Four Types of Material Handling
Material handling equipment is any tool used to aid in the movement, protection, storage, and control of materials and products.
Four Types of Materials Handling Equipment
1.
Storage and
Handling Equipment
The title of this equipment category is pretty
self-explanatory. Storage equipment is used to hold materials while they wait
to be transported from the manufacturer or wholesaler to their final
destination. Having the right storage equipment can increase efficiency on the
production floor and maximize space utilization- two very important factors in
any production environment.
Examples of storage
and handling equipment include:
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Definition
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Images/Pictures
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Racks
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such
as pallet racks, drive-through or drive-in racks, push-back racks, and
sliding racks, are a basic but important method of storage, saving floor
space while keeping their contents accessible. |
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are stackable like
blocks, as their name implies. They allow crushable pallets of inventory,
such as containers of liquid, to be stacked to save space without damage. |
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Shelves,
another basic storage method, are less open than racks. Used with bins and
drawers, they’re more able to keep smaller and more difficult to manage
materials and products stored and organized. Shelving types can include
boltless, cantilever, revolving, and tie-down. |
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a
type of indoor platform, help to create more floor space in a warehouse or
other storage building for offices or more storage. Typical types include
modular, movable, rack supported, building supported, and free-standing
versions. |
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enables safe and
efficient product handling across numerous industries in applications that
require the movement of products, enhancing the efficiency of assembly and
manufacturing operations. |
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2. Engineered Systems- cover a variety of
units that work cohesively to enable storage and transportation. They are often
automated. A good example of an engineered system is an Automated Storage and
Retrieval System, often abbreviated AS/RS, which is a large automated organizational
structure involving racks, aisles and shelves accessible by a “shuttle” system
of retrieval. The shuttle system is a mechanized cherry picker that can be used
by a worker or can perform fully automated functions to quickly locate a
storage item’s location and quickly retrieve it for other uses.
conveyor system Automatic guided vehicle
3. Industrial
Material Handling Trucks
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Industrial trucks (material
handling trucks) refer to the different kinds of transportation items and
vehicles used to move materials and products in materials handling. These
transportation devices can include small hand-operated trucks, pallet jacks,
and various kinds of forklifts. These trucks have a variety of characteristics
to make them suitable for different operations. Some trucks have forks, as in a
forklift, or a flat surface with which to lift items, while some trucks require
a separate piece of equipment for loading. Trucks can also be manual or powered
lift and operation can be walk or ride, requiring a user to manually push them
or to ride along on the truck. A stack truck can be used to stack items, while
a non-stack truck is typically used for transportation and not for loading. |
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| order pickers |
hand trucks Pallet truck walkie stackers Platform trucks side loaders
4.
Bulk
Material Handling Equipment
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Bulk material
handling refers to the storing, transportation and control of
materials in loose bulk form. These materials can include food, liquid, or minerals,
among others. Generally, these pieces of equipment deal with the items in loose
form, such as conveyor belts or elevators designed to move large quantities of
material, or in packaged form, through the use of drums and hoppers. Objectives of a Proper Materials Handling
System are: 1.
Reduced costs - Reduction in total cost of production can be achieved by
either reducing materials handling or by improved handling procedure or both. The objective of reduction in cost of
production through improved materials handling can be achieved by: •
Reducing material handling labor. •
Material handling work should not be assigned to
skilled or semi-skilled labor. •
Reducing indirect labor expenses on activities
connected with storage, inspection, quality control, repair, tool room,
shipping etc. •
Reducing damage of materials during handling. •
Better utilization of space. •
Reducing in process storage. •
Increasing productivity. •
Reducing expenditure on packaging and other protective
devices. •
Decreasing inventory. 2.
Increased capacity- improved materials handling system results in increase
of capacity by better utilization of space.
Improved handling system can increase the capacity in the
following ways: •
By better
utilization of space: -
Racks or containers that stacks item upon each
other making full use of air space should be preferred. From this point of view
use of overhead cranes, conveyors, lift trucks etc., are very suitable. •
By reducing
travel space or excessive wastage of space: -
For this purpose a study of flow of materials
between operations should be done considering the flow paths, volume of
material, timing etc. This study may help in reducing travel time and space
requirements. •
By improving
equipment utilization: - This can be achieved by ensuring regular supply and
distribution of material. This will reduce the idling of machine. •
By faster
loading or unloading: 3. Improved working conditions •
Safety aspects. Safety
of men, material and associated equipment not only prevents loss of money but
also enhances the moral of workers. •
Easy working. By
using proper handling equipment heavy jobs can be handled with ease, faster
speed and at a constant rate throughout the period of production. This enables
high morale and lower workers turnover. •
Foolproof
operation. Due to absence of manual handling, there are no chances of
confusion resulting in placing of material at wrong location or disruption of
production. 4.
Improved
customer service- Customer’s service will be improved by following proper
and improved materials handling system which will enable regular and timely
market supply by avoiding disruption in production schedule. These are the main
sources of good customer service. 5.
Improved
productivity. The following 10-step
approach can help you develop effective material handling processes. 1.
Plan. Use
a team approach to design the material handling system, taking into account the
organization's objectives. 2.
Standardize.
Be consistent in your choice of storage equipment, including bins, shelves
and racks, as well as equipment used to transport materials. Also, be
consistent in your processes to minimize confusion and errors. 3.
Simplify. Reduce,
combine or eliminate as much movement as possible. For example, move finished
goods directly to the shipping dock rather than through the warehouse. 4.
Consider
Ergonomics. Design your processes to eliminate repetitive motion, reduce
manual labor and adhere to safety standards. 5.
Unitize. Wherever
possible, move full pallets or containers to improve efficiency and reduce
effort. 6.
Organize. Working
in an organized space is more efficient than working around clutter. Many of
the 5-S principles from lean manufacturing relate to the need for a clean,
organized workspace. This applies as much to material handling as it does to
manufacturing. It also means effectively using space, including overhead space.
7.
Systematize.
Coordinate material handling across the entire enterprise. Consider all
material movement when you plan and systematize. 8.
Go Green. Reuse
and recycle equipment to reduce the environmental impact of your material
handling. Reusable packing, returnable containers and recycling packing
materials can all contribute to more effective operations. 9.
Automate. Employ
automation wherever possible. Think of automated picking and put-away
technologies. Invest in conveyor systems. Automation boosts efficiency,
consistency and responsiveness while increasing accuracy.
10. Evaluate Life-cycle Costs. When
considering investing in material handling equipment, don't simply look at the
initial capital outlay. Account for the cost of consumables, training,
installation, setup, maintenance and repair. |