Material handling equipment is the heart and soul of the logistics and supply chain management process. It is systematic solutions that govern all the equipment involved in a product life cycle from the very first manufacturing phase till the last phase that is dispatch or delivery of the product to the market or the consumer.
The material handling equipment is classified based on the phases and domains in which they are used for example the equipment that is responsible for handling heavy materials or multiple things at the same time are all classified under bulk material handling type.
Bulk Material Handling Equipment
All the material handling equipment that are involved in handling and operating heavy materials and those which are used to deal with multiple goods at the same time are all classified as bulk material handling equipment.
- Conveyor Belts
Conveyor belts are motor-operated belts that form a complete conveyor system. They are used to move and swirl around the heavy material that cannot be rolled over in and out. They are usually placed in warehouses for loading and unloading the trucks packing up the goods for shipment and arrival from the manufacturing department.
- Reclaimers
Reclaimers are part of the whole conveyor system. They are the hook-like system that is used to lift the goods and place them on the conveyor belt so that they can be moved to the destined place.
- Stackers
Stackers are semi-automated truck lifters. They are used to lift heavy materials and to place them on the shelves in the warehouse or even in the display centers like showrooms etc.
- Bucket Elevators
More commonly known as Grain Leg, bucket elevators are motorized lifters that are used to elevate heavy materials for transportation. They can also be operated manually by human sources.
- Silos
Silos are the best storage equipment specified for storing agricultural products and food-related items. Although silos are also used for storing blocks of cement and wooden goods too.
- Hoppers
Hoppers are funnel-like material handling equipment that is used to contain the products and goods that are to slide down on the ground from the top placement or shelves.
- Grain Elevators
As the name indicates, grain elevators are specified for handling and lifting large grains of raw material most of the time. The bulk amount of grain products can be lifted and moved easily using grain elevators.
Modern Industrial Trucks
Industrial trucks are all sorts of material handling equipment that are responsible for delivery and dispatch most of the time.
- Pallet Jacks
Famous pallet trucks are used to transport material and goods that are stacked up on the pallets.
- Walkie Stackers
Walkie stackers are a modern and automated form of pallet jacks. They are used for the same functionality but they possess a motorized automated functionality.
- Hand Trucks
As the name indicates, hand trucks are simple two or three wheels trolley that is used to move manufacturing material and other goods. They are operated manually with hands.
- Platform Trucks
Platform trucks are used to move and deliver small products and goods but in the bulk. They are easily stacked on the plate inside and handled with care.
- AGV
AGV is intelligent automated robot machines that are used by large-scale industries to locate the wires and marks around the warehouse. They help in moving the goods by guiding the trucks about the routes.
- Sideloader
Sideloader is the trucks that are loaded from the sides rather than back. They are used to carry some specified goods.
- Order Picker
Order pickers are heavy version trucks of Walkie stackers and they are used for lifting heavy goods and materials to the height of 30 feet. They are used to place the goods on large shelves.