Sortation systems are the practices used to sort items at different stages of contract fulfillment. The aerospace industry’s use of large, fast sortation systems is growing rapidly as the aerospace industry continues its push for greater speeds in delivering components and parts to aircraft production lines. There are many different types of sortation systems. Below are some common types of sortation systems.
Hybrid Sortation Systems
This is one of the most common sortation methods. It combines elements from several other systems rather than creating something new entirely. It was developed to solve problems with fully automated or manual sorters. Hybrid sortation is a delicate balance between the two that meets the needs of most properties.
In-Line Sorters
As their name suggests, these sorters are almost always found in the line, from leaving the truck to being placed on a shelf for sale. There is no staging area where items will sit before finding their correct location in many cases. The sorters are programmed with location-specific information about where to place each item, essentially creating a line of product flowing down conveyors. This system is often used in fulfillment or warehouse centers that handle volumes or have a high demand for fast turnaround.
Batch Sorters
These sortation systems are generally less common because they require a certain amount of space and time to complete. Many of these systems also require manual intervention, which is not always an option depending on the industry and the property’s overall layout and processes. There are ways that this type of sorter can speed up or improve sortation; some combined technologies such as RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags can be placed on the product in combination with batch sorters. This can help speed up how quickly items are shipped off the property.
A primary cause of the increasing cost to e-tailers is difficulty fulfilling orders. Using an effective sortation system can greatly reduce this problem. A sortation system assigns items shipped from a warehouse or fulfillment center to each customer.