Quiet, Safe, Modular and Scalable

Roller-top belt modules increase distribution center safety, reliability, productivity and profitability.

By: Brad Gossard, Contributor

Traditional unit material handling (UMH) conveyors were not designed to be accessed directly by workers —especially while in operation. They also were not designed with energy efficiency in mind. Today, conveyors need to be approachable by humans for applications such as sortation. Safety and noise reduction are key elements of new conveyor designs, as is the need to maximize energy efficiency and achieve sustainability goals.

These new requirements for distribution centers (DCs) and warehouses only add to the complexity companies face as a result of ever-changing omnichannel fulfillment driven by rapid ecommerce growth.

Parcel volumes in the United States grew by nearly 40% from 15 billion to 20 billion in 2020^[1]. That’s about 640 parcels shipped every second^[2]. Expect more of the same; parcel volumes are forecasted to double, reaching 32 to 39 billion by 2026^[3]. In response, there’s strong demand for automation, especially in the general merchandise and food and beverage sectors.

Companies increasingly rely on automated systems in DCs that can improve the speed and accuracy of omnichannel order fulfillment processes^[4]. Companies also need divert-and-transfer stations and sortation systems that require less labor and better protect people from rotating equipment. Material handling equipment (MHE) must operate reliably, increase order accuracy, minimize unplanned downtime, simplify installation, commissioning and maintenance, and reduce costs for maintenance and spare parts inventory.

Solutions can be found with roller-top, belt-based, divert-and-transfer modules that can be added to an existing or new conveyor system and utilize industry-standard 24V motorized drive rollers and connections. They eliminate the need for pneumatic lifting or pushing devices, thus reducing noise, safety hazards and equipment costs.

Three Applications in a DC or Warehouse

Image courtesy of Regal Rexnord
Regal Rexnord’s ModSort® Divert and Transfer Module at Dish Network. Image courtesy of Regal Rexnord

Roller-top belt technology is ideal for divert-and-transfer processes in these distribution applications:

• Bulk unloading of trucks and initial sortation with visual scanning
• Right-angle divert modules to reject improperly or unlabeled packages at the initial scan and label process
• Align and/or justify for scanning or sortation stations

The unloading of trucks and initial sortation of packages has traditionally been a labor-intensive process. With roller-top belt modules to align (left, center or right) packages and vision systems to scan and identify them, trucks can be more quickly and accurately unloaded with fewer employees. Some of the dock workers can be redirected to higher-value tasks.

In other DC processes, picked orders can be sorted along a conveyor and properly routed for put-away or packing. Roller-top belt modules simplify MHE because they eliminate pusher arms and other pneumatic systems that add noise and hazards to conveyance and sortation systems. Employees can safely work alongside the roller-top belts, and small packages can be diverted without being caught in exposed moving or rolling equipment.

How Roller-Top Belt Modules Work

Motorized drive roller (MDR) technology, combined with a roller-top belt creates simple, yet highly cost-effective, divert-and-transfer stations. They are utilized in a DC conveyor system to divert and sort, center or justify, properly space and scan packages.

Roller-top modules can handle packages of various sizes and shapes, including polybags with no gaps, no catching and less damage than conventional conveyor and sortation equipment.

• The transfer belt (blue) receives and passes products straight through or diverts products left or right when the divert belt (black) is activated.

• Belts are driven by standard MDR technology.

• One-inch omnidirectional spheres enable handling of small packages 4 x 4 in (100 x 100 mm).

• Transfers products on-the-fly (blended vector angle) or in stop-and-divert (full 90^o) modes.

• Package rates range from 35 to 50 per minute.

• Typical package sizes: less than 30 x 30 in (762 x 762 mm) and weights up to 50 lbs. (22.7 kg)

• Control card options include networked ERSC or non-networked EZ24.

Make a Business Case with Cost Savings and Improved Efficiency

Roller-top belt modules are low-noise, low-voltage modular divert-and-transfer stations. They can easily be integrated into new or existing MHE, eliminating the need for a lift, pneumatics or Z-direction position feedback device.

They run on-demand, making them energy efficient and also are safe, operating on 24V DC power. As a result, installation is streamlined and less expensive, as there’s no need for conduit or the pneumatic equipment required for conventional sortation equipment.

Additional advantages of roller-top belt modules compared to conventional conveyance and sortation equipment include:

• Capability to handle a wider range of package shapes and sizes than other transfer stations on the market
• Can run smaller packages without gaps associated with pop-up transfer modules
• Ideal for handling polybags and smaller packages
• Provide high-resolution package control when paired with advanced visioning systems
• Eliminate the need for mechanical/pneumatic lift and pusher system equipment
• Reduce energy costs as much as 60% compared to traditional conveyors
• Fewer parts ease maintenance and reduce inventory costs of spares

Companies that have invested in roller-top belt modules report they have been able to streamline operations, reduce manual hand scans and increase sortation accuracy. Efficiency has improved by as much 25% for some of these end users. What’s more, roller-top belt modules can help companies to scale their MHE systems. Available in standard sizes, additional modules can be installed anywhere divert-and-transfer or sortation systems are needed. WMHS

Brad Gossard is General Manager of Modsort® Products at Regal Rexnord, a global manufacturer of motors, bearings, gearing, conveying, blowers, electric components and couplings. Regal Rexnord’s business purpose is to create a better tomorrow by energy-efficiently converting power into motion (www.regalrexnord.com).

^[1]   https://tinyurl.com/36m599at

^[2]   https://tinyurl.com/36m599at

^[3]   https://tinyurl.com/36m599at

^[4]   https://tinyurl.com/4f822wrz