Shipping Sortation

The Kiva solution includes shipping sortation capabilities.  By adding specially designed shuttle racks to any Kiva solution_sortation_totesinstallation and picking orders into cartons or totes placed on those shuttle racks, the system will provide outbound order sortation using the same material handling robots that move inventory pods around the Kiva zone.

Completed orders can be held in suspense on the floor until needed for shipping or they can be sent directly to specific dock doors from pick stations.  The system quickly directs the right orders to the right location at the right time, installs for a fraction of the cost of other sortation systems and provides dramatically higher operational flexibility.

  • Lower install cost of shipping sorter by 80%
  • Reduce variance in truck loading times
  • Design and install in weeks not months
  • Deliver completed orders to individual shipping docks/stations based on route order, timing, carrier preference, items contained, compatible orders, compatible items, and other parameters

Features of Kiva Systems Shipping Sortation

solution_sortation_shipping"Pull" Material Flow - Using Kiva, the shipping department sets the agenda for the building, allowing you to pull work from picking and reserve as needed for specific trucks.

Real-Time Truck Loading - Because every order is mobile, it moves only when required and to the right place. The dock door opens, the orders arrive and the truck leaves, reducing variability in truck loading times.

Mobile Infrastructure - All Kiva equipment is mobile and modular, making it easy to expand or reconfigure the shipping area. Unlike conveyor-based sorters, output can be expanded without disrupting operations.

Flexible Order Finishing - When using the Kiva order sortation functionality, customers have options for order finishing.  Orders can be sent to specialized finishing stations for tape and dunnage, label application or other value added services.  Or orders can be sent to shipping stations equipped with finishing capabilities.  Either way, the robots handle the movement and the system coordinates the sequencing.

Integration - Order sortation is an option that integrates seamlessly with Kiva item, split-case and full case picking, as well as Kiva pallet-handling systems, creating one seamless operation in the building.