Material handling equipment involves all those equipment that are used during the storage, transportation, control and protection of goods, materials, and products throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution, and disposal. Their main purpose is to control costs, enhance throughput, and maximize productivity.
Material handling as an industry involves different stages like planning, organizing, application, etc. Material handling equipment involves equipment and its supporting structures, rigging devices, and auxiliary equipment. They include
platform trucks and inventory handling systems like conveyors, sorters,
ladders, storage racks, shelving systems and carousels.
Types of Material Handling Equipment
The aim of material handling equipment is movement and storage of material within a facility or at a site. They can be classified into the following major types.
Transport Equipment: These equipment are used to move material from one place to other. Main types of transport equipment includes conveyors, cranes, and industrial trucks.
Positioning Equipment: Those equipment that are used to handle or adjust materials at a single location in order to use for subsequent handling, transport, or storage. Positioning equipment, unlike transport equipment, is used for handling at a single workplace.
Storage Equipment: These equipment are used for storing materials over a period of time. Some storage equipment may include the transport of materials.