Sorting small items

Comprehensive solutions for ­processing

small parcels and packages

siemens-logistics.com
Tailored solutions for small parcels
Today’s growing e-commerce business calls for changes in
sorting equipment and processes to fulfill service level
­agreements economically. This is because the parcels and
packages that are common to e-commerce are typically
smaller and harder to handle than average parcels. And like
all parcel flows, they need to be processed with the highest
accuracy and speed.
Siemens’ engineers have examined each stage of the parcel
processing chain, because every single step contributes to
system throughput. Their efforts have revealed hidden poten-
tial for optimization, which has been integrated into Siemens’
portfolio for parcel handling – from fast and efficient bulk
unloading to reliable sorting.
On the software side, Siemens’ recognition, controls, and IT
capabilities are proven, sophisticated, and are leveraged
across the chain in our offerings. This intelligent approach
allows our customers to react quickly to changing volumes
and allows operations to be managed holistically.
Maintenance and modernization services complete the
offering. To meet the demand for digitally supported
­maintenance, Siemens established the Service 4.0 program.
Through targeted system data gathering and evaluation,
Service 4.0 is the basis for a predictive maintenance strategy.
The entire sorting process is only as strong as its
weakest link. Siemens’ efficient and reliable sorting
solutions optimally cover each step along the way.
VarioBelt Cascade
Stages of the parcel processing chain
Unloading
Telescopic Conveyors: With both belted and gravity models
as well as a wide variety of options, the telescopic conveyors
are a perfect solution for loading and unloading.
Transport
VarioBelt: The rugged, modular, conveyor system is de-
signed to reduce total cost of ownership by simplifying
maintenance, reducing energy usage, and providing flex-
ibility through bolt-up reconfiguration when the operation
needs to change.
Singulation
Visicon Capella: The patented vision-based singulation
system provides highly accurate singulation without an
operator. At the beginning, the cascade, which consists of
specially arranged belts, de-layers the parcel bulk stream
so that no parcel is lying on top of another. Then the
singulator arranges parcels in a single file with the result
that no two are side by side.
The Visicon Capella’s bulk-stream control regulates parcel
volume to optimize the flow from unloading all the way
to the sorter. This keeps the entire parcel processing chain
Visicon
and packages
running at the rate of the sorter, regardless of the trends
in parcel size that occur within an operation.
Recognition
Dimensioning, weighing, scanning: Parcels are scanned
from all six sides. Their dimensions and weight are
established, and addresses are resolved with recognition
software.
Top scanner: This scanner is used for semi-automatically
inducted parcels in which the labels are facing upward. The
parcels are scanned while being transported on the sorter.
Flow splitting
VarioRoute: A system of individually controlled, pivoting
rollers provides a reliable, high-speed and cost-effective
solution for flow splitting. It is based on a purely electrical
platform of individually controlled rollers that transports
parcels in different directions. The flexible design is adapt-
able to a multitude of applications.
Induction
High-speed induction: Siemens’ modular solution loads
parcels precisely on the sorter’s empty cross belts, and
can be flexibly adapted to different throughput needs
and configurations.
Dimensioning, weighing, scanning Top scanner
Semi-automatic induction: An ergonomic and safe work-
station for manual infeed, featuring an automatic measur-
ing system that detects the exact position and size of the
item, for perfect induction to the sorter.
Sorting
VarioSort Twin: Siemens’ cross-belt sorter is the optimal
sorting solution for smaller items. As such, one carrier is
perfectly suited for the transportation of two smaller
items at a time, thereby making the best use of valuable
space on the sorter and its carriers.
VarioSort Twin features load control monitoring, which
continuously screens the cross belts for items as small
as 1 mm.
Material Handling
Automatic Bag Management System (ABMS): Siemens
is driving the productivity of automatic sorting to new
levels by eliminating labor associated with tending
chutes and changing bags. ABMS produces a stream
of either reusable or recyclable bags, each filled with
sorted small items.
VarioRoute
 Automatic Bag Sorted small
Management System items in bags

Chutes

Top Scanner VarioSort Twin Load Control

Load Control
High-speed Induction

Semi-automatic
Induction

VarioRoute
Dimensioning
Recirculation Weighing
possible Scanning

Va Ca Vis
ri sca
oB
elt de sin icon
gu
lat
Telescopic
conveyors

or

Visicon Capella

Unloading docks

High-speed induction Semi-automatic induction VarioSort Twin with load control

Spotlight on our capabilities

CTT – Correos de Portugal in Lisbon, Portugal

• The sorting capacity comes in at more than 6,000 parcels per hour
• The installation achieves a speed of 1.6 m/s for sorting lightweight items and 2 m/s
for all others
• Future-proof solution with the possibility to upgrade passive carriers as required
(initially 50 active and 50 passive carriers)

SF Express in Chaoshan and Hangzhou, China

• VarioSort Twin was first installed in Chaoshan, followed by SF Express National
Hub in Hangzhou
• The turnkey solution in Hangzhou includes the design, manufacturing, installation,
testing, commissioning and integration of all supplied systems and components
• The higher efficiency for express air parcels translates into lower operational costs

Hanjin Group, South Korea

• The installation includes both a VarioSort Single and a VarioSort Twin
• With a length of more than 190 m, the VarioSort Twin sorts smaller items weighing
up to 15 kg
• Parcels are fed into the VarioSort Twin via eight semi-automatic inductions
• A sorting speed of 2.0 m/s makes sure that the items are quickly sorted to the
system’s 304 discharges

Large e-commerce retailer in two Chinese cities

• One VarioSort Twin in each sorting center improves the efficiency
of small items handling that was previously done manually
• Small parcels, weighing up to 8 kg, are sorted at a throughput
of about 22,400 items per hour
• One sorting system consists of a sorter with a total length of
about 240 m and 800 m of conveyors
• The VarioSort Twin in the second sorting center ­is more than 170 m long

Further projects are in Europe and in the United States.

5
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Germany

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