Automated Sortation Systems Enhancing Order Fulfillment

In the age of e-commerce and rapid delivery expectations, the efficiency of warehouse operations has never been more crucial. One way to enhance warehouse efficiency is by automating the sortation process.

This article delves into the world of automated sortation systems, exploring how different types function within warehouse environments to streamline operations, enhance order fulfillment, and ultimately heighten customer satisfaction.  

What is sortation in warehouse automation?

Before diving into sortation systems, let’s first start by defining what we mean by “sortation” in the context of warehouse automation.

Sortation in warehouse automation is the process of identifying items on a conveyor belt or other transport mechanism and diverting them to different destinations within a warehouse based on certain predefined criteria. It is an integral part of the order fulfillment process, allowing for the quick and accurate distribution of items for shipping, order assembly, or storage.  

The sortation process is tailored to the specific needs of a facility and can be designed to sort items by a variety of characteristics such as size, weight, destination, or other factors relevant to the operations of the warehouse.

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What is a sortation system?

So, what is a sortation system then? A sortation system in a warehouse is a combination of integrated equipment and software that organizes and routes items to their proper destinations after they have been picked and are ready for packing or shipping. These systems typically consist of conveyors, barcode scanners, and diverters, which work together to direct items to different areas of the warehouse based on predefined criteria such as order type, destination, carrier, or service level.

Specifically, a sortation system usually include the following components:

• Induction points: Where items enter the sortation system.
• Identification stations: Where items are identified, often using barcode or RFID scanners, and information is fed into a control system.
• Conveyor belts: Transport items through the sortation process.
• Diverters: Physically redirect items off the conveyor to their destination, which can be chutes, containers for consolidated orders ready for outbound shipment, or other conveyors leading to specific areas.
• Control software: Determines the correct path for an item within the warehouse based on the scanned information and programmed logic.

Sortation systems are often custom-designed to meet the unique requirements of a warehouse's operations, considering factors like item size and weight range, sortation speed, the total number of destinations, and the desired efficiency of the process.

Purpose of a sortation system

The purpose of a sortation system in a warehouse is to efficiently organize large volumes of goods for a variety of subsequent actions or destinations. By scanning and analyzing the items’ barcodes, the sortation system gets the information it needs to direct goods to their desired location within the warehouse. This automated division of products can be based on specific criteria such as destination, size, or type, ensuring that these products are directed to the correct loading bay, packaging area, delivery route, or storage location. This helps in achieving faster and more accurate order fulfillment, improving the overall workflow within the warehouse, and preparing items for shipment to retail locations, other distribution centers, or directly to customers.  

Sortation systems also help in managing inventory by directing items to appropriate areas for storage or further processing, which is vital for maintaining order accuracy and timely customer service. They serve as a critical junction in warehouse operations where the precise routing of items significantly affects the capacity to meet shipment cut-offs and maintain a smooth supply chain management flow.

Example of a sortation system process: The book example

Imagine a large warehouse that receives thousands of different books from various publishers that it needs to send to individual bookstores, libraries, and customers. When a new shipment of books arrives at the warehouse, each book needs to be sent to the right place as efficiently as possible.

Here's how the sortation system helps:

1. Receiving: The books arrive in bulk and are placed on a conveyor belt after being unloaded from the trucks.
2. Scanning and identification: As the books move on the conveyor belt, a scanner reads each book's barcode, which contains information about the book's title, author, and destination.
3. Automated decision-making: After scanning, the warehouse's computer system determines where each book needs to go. For instance, ten copies of a new novel may need to go to Bookstore A, five copies to Bookstore B, and two copies to an online customer.
4. Sorting: Based on the computer's decision, the conveyor belt moves each book to a series of diverters. These diverters are like railroad switch points that guide the books off the main conveyor belt to smaller belts or chutes that lead to different loading areas. Each area corresponds to different destinations—Bookstore A, B, or the online customer.
5. Destination bins: Each book slides down the chute or small conveyor to its designated bin. Some bins may collect books for individual bookstores, while others gather orders for online customers.
6. Packing and shipping: Once the books have been sorted and are in their designated bins, workers or automated systems pack them into boxes, label them for shipment, and send them off on delivery trucks.

Through this process, the sortation system ensures that each book gets where it's supposed to go quickly and with minimal error, which is much more efficient than if workers had to sort each book by hand.

With a good understanding of what sortation systems are and their function in warehouses, let’s look at some different types and how they work.

Different types of sortation systems & how they work

An automated sortation system is an engineered integration of various technologies designed to sort large volumes of items in a warehouse with high efficiency and speed. These systems encompass multiple sortation methods and are typically built around sophisticated sortation conveyor systems. Each type of sortation system falls under the umbrella of the automated sortation system and utilizes conveyors differently to achieve the desired sorting outcome.

