Robotics · MI-ROB-03
Automated Conveyor Sorting Cell
Parts sorted into three bins by colour or size on a mini conveyor with counts per bin and a jam alarm.
Robotics · MI-ROB-03
A mini belt conveyor, a servo diverter, colour and proximity sensors and a controller, sorting parts into three bins by colour or size with counts per bin and a jam alarm.
- ₹18,800pilot BOM · hardware only
- 4 – 6 daysto a live pilot
- Starterintegration level
- 3validated providers
Why manual sorting is the last unautomated step
The problem
Mixed parts, rejects and returns are sorted by hand at the end of a line. The sort is slow, tiring and error-prone, and the automated divert-and-sort cell that would fix it has never been proven on the plant's own parts.
- Manual sorting is slow and inconsistent
- Mis-sorts reach the wrong bin, customer or process
- No count per category without a manual tally
- Sorting automation unproven on the actual part mix
The solution
Parts run on a mini belt conveyor past colour, inductive or IR sensors; a controller classifies each part and fires a servo diverter to send it to one of three bins. Counts per bin are shown on a small display or dashboard and a jam or stalled-belt condition raises an alarm. Sensors and diverter logic transfer to a full-size cell.
- Sorts into three bins by colour, size or material
- Counts per bin, live
- Jam and stall alarm
- Sensor and divert logic proven for a full-size cell
Validated service providers
Validated by TwoElectrons and ranked by validation score: verified credentials, completed jobs on the platform and client ratings.
- Sample Provider M — Pune · AMR & material handling · ★ 4.8 · 9 jobs
- Sample Provider N — Chennai · Cobots & pick-and-place cells · ★ 4.7 · 11 jobs
- Sample Provider O — Bengaluru · Conveyor automation · ★ 4.5 · 6 jobs
Provider listings are samples pending live registrations.
Prototype BOM and cost
Reference hardware to run the pilot. Unit costs are indicative Indian market prices for the component class.
| Qty | Item | Unit cost | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1× | Mini belt conveyor with DC motor | ₹9,000 | ₹9,000 |
| 1× | Servo diverter / pusher | ₹1,500 | ₹1,500 |
| 2× | Colour / inductive / IR sensor | ₹900 | ₹1,800 |
| 1× | Controller board Arduino / ESP32 with relay module | ₹2,500 | ₹2,500 |
| 1× | Frame, PSU and wiring kit | ₹4,000 | ₹4,000 |
| Pilot BOM total | ₹18,800 |
POC BOM cost only — hardware for a pilot. Installation, integration and provider services are quoted separately. Request for Quote
How the sorting cell works
- Assemble. Build the conveyor, mount sensors and the diverter.
- Program. Set classification rules on the controller.
- Run. Sort a mixed batch; check mis-sort rate and throughput.
- Scale. Carry the proven logic into a full-size cell spec.
Prototype architecture
Colour / inductive / IR sensors (classification) → Controller + servo diverter (ESP32 / Arduino · relays) → Counts & alarms (per bin · jam) → Operator display (counts · status)
A table-top proof of the classification and divert logic; throughput and mis-sort rate feed the full-size cell design.
Business case: throughput, mis-sorts, counts
Ranges are typical figures reported for this class of solution; your pilot establishes the numbers for your plant.
- Parts/min measured throughput on your mix (for the full-size cell design)
- < 1% mis-sort target in the pilot (by colour or size)
- Live count per bin (no manual tally)
- 4 – 6 days to a running prototype (three bins)
Who this is for: Production and automation engineers, Quality and rework cells, Plastics and moulded parts, Fasteners and small metal parts, Returns and reverse logistics, Any end-of-line manual sort.
Illustrative case study
Illustrative scenario · not a client reference
A moulding plant sorting three colours of caps after a shared hopper in Daman (illustrative)
Set-up. Mini conveyor with a colour sensor and two servo diverters, controller counting per bin, running mixed batches from the actual hopper.
What happened. Throughput reached about 60 caps per minute with a mis-sort rate under 0.5% once the sensor was shrouded from ambient light. The plant used the proven logic to specify a full-width sorting station for the line.
- Pilot budget: ₹19,900 hardware
- Throughput: ~60 parts/min
- Mis-sort: < 0.5%
FAQ
What can it sort by?
Colour, size (via IR or vision), metal versus non-metal (inductive) and simple shape; a camera can be added for more complex classes.
Is the prototype conveyor production-grade?
No — it is a mini conveyor for proving logic and measuring throughput; the full-size cell is specified from the pilot results.
Can it connect to a PLC?
Yes, the controller's outputs can be mirrored to a PLC or the logic ported to one in the scale-up phase.
What does the ₹19,900 cover?
Conveyor, diverter, sensors, controller and frame. Programming, full-size cell design and provider services are quoted after a Request for Quote.
