Before we go into the details of the four types of material handling equipment, let us briefly explain what Material Handling Equipment is.
What is Material Handling Equipment?
Material handling equipment and systems are essential to numerous companies that handle and store bulk material.
Generally, material handling equipment is equipment devised to move, control, protect or store material through mixed processes at warehouses and facilities. This equipment is used across many industries, making it very versatile. Knowing more about material handling equipment can better fit your installation with the proper equipment and systems for your company’s demand and requirements.
So, here are the four kinds of Material Handling Equipment:
1- Storage and handling Equipment
Storage and handling equipment allows for safely storing and organising materials while they await another phase in the process of production or distribution. Well, it is a very basic type, and you might not think of it as equipment. However, the use of this storage equipment depends on the needs of a company to keep materials for short or long duration.
2- Industrial Trucks
Industrial trucks are equipment or vehicles that are designed to move or transport materials. These industrial trucks come in distinct sizes, from small, hand-operated equipment to large, driveable equipment. Generally, there are two main categories of industrial trucks: non-stacking and stacking. Non-stacking trucks are only devised for transportation, whereas stacking trucks can also load and stack materials.
- Hand trucks: These are simple, L-shaped devices that let you carry material at a tilt and are also called dollies.
- Side-loaders: With side-loaders, you can load materials in narrow aisles where other trucks may be too broad.
- Pallet trucks: These are hand-operated or electric devices that slide into pallets to move them. These are used to lift heavy pallets.
- Walkie stackers: According to Thomas Network, Walkie stackers transport and lift pallets like a forklift, though they do not have a place for the operator to ride in. They are of both versions: powered and manual.
- Order pickers: These are vehicles that lift a worker off the ground in order to grab high packages.
- Platform trucks: These are similar to dollies but with a broader platform.
- Forklifts: These are operational vehicles used to lift and transport heavy items.
3- Bulk Handling Material Equipment
These are equipment that transports, stores and controls bulk materials. Manufacturers often design bulk handling equipment to move and store materials in a loose form. This equipment handles food, liquid, metal items and minerals.
We’ve mentioned some of the main types of bulk material equipment below for you to have a clear idea:
- Hoppers: These are large funnel-shaped objects with openings that close. Companies use hoppers to pour loose materials into containers and release an exact quantity out of the bottom.
- Reclaimers: Reclaimers are large machines devised to pick up loose materials from a stockpile of a company.
- Stackers: Stackers are automated equipment essential to bulk material handling as they can move loose materials to stockpiles on their own.
- Conveyor belts: These moving belts help transport bulk materials from one location to another. Conveyor belts are also called engineered systems when combined into more complicated conveyor systems.
- Bucket and grain elevators: Bucket elevators, also called grain legs, vertically move bulk materials. They help transport materials on a production pathway and store them when required.
- Dump Trucks, Screw Conveyor, and Rotary Car Dumper are more types of bulk material equipment.
4- Engineered Systems
Engineered systems, also called automated systems, are bulk material handling equipment made to help transport and store materials. Generally, computerised systems feature numerous portions of equipment. They’re trendy since they eliminate the necessity for manual labour to complete diverse tasks.
We’ve listed some of the primary kinds of engineered systems:
- Automated guided vehicles (AGVs)
- Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS)
- Conveyor systems
- Robotic delivery systems
Connect with us if you need any help selecting material-handling equipment.
Advance Precitech are Designers and Manufacturers of Material Handling Systems that incorporate strategies that fit your needs and specifications.