Here's how the integration works for different types:

• Linear Sortation Systems utilize sortation conveyor systems where items are transported on a linear conveyor path. Mechanisms like pop-up wheels or arms are incorporated into these conveyors to divert items to the left or right into sorting bins or other conveyors based on the system's automated decisions.
• Loop Sortation Systems feature conveyors arranged in a loop and are integral to systems like tilt-tray and cross-belt sorters. In these automated sortation systems, items are placed on trays or cross-belt conveyors which circulate around the loop. At a predetermined point, controlled by the system, the trays or belts change their orientation or activate to sort the item into a designated chute or bin.
• Pusher Sortation Systems have a straightforward sortation conveyor configuration where a series of pusher arms are spaced along the conveyor path. These arms extend to move items from the main conveyor belt to a secondary location when signaled by the automation system.

By integrating automated controls, the sortation conveyor system becomes an intelligent, high-speed solution for directing the flow of goods within a warehouse. The entire process relies on precise timing coordinated by the system's software, which receives data about each item's intended destination from the identification station and activates the appropriate diverting device to sort each item accordingly.

This automated process ensures that a sortation conveyor system can handle a variety of item types and sorting requirements, making it a versatile solution for a multitude of industries and operational scales. The seamless integration of conveyor hardware with sophisticated software allows for a high-throughput, accurate sortation that is essential for modern logistics and distribution efficiency.

Let’s now delve into the myriad benefits these systems bring to operations, from reducing labor costs to improving sorting accuracy.

Benefits of automated sortation systems

Automated sortation systems offer significant benefits to warehouse operations, including increased efficiency, accuracy, and speed. They can process high volumes of items at a rapid pace, reducing the time it takes for goods to move from receiving to shipping, which is a substantial improvement over manual sorting. This increase in efficiency often results in lower operational costs as it allows for the effective use of labor and resources.

The precision of automated sortation systems also reduces the potential for error, enhancing order accuracy. This aspect is critical in reducing the number of returns or misshipments, which can be costly for a warehouse operation. Moreover, by ensuring that the correct items are shipped out on time, these systems contribute to improved service levels and customer satisfaction.

While automated sortation systems bolster operational efficiency, their ultimate value is measured by their impact on order fulfillment and customer satisfaction.

What impact does sortation have on order fulfillment and customer satisfaction?

Sortation directly impacts order fulfillment by ensuring that the right items are picked, packed, and shipped in the shortest time possible. Efficient sortation systems lead to faster order cycle times, which is the duration from when an order is placed to when it is received by the customer. Shorter order cycle times improve customer satisfaction as consumers and businesses increasingly expect quick delivery of their orders.

In addition, accurate sortation minimizes errors in order fulfillment, which is crucial for maintaining customer trust and reducing the cost associated with returns and exchanges. When customers receive their orders on time and without errors, their satisfaction increases, leading to repeat purchases and a positive reputation for the business.

The positive ripple effects of efficient sortation on customer satisfaction are profound, but these outcomes do not exist in isolation. They are a product of seamless integration with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and other emerging technologies,

Integration with other WMS and Technologies

Automated sortation systems are a key component of warehouse management systems (WMS) and are often integrated with a variety of other technologies to streamline warehouse operations. A sortation system is typically connected to a WMS, which manages the overall inventory, order processing, and fulfillment operations. This integration allows for real-time data exchange between the sortation system and the WMS, ensuring that all sorted items are tracked and their status updated in the inventory system.

Furthermore, sortation systems often work in conjunction with technologies like radio-frequency identification (RFID), optical scanners, and barcode readers to automatically identify items and their destinations. This integration is crucial for a seamless transition from receiving to shipping, enabling dynamic decision-making based on order priority, inventory levels, and delivery schedules.

Other advanced technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) algorithms can also be integrated to improve sortation system operations. These technologies can predict and optimize sorting paths and improve the efficiency and reliability of the sortation process.

The question then becomes: How do you choose the right sortation system to fit your unique business context?

Choosing the Right System for Your Needs

Choosing the right sortation system for your warehouse depends on various factors, including the types of items handled, the volume of items processed, the complexity of the distribution network, and available space and budget. Each sortation system type has its own set of strengths and is suited to different kinds of operations.

When selecting a sortation system, it's important to consider:

• Item characteristics: Size, shape, and weight of items will dictate the compatibility with different sortation mechanisms.
• Throughput requirements: The average and peak volumes of items that need to be sorted per hour or day should match the capacity of the system.
• Flexibility and scalability: The system should be adaptable to changing business needs and scalable to future growth.
• Integration capabilities: The ease with which the system can integrate with existing WMS and other technologies.
• Budget constraints: Initial installation costs versus long-term savings and efficiency gains should be balanced.

It is often beneficial to work with suppliers and consultants who specialize in warehouse automation to analyze current operations and project future needs. This collaborative approach can help identify a sortation system that not only meets today's requirements but also supports tomorrow's growth and technological advancements.

