Three Considerations When Designing Conveyor Sortation Systems

The Benefits of a New Conveyor Sortation System

New conveyor sortation systems can do more than accommodate an additional product line or boost your current operations. A well-planned conveyor system design can provide a wide range of ancillary benefits, such as:

In the end, these all add up to increased customer satisfaction, something we all strive to achieve.

The benefits of a carefully planned conveyor sortation system are so widespread that it’s easy to see why conveyors are considered the arteries of any operation, reflecting both the importance and actual function of any conveying system. Because the benefits can be so wide-ranging, it’s useful to incorporate conveyor design early in your project’s budget and design process.

To reap the full benefits of a new conveyor sortation system, you should consider both short- and long-term goals. Choosing the wrong system can damage products, reduce efficiencies and undermine long-standing strategies.

The best conveyor design not only accounts for existing objectives but also accommodates future growth. Designing for scalability at the outset of your project ensures that it will be easier and less expensive to add features and components down the road. Set yourself up for continued success with a conveyor sortation system that’s been thought out from start to finish.

# 1: Throughput Requirements & Conveyor System Design

Consider the true throughput requirements for your conveyor sortation system to create a technical solution that will meet your needs. Decide on the trade-offs that make the most sense for your facility. For instance, faster throughputs often limit your design options while simultaneously increasing costs.

You should consider throughput requirements on a per-shift, per-hour and per-day basis. You’ll also want to factor in how many hours per day and how many days per week your operation will run, as well as expected cycle times. Frequent stops and starts need to be figured into your conveyor system design since they can require more robust motors.

The number of diverts actually required, as opposed to desired, is another crucial consideration — each divert will need to run at the determined throughput.

Designing in flexibility is essential. You need conveyors that can adapt to your entire production flow at an optimum rate of efficiency. Flow and speed control are critical elements of any good conveyor design.

#3: How Layout Constraints Affect Conveyor Design

The layout of your plant has a direct impact on conveyor design. You need an accurate, well-documented floor plan of the facility that details:

Other layout constraints include logistics like where products are introduced into the system and where they need to be transported. For instance, a conveyor sortation system going directly to a truck trailer has different requirements than a system going to a separate staging area.

You’ll also need to consider whether the conveyor will operate indoors or outdoors. If the conveyor is outside, is the ground stable enough to support the structure?

Other factors include whether the products need to be conveyed to different levels and whether a gradual incline or vertical conveyor would work best. Your conveyor system design also needs to account for adequate drainage for products that leak and appropriate ventilation for products that emit fumes. Proper lighting is a requirement where manual operations are in use.

The environment the conveyor will run in is another consideration. Is it so cold that lubricants will thicken? So dusty that components will wear more quickly? So wet that rust will be an issue? And what if the conveyor has to maneuver through multiple environments? A bakery conveyor sortation system, for instance, may need to transport products through ovens and freezers, each area with its own requirements.