What is Material Handling Equipment?
21 Mar 2019 Warehouse Equipment
Understanding what material handling equipment is and the benefits it can offer your business can help you create a more efficient and organized warehouse environment. At Commander Warehouse, they know how important material handling equipment is to the overall efficiency of a business. That is why they carry a wide range of material handling equipment.
What is Material Handling Equipment?
Material handling equipment covers all of the tools, vehicles, storage units, appliances, and accessories involved in the transportation, storage, control, enumeration, and protection of products throughout the entirety of the manufacturing, distribution, or disposal process.
Types of Material Handling Equipment
The four main categories of material handling equipment are:
Storage and Handling Equipment
Storage equipment products are specifically designed for holding materials while they are not in transit. The majority of storage equipment uses pallets, shelves, or racks for stacking materials in an orderly manner while they await transportation or distribution. Some of the most common types of storage equipment include:
- Racks (pallet racks, drive-thru racks, drive-in racks, push-back racks, etc.)
- Stacking frames
- Shelves
- Bins and drawers
- Mezzanines
Engineered Systems
In most cases, engineered systems are automated and cover a variety of units that work to provide a cohesive system between the storage and transportation of large materials or large volumes of materials. This type of material handling equipment tends to have a set organizational structure and can perform fully automated functions. Some of the different types of engineered systems for warehouses include:
- Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS)
- Conveyor systems
- Robotic delivery systems
- Automatic guided vehicles (AGV)
Industrial Trucks
Industrial trucks work to allow for materials and products to be moved from one location to the next. This type of material handling equipment can be either manual or power lifted, depending on whether the industrial truck is designed for moving large items or small items. Some of the different types of industrial trucks include:
- Hand trucks
- Pallet jacks
- Pallet trucks
- Platform trucks
- Forklifts
- Order pickers
Bulk Material Handling Equipment
Bulk material handling equipment is designed for the storage, transportation, and control of bulk materials in loose form. In most cases, this type of material handling equipment is designed to move large quantities of material through the use of drums or hoppers. Some of the most common types of bulk material handling equipment are:
- Conveyor belts
- Grain elevators
- Bucket elevators
- Hoppers
If you would like to learn more about what material handling equipment is, or if you are interested in material handling products, please contact Commander Warehouse by calling one of their four locations across Western Canada or by filling out a contact form on their website.