Integrating sortation with the AutoStore System

Sortation systems count as downstream technology in conjunction with AutoStore. Whereas AutoStore handles the automatic storage and retrieval of inventory, the sortation system takes care of the later stages of warehouse operations, once the packed orders have already left the AutoStore system. At this stage, sortation systems can be very useful in efficiently guiding the flow of goods from compact storage to their final dispatch with efficiency and precision. The most common sortation systems that complement AutoStore include:

Shoe Sorters

A shoe sorter includes a conveyor belt with slanted "shoes" that can slide items from the main conveyor to different branch conveyors or chutes. These shoes are electronically controlled and can be programmed to sort items according to various factors such as their destination, size, weight, or other specific criteria.

Pocket Sorters

A pocket sorter consists of numerous distinct pockets or compartments, usually set up in a grid-like pattern. These pockets are designed to each carry an item and have the ability to shift either horizontally or vertically, enabling the transport of items to specific locations. This type of sorter is commonly utilized for rapid sorting of items of small to medium size, like parcels or packages, following specific pre-set sorting criteria.

Tray Sorters

A tray sorter employs trays or containers for moving items during the sorting operation. These trays often feature mechanisms like diverts or tilts, allowing them to guide items into various chutes or conveyors according to set sorting rules. This system is frequently found in postal and parcel sorting centers, as well as e-commerce fulfillment hubs, providing a method for quick and precise sorting of diverse items.

The appropriate selection and integration of sortation systems depend on the individual warehouse’s needs. Shoe, pocket, or tray sorters each offer distinct advantages and can be matched to different operational requirements, ensuring that the warehouse operates at its full efficiency, from storage to shipping.

Integration of AutoStore with conveyor sortation systems

The synergy between AutoStore systems and advanced conveyor sortation solutions marks a significant evolution in the efficiency of warehouse operations. AutoStore, a cutting-edge automated storage and retrieval system, enhances warehouse operations by providing a dense and easily accessible product storage and retrieval solution. When combined with conveyors possessing sortation capabilities, this integration streamlines the entire order fulfillment process from picking to shipping, achieving unprecedented levels of productivity.

How the AutoStore integration works

In the AutoStore system, Robots retrieve storage Bins and deliver them to pick stations, where operators can efficiently pick the items needed to complete an order. Once an order is picked and packed at the workstation, the integration with the conveyor system takes center stage. The packed order is placed onto the conveyor, with the sortation system that efficiently diverts and sorts the consolidated orders to their desired location within the warehouse, for example into different shipment containers based on the order’s postal code.  

Seamless integration benefits

The integration between AutoStore and conveyor systems with sortation capabilities yields several key benefits:

• Speed and accuracy: The transfer of goods from AutoStore to conveyor sortation systems happens with exceptional speed and accuracy, reducing the time from order picking to shipping preparation.
• Enhanced throughput: By optimizing the sortation process, warehouses can handle a higher volume of orders, which is particularly beneficial during peak operation times.
• Reduced handling time: The direct transition of orders from the picking station to the sorting conveyor minimizes the need for manual handling, thereby reducing the potential for errors and delays.
• Scalability: As business needs grow, the combined system can be scaled up by adding more modules to the AutoStore system or expanding conveyor lines and sortation capacity.
• Space efficiency: AutoStore's compact storage solution frees up floor space that would otherwise be used for traditional shelving, allowing for more room to install extensive conveyor systems.

By harnessing the individual strengths of AutoStore and conveyor sortation systems, warehouses can achieve a seamless order fulfillment operation that propels the modern warehouse into the future.  

And speaking of the future.

The future trends in warehouse sortation and how to prepare for them

The future of warehouse sortation is leaning towards more automation with the help of AI, machine learning, and robotics, driving efficient, flexible, and smart operations. A focus on sustainability will shape sortation system upgrades to be energy-efficient and handle recyclable materials. To prepare for these trends, businesses should invest in adaptable sortation systems and ensure their teams are trained for a technology-integrated work environment. Keeping pace with technology partnerships and data infrastructure will also be crucial for adapting to and capitalizing on these future developments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, automated sortation systems are not just the backbone of warehouse operations; they are the engines driving forward an era of unprecedented accuracy, efficiency, and customer satisfaction in the world of logistics and warehouse operations. The synergy between sortation systems and storage solutions like AutoStore is charting the course for the future of warehousing, marrying speed with space-saving ingenuity. As businesses adapt to the changing landscape, those who embrace these integrative technologies stand to gain the most, offering rapid and reliable service in a market that waits for no one. In a world where the only constant is change, the warehouses that invest in these advanced systems will set the pace for innovation and operational excellence in the years to come.

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FAQ

What is a sortation system?

A sortation system is a conveyor mechanism designed to automatically sort a large volume of items to specific destinations in a warehouse or distribution center.

What is sortation in a warehouse?

Sortation in a warehouse refers to the process of identifying and separating products on a conveyor line and diverting them to different destinations based on specified criteria, such as destination, size, weight, or type.

What is sortation equipment?

Sortation equipment includes the various machines and technologies used for sorting items in logistics facilities, such as barcode scanners, conveyors, diverters, and pushers.

What is a sorter in logistics?

A sorter in logistics is a system or machine used for automatically sorting and organizing goods as they move through a supply chain or distribution network.

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