide gently and easily during sortation. The ProSort 1100 can divert up 175-200 products per minute whereas the ProSort 1400 can divert up to 200-225 products per minute depending on product sizes.

Conclusion

Understanding your product, the size of your facility, and the goals you are trying to achieve with sortation conveyors can not only lead you to the best equipment, but also the best return on your investment. Hytrol has multiple sortation products and can work with you to find the sorter that fits your needs. For more information on what sorter best fits your needs, contact a Hytrol Integration Partner near you or check out Hytrol’s Sortation White Paper.