Fast, accurate cross-belt sorter offers a solution for small items with the flexibility to handle larger items, too
FORTNA, an automation and software company for the full logistics value chain, has announced that the company’s HC-Loop Double Cell cross-belt sorter is a 2022 Product of the Year, voted the top product in the conveyors and sortation category by readers of Material Handling Product News and MaterialHandling247.com. The product award win is the first since MHS Global and Fortna combined in 2022 to create a single brand, FORTNA.
The HC-Loop Double Cell, which offers a maximum throughput of 4,500 parcels per hour and up to 99.9% divert accuracy, features an innovative design that enables it to efficiently sort a wide range of parcel sizes. The sorter uses sections of two cross-belt cells that can work together to handle a large item or independently to handle two smaller items simultaneously for increased system capacity. This flexible approach allows the sorter to accommodate items as small as 2.95-by-2.95-by-0.11 inches, such as flyers and polybags, as well as packages as large as 33.46-by-25.59-by-25.59 inches.
“E-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment are driving highly diverse product mixes, an increasingly common challenge for operations,” said Andy Carter, Director of Business Development, North American Sales, FORTNA. “This award-winning cross-belt sorter equips operations with the versatility to handle that large array of shapes and sizes with a single system while maximizing speed and accuracy.”
The precise divert of the HC-Loop Double Cell enable the use of narrower chutes, allowing greater chute density and a reduced total system footprint while achieving a high level of sortation accuracy. An intelligent induction system works to increase the utilization of available sorter cells by booking them in advance for target parcels, helping operations reach high rates while using a single compact induction line.
“In today’s climate, our customers need to be ready for anything, adapting to disruption and fast-changing market conditions,” says Rob McKeel, CEO, of FORTNA. “The versatility and efficiency of the HC-Loop Double Cell sorter exemplify our commitment to best-of-breed automation technologies that serve as the building blocks for scalable, cost-efficient operations for our customers.”
Sensors placed along the sorter track and within each cell constantly monitor the overall system status and individual components. Through predictive analytics, FORTNA can detect when a system failure might be imminent and proactively alert maintenance teams to help avoid unnecessary downtime – especially critical in fast-paced environments like parcel and e-commerce.
