MWPVL International - A Primer On Sortation Systems For Distribution Operations
MWPVL International - A Primer On Sortation Systems For Distribution Operations
Track T5 Session #1
Marc Wulfraat Bob Kregel
▪ President ▪ V.P. Global Product Management
▪ [email protected] ▪ [email protected]
▪ www.mwpvl.com ▪ www.dematic.us
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Abstract
Sortation systems have been acknowledged as "the heart of the
modern distribution center."
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Agenda
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Sortation Definition
Sortation is a process that orders items according to
specified criteria
Sortation
6
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When Do We Need Sortation Systems?
Sortation systems are typically deployed when
a distribution center has one or more of the
following characteristics:
- Batch picking: Multiple orders are grouped together and picked as a
single parent order to reduce travel time and afterwards the child
orders need to be sorted
- Multiple pick areas and/or material handling technologies are
picked independently and in parallel; and need to be merged prior
to packing
- Goods need to be moved between different areas, floors and
buildings
- Completed orders need to be sequenced prior to loading (e.g. by
carrier, by weight, by load/stop)
- Flow through distribution such as in the Retail Industry
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The Main Benefits of Sortation
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Sortation System Design Considerations
Decision Criteria Design Data Requirements
Throughput Volume Requirements • Average and peak of sorts per minute
& Speed • Average and peak diverts per minute through
each destination point
Packaging format, size, shape, • Type of packaging material, fragility, weight
diversity, and conveyability of distribution, flatness of entity
packages • Product orientation
• Product mix
Unit Load Characteristics • Length, width, height, weight of entity being
sorted
Operating Environment • Temperature, dust, oil, obstructions
Physical Site Constraints • Columns, clear height, doors
Accumulation & Recirculation • Buffer requirement leading up to sortation
Requirements • Recirculation after sortation discharge
Financial • System cost and ROI
Other Considerations • Ergonomics, noise, energy requirement,
maintenance, equipment interfaces
• Bar code label size, location & symbology
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Different Types of Sortation Systems
Sortation Type Available Technologies
Please note that there are other types of specialty and hybrid sortation systems not listed here that are excluded
due to time limitations for this presentation.
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Sortation System Component Diagram
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Sortation System Components in Detail
Subsystem Options Description
Merge • Merge Options • Receives products/cartons from
- Single various sources or areas
- Dual • Controls / regulates / funnels /
- Sawtooth singulates the flow of cartons into a
- Multilane single stream prior to sortation
Induction • Gap Options • Gateway to sortation system
- Brake belt or meter belt • Identifies carton and destination
- Blow through • Gaps and spaces cartons to
- High rate gapping unit optimize sortation system
Sortation • Tracking Options • Tracks carton through to
- Relays, Programmable logic downstream destination
controllers (PLC), Computers • Activates diverter device
- Diverter Options • Sorts cartons/packages into
- Manual, plow, pusher, pop- different streams
up, slat-shoe, tilt- tray, etc.
Takeaway • Takeaway Options • Transport / takeaway cartons away
- Conveyors from sorter
- Chutes, Spirals • Feed downstream pack stations or
- Drops shipping stations
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Review of Different Types
of Sortation Systems
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Manual - Put Wall Sortation / With Lights
Operator scans incoming tote
license plate
Put to Light identifies the cubby
hole to sort product/quantity to
(30 – 75 cubby holes typically)
Confirm by pushing button on
light panel
Product removed from other
side of wall for packing
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Put Wall Video
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Conveyor with Right Angle Transfer
Powered roller conveyor with 90° bi-directional package
transfer to left or right
Pneumatic lift used to divert package
Typical Applications
Standard diverter handles minimum carton dimensions
of 6”W x 9”L with 2 – 110 LBs at 180 feet/min
High speed diverter handles minimum carton dimensions
of 9”W x 9”L with 2 – 110 LBs at 240 feet/min
Merge batch picked items to a highway lane
Divert / sort items/cartons to picking zones
Medium throughput sortation to shipping lanes
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Conveyor With Right Angle Transfer
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Conveyor with Swing Arm or Paddle or Push
Deflector
Powered roller conveyor with 45°-90°
package transfer to left or right
Pneumatic swing arm, pusher arm or
deflector arm used to divert package
Right angle Pusher can sort 25 – 50
cases/totes per minute
Swing arm diverters can sort 25 - 60
cases/totes / minute
Some applications can go higher
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Swing Arm, Paddle & Push Deflectors
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Conveyor Strip-Belt Sorter
Bi-directional right angle
transfers
Motorized pulley drive with
pneumatic transfer lift elevates
high strength belts
Designed to sort parcels up to
100 Lbs at speeds of 25 - 65
items/cartons/totes per minute
Often used to sort loose units or
totes
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Conveyor Strip-Belt Sorter
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Conveyor Positive Belt Sorter
Pneumatic lift mechanism causes
cartons to divert to left or right on a
30° angle
Powered belts face package flow for
diverting
One or two belts used depending on
width of conveyor to reduce minimum
gap requirements and maximize rate
25 - 60 cartons/totes sorted per
minute
