Visit
to View our Partner Brands
Applications
Merge, Diverting and Sorting
Be more productive and efficient with less downtime and improved safety
Merge, diverting and sorting conveyors are used to either merge product in a processing line or divert product using various equipment. Businesses around the world benefit from putting Dorner’s world-class merge, diverting and sorting conveyors to work for them, helping their teams be more productive and efficient with less downtime and improved safety.
Dorner’s Merge Conveyors Can Merge Multiple Lines and Boost Throughput
Dorner offers a variety of merging conveyors to merge products in a processing line. Our creative solutions can enable two, three, four or even more lines together, singulating your business’ product and prepping it for the next phase of production. Dorner features manual, motorized and pneumatic solutions depending on your application and product shape and size.
Dorner’s Diverting and Sorting Conveyors Can Elevate Product Handling Processes
Imagine being able to divert and sort product based on weight, shape, line capacity and more is easily achieved and can significantly increase your throughput.
Using a base standard conveyor and adding simple diverting conveyor solutions such as static guides and plows or dynamic gates and paddles, the Dorner team can help your business take product handling to the next level using a diverting conveyor, also called a conveyor diverter, or sorting conveyor. These sorting conveyors are commonly referred to as conveyor belt sorting systems, conveyor sorting systems and sort conveyors.
How Do Merge Conveyors Work?
Merge conveyors work by combining multiple lines of product into a single line. Businesses come to Dorner seeking to merge two or more lanes into a single lane.
Customer Case 1
One customer needed to enhance its process of merging two lanes of frozen pizzas into one lane. This customer’s former equipment required an employee to manually intervene to ensure product flowed through smoothly. Dorner’s solution enabled this company to create a product merge that works automatically. Dorner’s merging conveyor systems provide for automatic merging and a smooth and safe transport of product, resulting in decreased downtime and increased productivity and efficiency.
Customer Case 2
Another customer called on Dorner for a merge conveyor solution to singulate randomly spaced product moving at a very fast speed. The product exited a cleaning and drying unit across four lanes and moving at 40 parts per minute. After merging, the product entered an X-ray machine at a speed of 160 parts per minute. The Dorner team merged the product using high-speed sensors, servo motors and 2200 Series Pacing Conveyors. Two common infeed conveyors initially gap the product before redistributing to four individual servo conveyors, serving as lanes.
Customer Case 3
Yet another customer sought a merge conveyor to move small plastic bottles. Dorner’s Engineered Solutions Group utilized a 2200 Series SmartFlex conveyor as the mainline units as well as a powered side guide at the transfer points. The guide uses a Dorner 2200 Series Belted Conveyor with a high friction belt. This belt helps grip each bottle, keeping it from tipping over while transferring it from one conveyor to the next conveyor along the line.
Ways to Use Merge Conveyors
Merging conveyors can be used to consolidate product flow from multiple infeed lines, and these conveyors can work in different ways. The right kind of merge solution for your business depends on your specific application along with product characteristics. The Dorner team can create a custom merge conveyor that’s engineered for your business’ needs.
Product Pusher
Dorner’s product pusher can merge two infeed lines using a product pusher. We’ve created applications with heavy-duty products weighing up to 500 pounds. These products can be transferred onto a center conveyor and in front of the pusher from either line.
Powered Side Guide Merge
Dorner’s product pusher can merge two infeed lines using a product pusher. We’ve created applications with heavy-duty products weighing up to 500 pounds. These products can be transferred onto a center conveyor and in front of the pusher from either line.
- Heavy product that requires assistance over the side transfer.
- Delicate product that should not rub on the guide.
- Precision applications in which better speed control through the merge is desired.
This powered side guide can also be used to pull a gap between product.
Pneumatic Gate Merge
Pneumatic gates at the point of the merge can open or close. This kind of merge solution allows one line through while allowing other product to accumulate behind a closed gate.
Pneumatic Product Squeezer
Similar to a pneumatic gate merge, a pneumatic product squeezer simply uses pneumatic squeezers instead of gates. When one of the infeed conveyor flows needs to be stopped, the squeezer activates and holds the rolls of paper in place. This allows rolls on that side to accumulate until released.
2-to-1, 3-to-1 and 4-to-1 Merge
Dorner can build custom merging conveyors that can handle 2-to-1, 3-to-1 and 4-to-1 merges. Does your business need an even greater number of merges? We can build solutions that support more merges such as 5-to-1 or 6-to-1 mergers, for example.
A 4-to-1 packaging merge may involve Dorner’s sanitary AquaPruf conveyors, servo motors and photo eyes to maintain fast and consistent product throughput. Dorner can produce merges using any of our products, however.
Some custom 4-to-1 merge conveyors Dorner has designed were built for food application. Our stainless steel conveyors are completely washdown for sanitation and food safety.
