In today’s hectic era of industrial and commercial existence, safety, productivity, and efficiency cannot be compromised. Material Handling Equipment (MHE) is one of the strongest pillars on which these stand. Warehouse to construction site, factory, or distribution warehouse, material handling, protection, storage, and control of materials are of utmost importance to operations. That is where material handling equipment comes in handy.
Here, we are going to discuss various kinds of material handling equipment, the benefits of using it, and a few key things to remember while selecting the best equipment for your business with the help of Material Handling Equipment Manufacturers.
What is Material Handling Equipment?
Material Handling Equipment is mechanical equipment and machinery for moving, storing, controlling, and protecting material and products during manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, consumption, and disposal operations. MHE may include simple storage devices to sophisticated automated systems.
These devices facilitate automation of tasks, conserve labour, reduce loss and wastage, and ensure safety in the workplace. They are used in applications in industries like logistics, construction, agriculture, mining, pharma, food processing, and retail.
Types of Material Handling Equipment
Material handling equipment can typically be categorized into four broad classes:
Storage and Handling Equipment: These are equipment that are non-motorized and are utilized to hold material for a long period of time. They are mostly fixed equipment and are used extensively in inventory management and space planning.
Examples:
- Pallet racks
- Shelving
- Bins and drawers
- Mezzanines
- Cantilever racks
Advantages:
- Assists in systematic storage.
- Maximizes the use of space
- Clarifies the inventory
Engineered Systems
These are systems that have been designed to transport and move materials in an efficient way. Engineered systems are typically made up of linked manufacturing or warehousing systems.
Examples
- Conveyor systems
- Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS)
- Robotics delivery systems
- Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs)
Advantages:
- Reduces human interference
- Improves speed and accuracy
- Saves operation cost in the long run
Industrial Trucks
They are hand- or motor-driven equipment to transport material in a building. They vary from small-sized hand tools to heavy-duty forklifts.
Examples:
- Forklifts
- Pallet jacks
- Hand trucks
- Side loaders
- Order pickers
Benefits:
- Free flow of products
- Reducing workload on personnel
- Combining indoor and outdoor usage
Bulk Material Handling Equipment
Equipment deals with the handling of transport and storage of enormous volumes of bulk materials like coal, grain, or gravel.
Examples:
- Conveyor belts
- Hoppers
- Stackers
- Reclaimers
- Bucket elevators
Benefits
- Applied in loose or loose material
- Increases bulk handling capacity.
- Prevents loss of material
Benefit of Material Handling Equipment
Proper installation of material handling equipment gives a business, industrial or commercial, numerous advantages. These are the most important ones:
- Enhanced Efficiency: Process time automation or material transport streamlining shortens process time and, apart from that, minimizes labour with the assistance of MHE. Extended running can be enabled by systems such as conveyor belts or AGVs without causing fatigue, hence faster processes.
- Enhanced Workplace Safety: Heavy hand-held loads moved around the workplace can be hazardous. MHE, such as pallet jacks, hoists, and forklifts, minimizes instances of strain and accidents to a considerable degree.
- Maximized Use of Space: Mezzanines and racking areas occupy little vertical space while leaving open floor space and offering easy organization.
- Increased Productivity: Employees are able to accomplish more with less effort after being adequately supplied. Processing at higher speeds and less downtime result in an efficient employee workforce.
- Reduced Damage to Products: With suitable material handling equipment, there is minimal risk of mishandling or material drops. This will prevent loss and product quality issues because of damages.
- Cost Saving: While the initial capital outlay on MHE will be high, long-term cost savings on labour, improved throughput, and less damage can mean an enormous cost saving.
Things to Consider When Selecting Material Handling Equipment
Choosing the right equipment requires the measurement of several variables unique to your process. Some of the most important variables to measure are:
- Nature of the Material: Consider the size, weight, fragility, and material type. Hazardous or bulk material can call for special equipment.
- Volume and Frequency: Mechanized equipment works well with bulk volume handling, but low volume handling can cope with manual or semi-manual equipment.
- Facility Layout: Think of the size, shape, and design of the building. Narrow aisles can require the use of equipment like narrow-aisle forklifts.
- Labor Skill Level: If your workforce is not trained to use high-tech equipment, use less sophisticated equipment or train them.
- Budgetary Constraints: Balance your needs with your budget. Generally, the best value is a mixture of automation and manual solutions.
- Scalability and Integration: Install systems that expand with your business or build into existing practices and technology like warehouse management systems (WMS).
MHE Industry Trends
The MHE industry is developing very rapidly. Some of the trends that will shape the future of MHE are:
- Automation and Robotics: More and more companies are implementing robots in their supply chain and production processes.
- Internet of Things (IoT): IoT-enabled MHE can track equipment health, monitor material in real-time, and optimize transport routes in warehouses, making the process more efficient.
- Sustainability: More emphasis on green equipment, such as electric pallet jacks, recyclable products, and energy-efficient machines.
- Ergonomics and Human-Centered Design: Equipment manufacturers now design equipment to provide the ergonomic guidelines to minimize discomfort for operators, decrease fatigue, and avoid injury.
- Modular Systems: Modular material handling systems enable companies to design their equipment to their evolving requirements at minimal new capital investments.
Conclusion
Material handling equipment is not a luxury in logistics—it’s a strategic tool that affects efficiency, safety, and profitability straight away. With all the different types of MHE you have to select from, from basic pallet racks to very complicated automatic systems, there’s something that will suit any company to suit its specialized requirements.
Whether it’s gaining space in your warehouse, expanding your capacity for production, or expanding your logistics capacity, you’re going to need to invest in the correct material handling equipment if you are going to stay current. Look at your present, project it to your future, and apply MHE solutions that will expand along with your company.
