Sortation systems reduce the manual labour needed to prepare for palletising, packing and shipping. Efficient sortation can increase order fill rates, minimise returns and reduce operating costs. These benefits mean lower prices and faster delivery to the customer. Most automated sortation systems use a fixed-position bar code scanner which identifies each carton or item on the conveyor and sends that information to the system controls.

This article was first published in the March 15th 2021 issue of Warehouse & Logistics News, subscribe to the magazine by clicking here.

TGW is building a highly automated fulfilment centre for Puma Group subsidiary stichd in Tilburg, The Netherlands, which is slated for completion in November 2022. The centrepiece is a FlashPick system which allows for serving various sales channels with equal efficiency – e-commerce, wholesale and retail. It comprises a five-aisle shuttle warehouse with 20 levels, six PickCenter One picking workstations as well as two robot-based PickCenter Rovolution. The TGW Warehouse Software takes care of the control for all processes. Four kilometres of KingDrive conveyor systems ensure energy-efficient transport.

Interroll is launching a new belt curve worldwide. The Interroll Belt Curve 1200 offers all of the quality and efficiency benefits of a frictionless drive concept while improving the conveying performance of smaller goods. In addition, a variant with a welded endless belt is now available on request. Belt curves are among the most technically demanding conveyor modules in the material flow systems of courier, express and parcel service providers, who—mainly due to booming e-commerce—have to cope with a rapidly growing flood of goods in their distribution centres around the clock.

Global service provider, Arvato Supply Chain Solutions, has awarded the contract for logistics automation at its new DC in Hamm, near Dortmund, to KNAPP AG. The facility will triple Arvato’s logistics capacity for its customer and Europe’s leading premium beauty platform, Douglas. The logistics solution will feature the latest 2D-generation of OSR Shuttle Evo, KNAPP’s highly dynamic shuttle storage system. With around 130,000 storage locations, this system will have a storage and retrieval capacity of 12,500 containers per hour. It will serve 32 ergonomically designed workstations, with all material flows managed by KNAPP’s KiSoft software.

The BestConnect platform from FMH is based around the principle that it does not matter how definite you are of your conveyor systems requirements, it will change. BestConnect modules offer infinite options to arrange and rearrange sortation lines depending on the needs of customers. Powered BestConnect modules consist of two main unit variants, BestConnect Masters (BLSM) and BestConnect Secondaries (BLSS). Amazon has invested in a new conveyor solution from LAC Conveyors & Automation. LAC’s design team had to consider how to accommodate the increased throughput of 1 parcel every 2 seconds within the space allocated. The solution comprises 10 motorised induct conveyors to handle product infeed.

More innovative automated equipment will be needed to cope with the trend towards smaller shipments and more frequent, single parcels. It is important to fully understand what you are trying to achieve and undertake a cost/benefit analysis for a range of options.

George Simpson

Features Editor

 

 

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