How to choose a logistics sorting system based on throughput?

As businesses grow, retailers are forced to continuously improve their logistics capabilities to meet the demands of omnichannel order fulfillment. Automated intelligent sorting systems are the lifeblood of sorting centers, providing the most efficient solution for warehouse cargo delivery. However, with so many different sorting systems available, how can merchants choose the most suitable solution?

Select sorting system based on throughput

Low-throughput environments—6,000 pieces/hour

A sweeper sorter consists of multiple modular units mounted above the conveyor. The sweeper arm swings to push items into outlets on the left and right sides of the conveyor. Its advantages lie in its ability to sort large quantities of small products and the ability to deploy a large number of chutes in a compact environment. Its efficiency has been proven in the postal, parcel, e-commerce, and pharmaceutical industries. However, its size does pose a limitation. Due to the height restrictions of the sorting modules, large cartons and bins are not suitable for this sorting system.

Medium to high throughput environments—9,000 to 24,000 pieces/hour

The Sliding Shoe Sorter uses specially designed sliders to push a stream of individual items from a loading surface onto a conveyor. It can handle a wide range of product sizes and packaging types, from large cartons to small polybags and mail. Its single-sided sorting design offers extremely high throughput rates, while a high-density dual-sided sorting design with chutes on both sides significantly saves space and increases layout flexibility, but does have certain speed and product size limitations.

High throughput environment – 27,000 pieces/hour

The Tilt-tray Sorter uses a series of trays installed on a continuously running ring conveyor line. The products are fed into the designated chute and transported to the target outlet by tilting the tray. The continuous and flat load-bearing surface enables it to reliably handle almost all products and packaging types, from envelopes and polybags to large cartons. The Tilt-tray Sorter is one of the ideal solutions for e-commerce order fulfillment with high throughput and a wide range of product types. It can be configured with a large number of sorting outlets to achieve the highest sorting density of all automatic sorting systems. At the same time, it is easy to expand, has low operating noise, and provides an ideal working environment for warehouse employees.

The Cross-Belt Sorter utilizes a series of belt conveyors running perpendicular to the forward direction. It easily handles turns, inclines, and descents in the sorting line, making it an effective solution for compact environments. It effectively improves control precision and achieves a sorting accuracy rate of up to 99.99%.

Other Factors Influencing Sorter Selection

Throughput at the sorting center isn't the only factor to consider. When selecting the right sorting solution, we should also weigh the following:

• Space Constraints: Many operators seek to deploy e-commerce-focused solutions within existing facilities, even in back-office warehouses behind retail stores. Some sorting technologies are designed to maximize sorting efficiency in compact spaces. Gosunm can customize designs to suit warehouse space requirements.
• Maintenance and Operational Difficulty: Daily operations and maintenance can vary significantly depending on the sorting technology and equipment vendor. Consider how your employees will operate the equipment and maintain the system. Gosunm offers a one-year warranty and can provide both online and offline installation and commissioning.
• Future Expansion: If future business expansion is a possibility, this should be considered from the outset. The technology choice and initial system design can limit the facility's future expansion possibilities in terms of speed and relocation. The Gosunm parcel sorting system can be integrated with other production lines, and our in-house software engineers can help you integrate with your WMS and ERP systems.

Choosing a logistics sorting machine requires comprehensive consideration of the above factors and the actual situation of your own business to select the most appropriate sorting solution. With the continuous development of technology, automatic sorting machines will become more and more intelligent and efficient, bringing greater development to the logistics industry. gosunm is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the manufacturing of warehousing and sorting equipment, especially in the fields of logistics intelligent sorting equipment, e-commerce order distribution, express weighing and scanning systems. gosunm has a strong technical background and independent research and development capabilities, providing warehousing, e-commerce, logistics and express delivery solutions.