The right conveyor and sorting equipment depends on what your operation moves, how quickly it must move, where items need to go, and how the system will connect with storage, picking, and shipping areas. Start by documenting product dimensions and weight, order profile, required throughput, available floor space, and the destinations items must reach. Then compare conveyor types and sorting methods against those requirements rather than selecting equipment by name or headline speed alone. This guide explains the main options, a practical selection process, purchasing considerations, and the information to prepare before requesting a solution from HEGERLS.
You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.
This guide is for warehouse and distribution center operators, project engineers, procurement teams, and business owners comparing conveyor or sorting options. It is useful for new facilities as well as operations planning an expansion, a process change, or replacement of manual material handling. The principles also apply when conveyors need to interface with stacking racks, shelves, workstations, or other warehouse automation systems.
A conveyor moves goods along a defined path, while sorting equipment directs those goods toward selected destinations. A system may include both, supported by transfers, sensors, controls, guarding, and operator work areas. The design goal is to create a predictable flow that fits the site and process—not simply to install the fastest available machine.
Sorting may use diverters, pushers, sliding elements, or other mechanisms to route goods from a main line to an outlet. The appropriate option depends on item characteristics, spacing, route layout, and the desired handling process. A supplier should confirm how the proposed mechanism handles your actual product range, including irregular packaging and mixed sizes.
Before comparing models, map the flow from receiving through storage, picking, packing, and dispatch. Identify where items enter and leave the system, where workers interact with it, and whether goods must connect with shelving or rack locations. This prevents a common planning error: optimizing one conveyor section while creating a bottleneck elsewhere.
| Application need | Selection considerations |
|---|---|
| Carton movement between work areas | Carton dimensions, surface condition, transfer points, and operator access |
| Routing orders to multiple destinations | Destination count, routing logic, item identification, and exception handling |
| Moving palletized loads | Load footprint and weight, support points, transfer method, and floor layout |
| Connecting storage and picking | Rack or shelf interfaces, replenishment flow, pick ergonomics, and aisle clearance |
Document the smallest, largest, lightest, and heaviest items the system must handle. Include packaging type, base shape, fragility, and whether products arrive in stable cartons, bags, totes, or pallets. Avoid designing around an average item if the equipment must also handle occasional extremes.
State the expected flow in the units your operation uses, such as items per hour, cartons per minute, or pallets per shift. Note peak periods, operating hours, batch patterns, and expected future changes. If the requirement is not yet measured, label estimates clearly and ask the supplier to identify assumptions in the proposal.
List destinations, routing logic, and what should happen when an item cannot be identified or a destination is unavailable. Confirm how goods are identified, whether labels or codes are readable at the planned points, and how exceptions will be handled. The sorting mechanism, sensors, and control approach should be evaluated together.
Provide a current layout showing columns, doors, walkways, equipment, and planned expansion areas. Review floor space, elevation changes, access for maintenance, and safe separation between people and moving equipment. For rack and shelf interfaces, confirm transfer heights and operating clearances with the parties responsible for each system.
HEGERLS are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.
Compare proposals on scope, not just equipment price. Clarify what is included for controls, installation, commissioning, operator training, documentation, and after-sales support. Ask suppliers to state exclusions, dependencies, and the site information needed before final design.
When preparing a request for quotation, example values can make a discussion more concrete, but they must not be mistaken for a recommended specification. For instance, a preliminary brief might describe a 600 mm-wide conveyor, a target belt speed of 1.0 m/s, and a maximum item weight of 25 kg. These are illustrative planning inputs only, not HEGERLS product specifications or a performance guarantee.
Actual dimensions, speeds, and load limits must be checked against product stability, required throughput, transfers, controls, and site conditions. Ask the supplier to confirm the design basis and identify any limits for product size, weight, spacing, or operating conditions. Where requirements are uncertain, test representative products or agree on a verification method before committing to a final configuration.
Conveyor and sorting project costs vary with equipment type, line length, number of routes, controls, layout complexity, installation scope, and required interfaces. A simple standalone conveyor and a coordinated sorting line do not have the same scope, so an indicative price without project details may not support a sound comparison. Request an itemized quotation that distinguishes equipment, engineering, delivery, installation, and optional services.
Minimum order quantities and lead times are likewise project-dependent and should be confirmed in writing for the proposed configuration. Lead time may rely on design approval, site readiness, component availability, and the agreed delivery scope. When comparing suppliers, check the quotation validity, payment terms, delivery assumptions, and process for handling design changes.
Ask for clarification whenever a proposal uses broad terms such as “high speed” or “suitable for all cartons” without defining the operating conditions. A credible comparison should make assumptions visible and provide a way to resolve open technical questions. Request references or supporting documentation where relevant, and verify that any evidence applies to the proposed equipment and scope.
The best conveyor and sorting choice is the one that fits your product range, flow requirements, facility layout, and operating plan, with its assumptions and scope clearly documented. Before requesting a consultation, prepare a facility layout, product dimensions and weights, throughput estimates, destination list, and any requirements for rack, shelf, or automation interfaces. If some information is not yet available, identify it as an open item rather than treating an estimate as a confirmed requirement.
HEGERLS can review these project inputs with your team and discuss a suitable conveyor and sorting approach alongside relevant warehouse storage and automation considerations. Contact us with your application details to begin a technical discussion and request a project-specific proposal.
For more information, please visit Conveyor & Sorting Equipment.