how do I place different items on each side of the belt?

[Imortalin]

For example I want to place metal plates on the upper half of the belt and copper plates on lower half? I have tried using a splitter and doesnt matter both of items are all over the belt. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks...

[Maxpeinas]

https://wiki.factorio.com/index.php?title=Transport_belts first result in google when you type "factorio belts"...

[Nailfoot]

Inserters place only on the far side of a belt. Put all of your copper smelters on the south side of a belt, and the plates will be on the north side of that belt.

[Soondead]

Interestingly, splitters do work with left/right side of the belt, just not in the way OP expects. If you run different materials into a splitter, each of the output belts will have the correct materials on the correct side. (They won't "mix").

[Starbug]

Can you post a screenshot?

[Soondead]

The wiki Maxpeinas linked to has all the GIFanims you need to understand transport belts, it shows a few really cool tricks much better than any screenshot would.

[Soondead]

OP wants to sort a mixed belt if I understood him right. AFAIK only smart lifters can do that. The trick is to not mix things to begin with.

[Drevin]

If you have a few furnaces making iron plates below the belt, and other furnaces making copper plates above the belt, then your insertes will fill half of the belt with iron plates, and the other half with copper plates.

[Imortalin]

Got it thank you all very much.