STO Express Hub Upgrade: Dual-Deck Tilt-Tray & High-Speed Cross-Belt Sorting System

Project Background: STO Express Multi-Billion Yuan Infrastructure Modernization

As e-commerce order volumes hit unprecedented records, nationwide express transit networks face immense operational pressures during peak shopping festivals. STO Express (Express Delivery Market Leader in China) launched its strategic capacity upgrade plan to digitize and automate key regional hub hubs across Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, Zhengzhou, and Jingmen. Traditional manual sorting lines and single-tier conveyor setups failed to meet strict requirements for sorting velocity, dimensional accuracy, and operating cost ratios. STO Express selected Yingjie (YJ-INTL) as its primary logistics automation partner to architect and deploy a hybrid sorting system designed for high-density parcel processing.

The Core Logistics Challenge: Handling Irregular and Soft Packages

Standard automated sorting equipment often struggles with non-rigid freight. While rigid cardboard boxes stream smoothly through standard lines, e-commerce growth has driven an explosion in non-sortable parcel formats:

• Flexible & Soft Packaging: Poly mailers, bubble envelopes, and soft-wrapped apparel bags that slide unpredictably or catch on conventional belt gaps.
• Woven Sacks & Heavy Bundles: High-friction woven bags weighing up to 10 kg that exceed standard light-duty carrier capacities.
• Irregular Geometry: Cylindrical, spherical, or long-format parcels that roll off flat belt conveyors or trigger false optical sensor readings.
• Labor Bottlenecks & High Error Rates: Manual sorting of non-sortable freight created severe delays, worker fatigue, and mis-sorting costs during peak shift operations.

YJ-INTL Integrated Sorter Engineering Solution

YJ-INTL designed and manufactured a customized dual-deck sorting matrix combining two distinct automated sorting technologies within a single facility footprint:

• High-Speed Loop Cross-Belt Sorter: Specially built for standard parcels under 5 kg. Operating at high carrier velocities, this loop system delivers throughput of 40,000 to 48,000 parcels per hour with millimeter-accurate dynamic discharging.
• Specialized Double-Deck Tilt-Tray (Tilt Tray Sorter): Purpose-engineered for irregular items up to 10 kg. Heavy-duty tilting trays dynamically tip parcels directly into designated chute destinations without jamming or package damage.
• Multi-Tier Induction Stations: Ergonomic feeding conveyors equipped with dynamic barcode scanning and volume measurement (DWS integration) ensure seamless parcel induction onto passing carrier trays.
• Centralized WCS/WMS Control Software: Real-time parcel tracking, dynamic chute assignment, and automated error-handling routines synchronized with STO's core logistics management platform.

Quantifiable Operational Results and Value Delivered

The strategic deployment of YJ-INTL tilt-tray and cross-belt sorting systems across STO Express regional hubs generated immediate operational and financial returns:

• 50%+ Overall Efficiency Increase: Hub-wide parcel processing speed doubled, enabling faster transit hub turnarounds and earlier dispatch schedules.
• 70% Labor Cost Reduction: Automated induction and precision chute discharge drastically reduced the manual workforce required on sorting floors.
• 100% Non-Sortable Parcel Automation: Woven bags, soft packages, and irregular items are now 100% automatically sorted via specialized tilt-trays.
• Scalable Multi-Hub Standard: Proven engineering architecture successfully replicated across flagship centers in Guangzhou, Zhengzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai, and Jingmen.