A warehouse or distribution center is filled with plenty of equipment that are involved in transporting, storing, controlling, enumerating, and protecting the goods and products at any stage. Likewise, there are situations where it’s critical to move heavy materials in a production environment. Any equipment that helps with this process could be labeled as material handling equipment. To get more details about these different pieces of equipment, continue reading this article:
Storage and Handling Equipment
Stuff that falls into this category is used to hold materials while they stand idle. They range from containers, stacking racks, shelves, pallets, and cages, among others. Basically, anything that is used to store and organize materials can be considered storage and handling equipment.
Many industries and businesses have investigated the increased efficiency possibilities in storage equipment by designing a proprietary packaging that allows materials or products of a particular type to conserve space. Proper storage and material handling equipments are essential as it will enable the company to boost the production line. Above all, keep in mind that any inefficient section creates a bottleneck that will affect all other parts of the system and the production line.
Engineered Systems
The second type of material handling equipments are these so-called engineered system. From the term itself, an “engineered system” is typically an automated one, which is usually created from a variety of units. These systems are combined so that they will work to enable both storage and transportation. As a result, they will provide an efficient process for large volumes of materials around the facility. Specifically, these systems are designed for moving and sometimes assembling relevant large materials.
Industrial Trucks
These versatile vehicles are arguably the most efficient machines for any material handling equipments. They are used around any manufacturing floor to move large materials or containers of smaller goods. Accordingly, they aid to unload or load cargo onto delivery trucks efficiently. Some trucks have a forklift while some require a separate piece of equipment for loading.
Bulk Material Handling
The last type of material handling equipments is known to store, transport, and control materials in loose bulk form. These materials include food, liquid, or minerals, metal items (such as screws and nails), and others. Different types of bulk material handling are listed below:
- Bucket and grain elevators
- Conveyor belts
- Hoppers and silos
- Reclaimers
- Stackers
Learn More!
When it comes to material handling equipments, there is far more to understand than just merely lifting and transporting. To ensure that your warehouse, logistic center, or any place that requires constant handling, the right material handling equipment should be used to cater to specific jobs. Keep this in mind when working at your warehouse.