If you own a warehouse or work in one, there are some materials that you must use or have for everything to run smoothly. These materials help make the job easier and prevent damage to the final product. Without the proper systems or equipment in place, productivity might be affected.
What Is Material Handling Equipment?
Material handling equipment is any tool, vehicle, equipment, accessories, and appliances that can be used to handle equipment in a warehouse. Warehouse material handling equipment handle materials during production, distribution, storage, and disposal.
Types of Material Handling Equipment
Bulk Material Handling Equipment
Bulk material handling equipment helps control, manage, and transport material in large volumes.
This type of equipment includes:
- Conveyor Belts-used to transport materials and come in a wide variety of types
- Stackers-used to place items into stockpiles
- Bucket and Grain Elevators-used to store and transport materials
Storage and Handling Equipment
Storage equipment is used to hold materials that are not in use. These can be materials from the manufacturer that are awaiting distribution. Warehouses must have the correct equipment to prevent damage or loss of materials. These types of equipment include shelves, mezzanines, and racks.
Engineered/Automated Systems
Engineered systems are automated units that work cohesively to enable transportation and storage of materials around the warehouse. A significant advantage of an automated system is that it helps in stock control. These types of equipment include robotic delivery systems, conveyor systems, and automated storage systems.
Industrial Trucks
Although ‘Industrial trucks’ is a term that represents a wide variety of equipment, they all have one thing in common – they help with the transportation of heavy materials around the warehouse. These types of equipment include pallet trucks, hand trucks, and order pickers.
Conclusion
Material handling equipment are used to make production and storage of materials easier. Your choice of specific equipment will depend on the type and scale of work to be performed.
