Enhancing Conventional Resistance Calculation via System Simulation: A Digital Twin Concept for Pouch Sorters

Abstract

Pouch sorters are gaining increasing importance in intralogistics, particularly in e-commerce, due to their ability to dynamically buffer, sequence, and sort items. These systems are typically designed for full-load operation using quasi-static calculation methods. However, in actual use, they usually operate in partial-load conditions, where drives, gear units, and frequency converters exhibit reduced efficiency and are oversized for most of their operating time. To improve energy efficiency, this paper presents an adaptive multi-drive concept in which a digital twin dynamically adjusts the number of active drives in real time based on the current load of the carriers. The core of this approach is a simulation model that determines the mechanical resistances. The simulation results show that the drive efficiency — and thus the specific energy consumption — can be significantly improved during typical partial-load operation without impairing conveying performance or throughput. Finally, the paper outlines further validation steps and potential application scenarios.