Detailed Inspection on a Sortation Conveyor

Large distribution centers typically handle many different products on the same conveyor system and each item needs to be sorted into the correct bin. Failure to sort packages correctly results in incorrect shipments and costly errors. Packages travel to the sort destinations on sortation trays. Detecting each item is challenging because they can be any shape, size, color, texture, and can be located anywhere on the trays.

Sortation conveyors divert packages to their proper bins for delivery to stores, residential addresses, or warehouses. Errors in distribution facilities have the potential to lead to incorrect shipments, slow service, or even lost packages. Sorting conveyors transport items to the correct bins for shipment and a solution is needed that can confirm the sort trays are empty before objects can be placed on them.

Banner Engineering’s VE Series Smart Camera is now available with a 5MP imager. The advanced imager provides extremely fine levels of detection and a wide field of view which helps the camera capture any item that is placed onto the conveyor trays, regardless of size or color. False positives would lead to a severe lag in distribution because product would not be placed onto the trays in a timely fashion and trays may not be recognized as empty and ready for use. The smart camera is also capable of working at very high speeds to keep throughput high as trays pass by quickly.