How Do Conveyor Diverters and Sorting Conveyors Work?
Conveyor diverters and sorting conveyors work by handling product based on such characteristics as weight and shape along with line capacity.
- One Dorner customer required equipment adjustments to introduce new tubs of salad greens to its production line. For applications that require modularity but that do not require a complex solution, a divert arm would suffice as a simple yet effective solution.
- Moreover, in this case, using an AquaGard 7350 as the base conveyor offers a system that features FDA-approved belting and components. This application also includes a powered transfer that is used to maintain speed through the transfer to ensure production efficiency is at its peak.
- Additionally, a type of conveyor diverter boasting the ability to retract or extend, retracting tail conveyors can enable a number of functions, elevating any business’ workflow.
Ways to Use Conveyor Diverters and Sorting Conveyors
Businesses know that controlling the continuous flow of product through a line is absolutely necessary to achieve peak productivity and efficiency. When conveyor diverters and sorting conveyors are used, product flow takes shape using several methods and components, all hinging on the kind of product, flow path and equipment with which to interface.
The ideal conveyor diverter or sorting conveyor solution for your business is contingent on your application and product makeup. Dorner’s team of experts can fashion a custom conveyor diverter or sorting conveyor that’s tailored precisely for your business’ special needs. Let’s examine several ways to divert and sort product.
Diverters and Gates
Product can be diverted using static guides and plows or dynamic gates and paddles.
This equipment can:
- Change product direction to single or multiple locations.
- Meter flow to specific areas or to separate products based on certain attributes.
- Be controlled via proximity switches, photo eyes and counters.
- Achieve motion via pneumatic or electric components.
Pushers
Pushers can be mounted along a conveyor’s sides or overhead depending on the product and stroke length required.
Pushers can:
- Move product from the conveyor perpendicular to the flow.
- Be used to remove or transfer parts to other equipment or conveyors.
- Be used to create horizontal stacks of products.
- Be controlled through use of proximity switches, photo eyes and counters.
- Achieve motion with pneumatic or electric components.
Lane Guiding
When lane guiding is utilized, multiple product lanes can be created across the width of a conveyor belt.
Lane guiding can:
- Accumulate large quantity of product.
- Divert product across lanes.
- Merge multiple lanes to a single lane.
- Support unstable product.
How Do I Customize My Conveyor System?
If your business needs a specially made merging, diverting or sorting conveyor, you can turn to Dorner to develop the optimal solution! As a leader among merging, diverting and sorting conveyor manufacturers, Dorner has earned a sterling reputation for creating custom solutions that solves our customers’ throughput problems while dramatically improving their team’s ability to be efficient.
Our custom merging, diverting and sorting conveyors are designed by our talented Engineered Solutions Group. Our expert team can modify a standard solution to meet your business’ needs or collaborate with you to build a completely custom system.
Our Engineered Solutions Group will work with your team from concept to completion. Our design process encompasses needs analysis, CAD modeling, mechanical design and other services.
Additionally, Dorner’s DTools is a conveyor configurator that gives users the power to design and engineer top-to-bottom conveyor packages or just select single components.
Merge, Diverting and Sorting Conveyor Installation Services
Dorner offers complete merge, diverting and sorting conveyor installation services. With the Dorner team taking on your equipment’s setup process, your business will benefit from money and time savings compared with handling installation all on your own.
Dorner’s experienced engineers can ensure a fast and simple startup. Your business will receive delivery, staging, setup, debugging and maintenance training.
You can be sure your merge, diverting and sorting solution will be installed optimally. Your team will be able to use your conveyor equipment right away, enjoying the ultimate in performance while keeping your production line running.
Merge, Diverting and Sorting Conveyor Training Services
A key component of Dorner’s merge, diverting and sorting conveyor installation services is our conveyor systems training. Dorner’s field and service professionals can work with your team to ensure they are knowledgeable about and comfortable with using our equipment.
Your employees will gain a clear understanding about how to operate your merge, diverting or sorting conveyor. Moreover, your business will gain from our equipment’s ability to promote peak efficiency and productivity with only a gentle learning curve.
Dorner’s conveyor training services are available for a fee.
Merge, Diverting and Sorting Conveyor Maintenance Program
Dorner’s merge, diverting and sorting conveyor maintenance program can help your team keep your equipment in position to deliver unrivaled performance and dependability. Your business will receive an on-site visit at no cost to evaluate your needs along with a proposal to receive just labor service or labor service with any needed parts along with a belt inspection and adjustment.
As part of our preventative maintenance program, Dorner also provides our customers’ conveyors with an inspection plus lubrication and installation of worn belts, pulleys, bearings, drive train, gearmotors and accessories. Your team will benefit from our expert training on belt tracking and tensioning. Lastly, your business will receive an audit of your existing conveyor parts and 10 percent discount on parts ordered through our maintenance program.