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Conveyor with Steerable Wheel Pop-Up
Roller Wheel diverter
Pneumatic rotary actuator turns wheels
for diverting cartons 30° to left or right
Wheels rotate or pop up to divert
package
Steerable wheel diverter can sort 30 - 80
items per minute
Pop-up wheel diverter can sort 35 - 100
items per minute
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Linear Sliding Shoe Sorter Angle Divert
High-Rate Sorter
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Linear Sliding Shoe Sorter Parallel Divert
Ultra High-Rate Sorter
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Linear Sliding Shoe Bi-Directional Divert
Mid-Rate Sorter that requires low space
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Circular Sortation – Cross Belt Sorter
High-speed bi-directional sorter
diverts items or cartons 90° left or
right
Divert points can be at close
intervals for space efficiency
Performs True Positive Active
sortation
Single, twin, double deck and quad
cell
Typical Applications Pros / Cons / Considerations
High speed throughput applications that can ↑ Flexible and modular diverter that can
handles minimum item dimensions of 3”W x easily be relocated within a conveyor
3”L x 0.1”H up to 24”w x 47”L with 0.2 – 110 system
LBs at 360 - 490 feet/min
Diverts units or cartons to destination lanes ↑ Flexibility to sort a wide range of entities
of their shape, size and surface
characteristics
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Circular Sortation – Cross Belt Sorter
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Circular Sortation – Tilt-Tray
High-speed chain-driven 2-way sorter
used for a wide mix of unit or parcel
sortation
Wide choice of induction units and chute
designs
Flexibility to scale down throughput
speed to reduce product impact
Speed can range 400 – 500+ ft/min
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Circular Sortation – Tilt-Tray
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Circular Sortation – Bomb-Bay
High-speed continuous loop sorter that is
typically an oval race track traveling at ~140 feet
per minute
8 operators can manually induct up to 40,000
pieces/hr at 2 ends of the loop
Also known as a split tray or quad tray sorter
because trays can be divided into 2 or 4 sub-
trays
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Circular Sortation – Bomb-Bay
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Automation – Shuttle System
Shuttle robots can be used as an alternative
to traditional sortation systems
Shuttles can stage totes or cartons selected
from one or many pick zones in the DC
Totes are staged and then released for
outbound deliveries in optimal sequence
Heaviest totes can always be on bottom of
pallet for ergonomic considerations
E-commerce home delivery for food ↓ Higher thoughput requires more shuttles
– sort by route and stop therefore more cost
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Application Selection Guidelines
(8,000 to 40,000+)
(6,000 to 18,000)
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Sorter Selection Guide (Throughput)
Sorter Selection Guide Based on Sortation Rates of a Standard 16" Carton
Throughput Rate Low Rate Mid Rate High Rate
Right Angle Right Angle Pusher Strip Positive Swivel Pop-Up Sliding Shoe Sliding Sliding Shoe Tilt Tray Cross Belt Bomb Bay
(Cartons/ (Cartons/
Transfer Transfer Diverter Belt Belt Wheel Wheel Bi-Directional Shoe Angle Parallel Sorter Sorter Sorter
Hour) Min)
(Bands) (Rollers) Sorter Sorter Divert Divert Divert Divert Divert
25,000 - 40,000 420 - 670
3,600 - 4,800 60 - 80
2,700 - 3,600 45 - 60
2,100 - 2,700 35 - 45
1,500 - 2,100 25 - 35
900 - 1,500 15 - 25
0 - 900 0 - 15
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Summary of Sortation Systems
Sortation Throughput Technology Typical Max Metric System Cost Flat Bottom Takeaway Options
System Rate per Hour Rate Rate Required
Manual Put Up to 700 Pick/Put to Light 7 12 Items per min. Low No Pack Station or
Wall Items/hour Powered conveyor
Right angle transfer diverter 25 30 Cartons/Totes per Low Yes Powered conveyor
with straps min.
Right angle transfer diverter 25 60 Cartons/Totes per Low Yes Powered conveyor
with rollers min.
Flat belt conveyor with swing 25 60 Items/Cartons/Totes Low No All
arm, pusher arm, or deflector per min.
Conveyor Up to 7500 diverters
Diverter cartons or totes Strip-Belt Sorter Diverter 25 65 Items/Cartons/Totes Medium No All
Systems per Hour per min.
Positive Belt Diverter 25 65 Cartons/Totes per Medium Yes All
min.
Swivel/steerable wheel diverter 30 80 Cartons/Totes per Medium Yes All
min.
Pop-up wheel diverter 35 100 Cartons/Totes per Medium Yes All
min.
Bi-Directional Divert 100 280 Items/Crt per min High No All
Linear Sliding 9,000 to 24,000
Angle Divert 100 280 Items/Hour High No All
Shoe Items/hour
Parallel Divert 150 380 Items/Hour High No All
Circulation Cross-belt sorter 350 500 Feet/Minute High No Chute
Sortation 8,000 to 40,000+ Tilt tray 350 500 Feet/Minute High No Chute
Items/hour Bomb-bay (1-tray, 2-tray, quad- 120 140 Feet/Minute High No Drop, Chute
tray)
Automation Shuttle System Customized High No Powered Conveyor
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Key Takeaways
Many sortation systems are available on the market and
we have only discussed the more common ones
Sortation system costs generally increase as
throughput rates increase
It is key to identify throughput rate requirements,
packaging format, weights, shapes, sizes of products,
cartons or totes to be sorted
There is an optimal sorter for each type of application
and the guidelines presented here provide a basic
starting point towards this objective
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Conference Cloud Additional Resources
Put Wall
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NToQfX3NseQ
Linear Sorters
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TJ4NYHuXPI&feature=player_detailpage
Conveyor Sorters
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvLoU9D07s0
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-ZdQGtaItU&feature=player_detailpage
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSemAc9s7XQ&feature=player_detailpage
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Questions
41
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