B. Sortation—When it becomes necessary to sort boxes, there are many alternatives. If there are only two
or three different sorts, then photo eyes may be used, in most cases, to do the job. When two or three
sorts are exceeded, a programmable controller (computer) may be needed to tell the conveyor where
the boxes go. 30° or 90° transfers may be used on a belt or live roller conveyor to transfer boxes. Boxes
must be coded to be read by a reader (scanner). Upon reading the code, the scanner
tells the computer which divert should be activated. Many variations of this type
of system are available. Instead of using a reader, an operator can read the
box and then type in the
information into the computer.