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High-speed sortation and conveyor system routing parcels

Rapid Sortation

Sortation Systems

High-speed loop sortation for fast, accurate parcel routing.

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Parcels per hour
24,000
Loop speed (3.0 m/s)
590 FPM
Sort accuracy
99.9%+
Incline / decline capability
15°

Overview

About Sortation Systems

Metallum’s high-speed loop cross-belt sortation systems maximize order routing velocity and parcel throughput across high-density e-commerce and distribution hubs. Driven by distributed linear drives and continuous closed-loop carrier conveyance, our modular sortation architecture transports unit parcels at velocities up to 9.84 ft/s (590 FPM) with throughputs reaching 24,000 pieces per hour.

Synchronized multi-stage dynamic infeed stations guide items seamlessly onto carriers, while 6-sided omnidirectional scanning tunnels and dynamic DWS systems identify package destinations in sub-second cycles. Featuring active bi-directional cross-belt ejection, Metallum sorters deliver gentle, zero-impact discharge into precision shipping chutes—handling everything from ultra-thin 0.08 in polybags to heavy 176 lb cartons with 99.9%+ sort accuracy.

Types

Sorter Types

Sorter technologies matched to your parcel profile, throughput and building layout.

Cross-Belt Loop Sorter
01

Cross-Belt Loop Sorter

High-Speed Loop Sortation

Series-connected carriers with bi-directional motorized belts discharge parcels gently and accurately into destination chutes.

Up to 24,000 parcels/hour · up to 590 FPM

Flip (Tilt-Tray) Sorter
02

Flip (Tilt-Tray) Sorter

Tray Discharge Sortation

Carrier trays tilt to slide items into destination chutes — suited to mixed parcels, bags and flat items.

Narrow Belt Sorter
03

Narrow Belt Sorter

Linear Belt Sortation

Narrow belt modules divert parcels to either side of a linear sorter line with a compact footprint.

Sliding Shoe Sorter
04

Sliding Shoe Sorter

Positive-Displacement Sortation

Shoes glide across the conveyor slats to push cartons smoothly onto angled divert spurs.

Features

Core Advantages

01

Throughput up to 24,000 PPH

Continuous sorting rates up to 24,000 parcels per hour (400 items per minute) to expand dispatch capacity for peak volumes.

Up to 5x the throughput of manual or linear shoe sorting in the same footprint.

02

Broad Size & Ultra-Thin Handling

Handles polybags and envelopes down to 0.08 in (2 mm) thick up to items 31.5 in (800 mm) long.

Prevents thin-item edge entrapment.

03

Payload from 0.7 oz to 176.4 lb

Carriers accommodate parcels from 20 g (0.71 oz) up to 80 kg (176.4 lb) per single or dual carrier.

Diverse SKU profiles on one sorter loop.

04

Flexible 3D Layouts

Negotiates inclines and declines up to 15° for multilevel integration and mezzanine crossings.

Overcomes columns and crossing traffic lanes.

05

Zero-Impact Positive Sortation

Active cross-belt transfer provides positive traction beneath the parcel — no pusher arms or shoe impacts.

Near-zero damage for fragile goods.

06

Agnostic WCS Integration

Integrates with Metallum WCS and client WMS/ERP for real-time chute allocation, tracking and predictive maintenance alerts.

Prevents chute overfills and unplanned stoppages.

Process

How It Works

  1. 01

    Dynamic Induction

    Multi-stage infeed conveyors measure parcel spacing and guide items onto moving carriers at synchronized line velocity.

  2. 02

    Loop Conveyance

    Series-connected carriers travel a closed loop along straights, curves and inclines up to 15°.

  3. 03

    Vision & Routing

    5- or 6-sided scanning tunnels and 3D DWS systems decode labels and assign destination chutes in real time.

  4. 04

    Active Discharge

    At the destination, the on-carrier motorized belt discharges goods smoothly into the assigned chute.

Compare

Compare Sorter Types

Discharge method and layout differ by sorter. Throughput and item ranges for each sorter are confirmed per project.

