Nearly 30,000 cartons of hardware and software products are shipped daily by CDW, a leader in direct computer technology solutions for business, government agencies and educational institutions. In addition to the high volume, the range of products requires many different sizes and weights of cartons, which made it difficult for CDW to efficiently sort them all for shipment with great efficiency and accuracy.

The decision was to implement a 664-foot tilt-tray sortation system at the company's Vernon Hills, IL facility. Trays are designed to handle products of all sizes, from memory chips to monitors, weighing up to 75 pounds. Furthermore, the system sorts at high speed, creating even greater handling efficiencies.

Three automatic inductors handle all full case product arriving from pick modules, as well as split case product that arrives from a separate warehouse. Two manual induction stations handle crossdocking and special items for billing. Tilt trays, in conjunction with 450-degree spiral chutes, safely convey product from 18-foot elevation to dock level for loading into trucks.

A single software interface seamlessly integrates the tilt-tray sorter with CDW's warehouse control system. In addition to simplifying control, ease of maintenance and upgrades are other benefits of the system.

The system integrates hardware and software for the tilt-tray sorter and conveyor system to streamline the entire shipping operation. Also, the system is designed to handle future expansion.

In addition to streamlining shipping, the new system also saves energy. The sorter is powered by a high-efficiency, low-energy drive mechanism.