At t-log trinklogistik, a colourful mix of glass and pet bottles for beer, water, and soda is returned in empty crates. Crate sorting of all the empties in the return facility requires that each crate goes clearly to the respective beverage producer. About 6 thousand crates per hour are sorted at the Hamm branch for EDEKA Rhein-Ruhr. This corresponds to 100 crates/minute.

High-speed sorting of empty crates

This output has been reliably handled by 52 of our sorting systems since 2012. Rotating transfer boards enable this throughput. Since both transfer boards always rotate in one direction in the system, even crates arriving close behind each other are sorted out without any problems. This means that the next crate can arrive in front of the system while the previous transfer operation is still being carried out. So the next board intended for the transfer is still on its way to its position at the new crate.

It is important for both gentle and reliable operation that the transfer board accompanies each crate to its final position. This ensures that the crate reaches the outgoing lane straight and centred. So it runs off unhindered.

This handling avoids malfunctions and significantly reduces the noise level. At the same time, the servo motors reduce wear. They have been working at t-log trinklogistik for many years in both hot and cold temperatures with precision, repeatability, reliability, and virtually no maintenance.

Space-saving two-storey operation

The conveyors are arranged one above the other for space-saving sorting of empties. The modular and compact design of our Tangens 360 diverter helps here. Instead of two meter long standard tie bars for mounting the servo motor and mechanics, extra long tubes were used to attach two systems to the two conveyors one above the other. This is also how it was done at the Warsteiner Brewery’s reverse vending machine.

All mechanical components are housed in a closed chain box above the conveyor, so that dirt and shards do not impair the function. It was further interesting for the general supplier that he could install own conveyor technology. In 2021, the user expanded their sorting of empties with two additional systems in Hamm.

Energy-saving sorting

For a while now, it has been possible to use the braking energy in high-quality servo drives. This topic is important considering rising energy costs when several systems are operated continuously for decades. We will advise you specifically on this subject.

Our systems for sorting empty crates are also in operation at t-log trinklogistik in Heddesheim, Frechen and Oberhausen. Other systems have also proven themselves for sorting empties at the following users:

User	Item	Task
Warsteiner Brewery/Germany	empty beer crate	Sorting 90° departure
Bier Schneider Beverage Logistics/Germany	empty beer crate	Sorting 1 → 2 lanes
Dematic Logistik Offenbach/Germany	empty beverage crate	Sorting 90° departure
Nat Foods Lidcombe Australia	empty beverage crate	Sorting 1 → 2 lanes
Kaiser’s Tengelmann Eching/Bavaria	empty beer and mineral water crate	Sorting 90° departure
Kempf Getraenkegroßhandel Offenburg	empty beverage crates	Sorting 90° departure
Getraenke Essmann Potsdam/Berlin	empty crates	Sorting 1 → 2 lanes Sorting 90° departure
Spar Austria branches Dornbirn, Ebergassing, Graz, Marchtrenk, Maria Saal, St. Poelten, Woergl	empty crates	Sorting 90° departure

Further information → Sorting in general → Retrofitting a sorting system → Crate sorting in the return of empty containers → Sorting of sensitive cartons → Space-saving crate sorting → Parcel sorting at DHL