The Material Handling Blog

Bastian Solutions Modular Sorter

Sam Osterhout

August 19, 2020

Due to the rapidly expanding industry of ecommerce, ease of installation and maintenance of conveyor systems is exceedingly critical to remain competitive in today’s material handling market. The more complicated the system, the more of an impact this can have on its design and success as a solution. In material conveyance terms, sortation is one of the most complicated problems out there. Typical medium rate sortation requires AC power, DC power, and pneumatics for successful sortation of packages up to 75 pounds in weight. They provide rates up to 300FPM at 85CPMwith a maximum sorter length of 150ft. Bastian Solutions’ conveyor team has now developed a solution that provides the same speed at 90CPM, an unlimited maximum sorter length, and requires nothing but low-voltage DC power for operation, all while offering competitive pricing; the Modular Sorter.

How to Choose the Correct Divert for Your Sortation Conveyor System

Jack Barry

November 12, 2019

With so many options available, choosing the right type of divert for your sortation system can be difficult. These are the factors to consider.

4 Signs It's Time to Replace That Outdated Conveyor System

Sky Hernandez

April 30, 2019

Conveyor systems can last a long time, but even the best maintained systems only last so long. Here are 4 signs that it's time to replace your outdated conveyor system.

Integrating Conveyor into a Part Press Operation

David Musch

January 25, 2019

When trying to determine the best automated solution for a manufacturing application, it’s important to ask the right questions.

The Art of Reusing Conveyor

Mike Czernik

November 28, 2018

When you’re tasked with reusing conveyor the customer already has, these tips will make the redesign and transition as smooth as possible.

5 Things to Consider When Implementing Trash Conveyor

Gina Labou

September 27, 2018

Don’t throw your money in the trash! Here are the first 5 factors you need to consider when selecting trash conveyor.

Fixing a Conveyor Belt Tracking Issue

Wes Bryant

September 19, 2018

How a conveyor belt tracking issue let us prove our commitment to providing exceptional customer service.

Integrating a Modular Overhead Conveyor System

Christopher Dyjak

August 01, 2018

How Bastian Solutions evaluated and integrated an overhead conveyor system for a customer’s new manufacturing procedure.

Understanding OSHA Safety Standards for Conveyor

Greg Conner

May 09, 2018

Conveyor equipment can be dangerous if not used in the proper manner and with necessary safety precautions in place. To prevent injuries and accidents, OSHA has outlined several conveyor safety standards, which we'll review and expand upon. Read: Understanding OSHA Safety Standards for Conveyor

Don’t Let Wash-Down Conveyor Leave You Feeling Drowned

Wes Bryant

January 10, 2018

Often times, when people think of wash-down conveyor, stainless steel comes to mind. That's correct, but there are several key components to successful wash-down conveyor. They are complicated as long as you work with a trusted vendor.

6 Considerations when Integrating Cold Room Conveyor

Gina Labou

December 21, 2017

Many of us think about winterizing our car or home, but your conveyor system also needs protection from cold temperatures. In this article, we will discuss six areas to consider when installing conveyor and other material handling equipment in cold rooms or freezers.

Manufacturing Automation, Material Handling, and the 21st Century

Brandon Trammell

July 11, 2017

Modern manufacturing facilities are relying on new technologies and innovations to produce higher quality products at faster speeds with lower costs. Implementing more intelligent software and hardware is the only way to compete; however, those technologies have levels. Read: Manufacturing Automation, Material Handling, and the 21st Century

7 Tips for Selecting the Right Conveyor Type

Codi Wilson

March 02, 2017

There are many items to consider when selecting a conveyor type for a project. Each item has it’s own importance and will impact conveyor selection. Use the following criteria to make the best choice for your operation.

5 Reasons to Utilize Conveyors Over Carts for Material Transport

Tim Brown

June 24, 2016

The challenge of how to best move materials efficiently though the facility is something that keeps many operation managers scratching their heads. Generally, as product volume dictates, carts are brought into the equation and then non-powered trucks or conveyor. But when is it right to invest in conveyor for your material transport?

Accumulation Conveyor 101: Understanding Minimum and Zero Pressure

Joe Campbell

June 16, 2016

When designing your conveyor system, you will most likely find yourself in need of some sort of accumulation conveyor. Whether that accumulation is belted or roller, minimum or zero pressure, or fixed zone or dynamic, Bastian Solutions is here to help. Read: Accumulation Conveyor 101

5 Easy Steps to Choosing a Conveyor

Bastian Solutions

June 10, 2016

Selecting the right conveyor for your operation can be difficult. There are many brands and types to consider based on your application, goals, and environment. Although our team is always available to help you in the conveyor selection process, here are 5 steps to get you started.