Specification4 models
Cross-Belt Loop SorterHigh-Speed Loop SortationGet a QuoteFlip (Tilt-Tray) SorterTray Discharge SortationGet a QuoteNarrow Belt SorterLinear Belt SortationGet a QuoteSliding Shoe SorterPositive-Displacement SortationGet a Quote
Discharge methodBi-directional motorized belt on every carrierCarrier trays tilt to slide items into chutesNarrow belt modules divert to either sideShoes glide across slats to push cartons onto divert spurs
LayoutClosed loop; inclines up to 15°Linear sorter line, compact footprintLinear conveyor with angled divert spurs
ThroughputUp to 24,000 parcels/hour
Loop speedUp to 590 ft/min (3.0 m/s)
Item weight0.71 oz – 176.4 lb (20 g – 80 kg)
Suited toPolybags, envelopes and fragile goodsMixed parcels, bags and flat itemsCartons

IncludedNot applicable or confirmed per project

Specifications

Technical Specifications

Sortation Engineering Specifications

SpecificationImperialMetricOperational impact
Carrier tray envelopeMin: 24.8 × 13.0 in
Max: 59.1 × 21.7 in		Min: 630 × 330 mm
Max: 1,500 × 550 mm		Compact carriers for small parcels; dual-carrier linking for oversized cargo
Item size (L × W × H)Min: 3.9 × 2.0 × 0.08 in
Max: 31.5 × 5.9 × 3.1 in		Min: 100 × 50 × 2 mm
Max: 800 × 150 × 80 mm		Ultra-thin mail flyers and polybags up to long parcels
Item weight0.044 lb (0.71 oz) – 176.4 lb20 g – 80 kgLightweight flyers to heavy industrial cartons
Sorting throughputUp to 24,000 parcels/hour (400/min)Up to 24,000 parcels/hour (400/min)Mega-hub e-commerce and courier sorting
Loop speedUp to 9.84 ft/s (590.6 ft/min)Up to 3.0 m/s (10.8 km/h)VFD-controlled acceleration/deceleration S-curves
Incline / declineUp to 15.0°Up to 15.0°Multilevel routing and mezzanine transitions
Discharge accuracy± 0.25 in; > 99.9% sort accuracy± 6.35 mm; > 99.9% sort accuracyClosed-loop optical carrier encoder feedback

Throughput depends on carrier pitch, induction spacing and parcel mix.

Applications

Applications

01

E-Commerce Fulfillment Hubs

Order and parcel sortation for peak-season volumes.

  • Black Friday
  • Same-day cut-offs
02

3PL Cross-Docking

Multi-client, multi-carrier sortation at high velocity.

  • Multi-carrier
  • Cross-dock
03

Parcel Distribution Terminals

Courier hub sortation with dynamic chute allocation.

  • Courier
  • Route sorting
04

Airport Baggage Systems

Continuous, high-velocity baggage routing.

  • Baggage
  • Air cargo

Projects

Project Reference

Wenfu e-commerce sortation project
Sortation

Wenfu E-Commerce

Integration

Subsystem Architecture

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01Automated Infeed Induction Lines

Multi-segment servo belted conveyors with optical arrays and VFDs measure item lengths and synchronize induction.

  • Dynamic gap optimization
  • Synchronized servo pitch control
02Series-Connected Carrier Loop

Lightweight aerospace-alloy carriers joined by heavy-duty swivels ride on polyurethane-clad guide wheels.

  • Low noise
  • No derailment
  • Inclines up to 15°
03Linear Drive & Propulsion

Distributed friction drives and non-contact linear synchronous motors (LSM) supply propulsion around the loop.

  • Up to 35% lower energy than centralized chain drives
  • Regenerative braking
04High-Speed Scan & DWS Tunnel

Area-scan cameras, 3D laser dimensioners and in-motion scales capture barcodes, dimensions and weight at full line speed.

  • 99.9%+ read rates
  • Real-time WCS lookup (<20 ms)
05On-Carrier Cross-Belt Discharge

Brushless DC motorized rollers drive anti-static belts on every carrier for controlled 90° discharge.

  • Bi-directional discharge
  • Non-contact inductive power transfer
06Destination Chutes & Buffers

UHMW low-friction slides, stainless steel chutes and powered takeaways decelerate parcels gently.

  • Anti-jam overflow photo-eyes
  • Multi-level chutes

Industries using Sortation Systems

Sortation Systems

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Share your facility layout, load profile and throughput targets — we will recommend the right configuration.

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