This approved logistics case used a WellBUS controller with distributed input/output nodes and valve islands for a large sortation topology. The case record reports 50,000 packages per hour, 300+ nodes and 99.97% uptime over the stated observation period; those results are project-specific and are not guaranteed for another layout.
Proprietary WellBUS protocol delivers deterministic control for 50,000 packages/hour sortation system
Challenge
The operator planned to increase sortation throughput while reducing communication-latency-related divert errors across a large distributed I/O topology.
Solution
A WellBUS controller coordinated distributed sensor, output and pneumatic nodes with configuration and WMS integration defined for the project.
Implementation
The system was installed during a 5-day planned shutdown. WellBUS ring topology provided fault-tolerant communication. The WellBUS Configuration Software enabled all 300+ nodes to be commissioned from a single laptop in under 8 hours. OPC UA integration connected the WellBUS controller to the customer's WMS for real-time throughput monitoring.
Results
“WellBUS solved the latency problem that PROFINET couldn't at our scale. The 99.97% uptime figure speaks for itself — we've processed over 200 million packages without a major incident.”