How to Specify Your Conveyor Safety Netting

Austin Trusty

June 01, 2016

Overhead conveyor is a common and useful component of many material handling system designs. It saves valuable floor space and can provide a safer working environment for employees as long the proper safety features are included. One key safety component of overhead conveyor is safety netting.

New Bastian Solutions Conveyor Product: Two-Lane Flighted Conveyor Merge

Matt Kohler

March 23, 2016

Our Bastian Solutions Conveyor brand flighted conveyor merge may sound like some sort of fancy, new piece of technology that uses cutting-edge controls to parse products at lightning speed through the air. Well, it’s actually much simpler than that. In fact, it kind of removes the need for controls. And fancy technology. It’s really quite simple.

6 Helpful Tips for Installing Conveyors in Freezers

Greg Conner

August 25, 2015

In the conveyor world, there aren’t many more challenging applications than freezer installations. The deep cold introduces many obstacles for components. In general, the colder you go, the more things you must take into consideration. Here are 6 helpful tips for ensuring a successful freezer conveyor installation.

All I Want for Christmas is an Empty Box?

Gregg Durham

December 19, 2013

I was recently talking with a client who wants to improve productivity by increasing the efficiency of his facility’s picking operation. As we talked, I learned he was thinking about going to a pick to pack methodology, so I asked him how he was going to get the boxes to his operators...

6 Tips for Better Conveyor System Maintenance

Greg Conner

August 14, 2013

In the midst of a challenging economy and shrinking capital budgets, many companies are faced with the daunting challenge of keeping aging conveyor systems up and running well past when they'd ordinarily be heading to the scrap yard. If this describes your predicament, here are a few maintenance tips to keep that conveyor system going...

Project Planning: How Much Does Conveyor Cost?

Bill Bastian II

August 08, 2013

If your are looking to increase efficiency in your warehouse or distribution center, you’ve probably considered installing conveyor or updating your current conveyor system. If so, the pricing you receive will vary based on your needs and the scope of the project; however, here are some general conveyor pricing guidelines to help you determine a project budget.

Girl Scout Cookie Sales vs. Material Handling Sales

Steve Durcholz

March 08, 2013

What do Girl Scout Cookies have to do with material handling? Everything! Cookies are made with various conveyors in the baking and coating process. Boxed cookies are put into cases; cases are glued with automated equipment, stacked on pallets, stored in racks, and logistics services route the orders to the local service centers.

10 Simple Tips for Basic Conveyor Troubleshooting

Dan Williams

February 19, 2013

I have seen people push boxes along powered conveyors too many times. Just fix it already! If you want to get that conveyor moving again, here are 10 tips I've learned to help you troubleshoot the problem and hopefully get it running... Read More >>

The Beauty of Zero Pressure Accumulation Conveyor

Bill Bastian II

February 11, 2013

It may not seem like a big deal to keep products from touching each other as they are conveyed until you are standing under a conveyor and glass bottle cases begin crashing into each other. There definitely is an art and science to conveying very fragile, light products in between large, heavy products. That's where zero pressure accumulation conveyor comes in... Read More >>

The Importance of Understanding Your Pallet for Proper Conveyance

Mike Kedvesh

February 05, 2013

I spend much of my time in manufacturing facilities dealing with material handling issues related to moving and positioning pallets, plastic bulk box containers, steel racks, and multi-footed thermoformed pallets. Often times, we are given very little information on these objects, let alone the details of the bottom surface. This prompted me to write about the importance of this often skipped over, yet extremely important topic.

Lessons Learned from Conveyor Design: A Modular Conveyor Development Success

Bastian Solutions

November 05, 2010

When Bastian partnered with Blue Arc Engineering to design Bastian Solutions' conveyor, a zero accumulation conveyor, we knew that there would be hundreds of different products that would have to be conveyed. Thus, we manufactured a conveyor that could handle very small products as well as large and heavy boxes on inclines, declines and horizontal conveying applications. We learned a lot from turning modular product development into “Modular Conveyor Development."

How to Maintain System Uptime, In a Down Economy

Bastian Solutions

April 02, 2009

In a down economy, businesses start to maintain their conveyors instead of replacing them. As the economy starts to squeeze the wallet, new conveyor sales start to fall but spare parts sales, according to Bob Trebilcock from Modern Material Handling magazine, could potentially increase 25% this year...

AI-Based Robotic Depalletizing vs. Robotic Layer Depalletizing

Planning for Warehouse Automation: Where to Begin?

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