Are you considering a sortation solution for your local warehouse, distribution center or manufacturing facility? The most popular kinds of sortation systems vary widely in ability and cost. Below we offer a high level overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the most common kinds of sortation systems.

Cross-Belt Sorter & Tilt Tray Sorter

Cross-belt and tilt-tray sortation systems deliver similar abilities and are often associated when talking about sortation automation. However, they are quite different solutions.

Tilt-tray sorters are made up of trays mounted to carts that are carried on a continuous-loop conveyor. Products are put into the trays at one or more induction points on the loop through manual or automated processes. When a product reaches its sorting location, the tray that is transporting it tilts and transfers the product toward a chute.

Cross-belt sorters are powered belt conveyors mounted to carts running on a continuous conveyor loop. Similar to tilt-trays, cross-belt sorters transfer materials onto a chute when they reach the appropriate sorting destination.

Advantages: Tilt-tray and Cross-belt sorters offer the greatest sorting speed and can manage a wide variety of item types when compared to other sortation systems. They are an excellent choice for operations that manage a wide array of SKUs. These types of systems are likewise reasonably quiet and enable a more pleasant workplace for warehouse workers.

Disadvantages: The speed, capacity and versatility or these sorters come at a price-- they are among the most costly sortation options available.

Shoe Sorter

Sliding shoe sorters employ a "shoe" system attached to the conveyor surface that nudges and diverts products onto a secondary, after-sort conveyor. Shoe sorter configurations are fed by a unified stream of products that might be a consolidated feed from multiple upstream locations of a facility. These kinds of sortation solutions are extensively utilized in shipping applications.

Advantages: Sliding shoe sorter systems allow for a relatively high peak rate, sometimes several hundred units per minute, depending on the unit weight and size. In addition, a vast array of items can be managed because of the simplicity and versatility of a positive divert system.

Disadvantages: Shoe sorters are more costly than other options like pop-up wheel sorters. Also, divert stations are not easily movable, making the system complicated and costly to reconfigure. These systems also produce more decibels than tray or belt equipment and are therefore not as worker-friendly as other varieties of sorters.

Pop-up Wheel Sorter

Pop-up wheel sorters are a common alternative since they are fairly low-cost and easy to deploy. Wheels or rollers are embedded in a belt conveyor. When an item has to be diverted, the wheels quickly rise up to divert products at an angle to an alternate, downstream conveyor.

Advantages: Pop-up wheel sorters are modular, so components can be rapidly added or eliminated when the line requires modification. These systems can likewise be considerably less expensive than other sorter types.

Disadvantages: These kinds of sorters offer far less performance and capacity than tilt-tray, cross-belt or shoe alternatives. They will certainly enhance performance, but might not multiply throughput like other alternatives. Due to the fact that pop-up systems do not offer a positive divert, the types of products they can process are reduced.

Automated Sortation Systems Near Me

If you'd like more guidance on sortation options, get in touch with an automation expert at Raymond West today!

Raymond's Portland service operation includes all of Western Oregon and Southwest Washington, including Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Sherwood, Tualatin, Wilsonville, Oregon City, Gladstone, Clackamas, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Gresham, Troutdale, Woodburn, Salem, Vancouver, Ridgefield, Longview, Kelso and surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Portland Material Handling Equipment Supplier

3148 NE 181st Ave
Portland, OR 97230
(800) 675-2500