Dual Split Tray (Bomb Bay) Sorter: High-Speed Postal Sorting

Technology Overview

The EuroSort Dual Split Tray Sorter, also known as a Bomb Bay Sorter, is a high-performance sorting solution specifically deployed within the demanding postal and logistics sector. As evidenced by its installation in a Netherlands postal facility, this system is engineered to handle high volumes of "Restmail" – mail destined for residential customers. It represents a key component in modern postal automation, designed to process items at speeds up to 21,000 pieces per hour. The system integrates advanced automation features such as dual-lane auto-induction, in-line weighing, and omni-directional scanning with vision detection to achieve high throughput with minimal manual intervention, sorting items into a vast network of roughly 250 destination containers like totes, bags, or gaylords.

How It Works

Core Principles

The system operates on the bomb bay sorting principle. Items are transported on trays moving along a conveyor. At the assigned destination, the bottom of the tray opens, allowing the item to drop vertically into the designated collection container below. This implementation features automated induction and a high number of sortation points to manage complex postal routing.

Key Features & Capabilities

High-Speed Postal Throughput: The system is capable of sorting up to 21,000 pieces per hour, a critical performance metric for national postal operators dealing with massive daily mail volumes, particularly for residential delivery streams.

Automated Dual-Lane Induction: This feature allows for continuous, high-volume feeding of items into the sorter, ensuring the system can operate at its full capacity without becoming bottlenecked by manual loading.

Integrated In-line Weighing and Scanning: The combination of in-line weighing and an omni-directional scanner with vision detection allows for automatic capture of weight and address data on the fly. This data is essential for sortation logic, postage verification, and tracking.

High Destination Capacity: With roughly 250 sort-to destinations per system, it can handle detailed sorting schemes, such as separating mail by specific carrier routes, zip code areas, or delivery sequences, which is essential for efficient last-mile postal delivery.

Advantages & Benefits

The primary benefit is the ability to process residential mail at very high speeds, dramatically increasing sorting capacity and reducing processing time compared to manual or slower automated methods. The high level of automation from induction to sorting minimizes labor requirements and improves consistency and accuracy. The large number of sort destinations enables precise routing, which streamlines downstream delivery operations. The integrated scanning and weighing provide valuable data for operational analytics and postage accounting.

Implementation Considerations

Implementing a system of this speed and complexity requires a highly reliable and synchronized upstream feed system to keep the dual induction lanes full. The vision scanning system must be calibrated for the typical mail formats (flats, envelopes) being processed. The physical layout must accommodate the long conveyor loop and the array of ~250 destination containers, requiring significant floor space organized for efficient container swap-out. Maintenance of the mechanical tray mechanisms, scanners, and scales is crucial for sustained high performance.

Use Cases & Applications

Ideal For

This technology is ideal for national postal services, large mail sorting centers, and major parcel & express companies that need to sort high volumes of flat mail, large envelopes, and small parcels for residential delivery.

Performance Metrics

The source provides key performance data: a throughput of up to 21,000 pieces per hour and a capacity of roughly 250 sort destinations per system. The auto-induction and integrated scanning/weighing contribute directly to achieving this high efficiency by minimizing manual handling and data capture delays.

Conclusion

The EuroSort Dual Split Tray (Bomb Bay) Sorter, as integrated by Distrisort, represents a state-of-the-art solution for high-volume postal sortation. Its exceptional speed, automated features, and high destination capacity make it a powerful tool for postal operators seeking to modernize their mail processing infrastructure. By automating induction, identification, and sortation into a single, high-speed flow, it addresses the core challenges of labor efficiency and processing speed in the mail industry. For facilities handling millions of residential mail items, this technology offers a proven path to significantly increased throughput, improved accuracy, and lower operational costs per sorted piece.