Back

Different Types of Material-Handling Equipment

May. 30 2022 Buying Guide By Manor Home Center

Share

Many different businesses and companies make daily use of material-handling equipment (or MHE) for handling bulk materials safely and efficiently. Manufacturing, agriculture, construction, distribution, and landscaping are just a few of the industries that use this equipment on a regular basis.

All MHE is designed to either protect, store, control, or transport various materials in warehouses, factories, and other industrial areas. When shopping for material-handling equipment, it’s important to know what types are available so that you can choose the right equipment for your specific needs. This guide should help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Storage & Handling

Whenever material isn’t being used, it needs to be stored or held by some system. This need is most common at the beginning and the end of a production process to improve efficiency. Storage & handling equipment may be used on a short-term or a long-term basis. It is not typically automated. Examples include: 

  • Shelves, bins, or drawers, which are very basic forms of storage for keeping materials separated and organized.
  • Mezzanines, which are indoor raised platforms that keep material off the floor and save space.
  • Stacking frames, which are stackable pieces of storage equipment that save space and keep material organized.
  • Racks, which could be sliding, pallet, push-back, drive-through, or drive-in racks. Racks save space and keep materials accessible.

Automated Systems

These systems are entirely automated to assist in storing and transporting materials, and they’re made up of several units. The most common type is an Automated Storage and Retrieval System. Other types include: 

  • Conveyor systems, which use wheels, belts, and rollers to maneuver materials around a facility, and these come in various styles.
  • Robotic delivery systems, which are automated systems that generally move goods on an assembly line.
  • Automated guided vehicles, which are computer-operated trucks that don’t require someone to maneuver them. They follow predetermined paths with sensors and detectors.

Industrial Trucks or Forklifts

These vehicles may be small or large, and they may be operator-controlled or automated. The main purpose of industrial trucks and forklifts is to transport materials. They come in either stacking or non-stacking designs. Some examples of these vehicles include: 

  • Pallet jacks, which are the most basic forklift style for moving items around a warehouse in either a manual or powered fashion.
  • Walking stackers, which work similarly to a forklift by lifting and moving materials, but they don’t have an operator cab.
  • Order pickers, which lift an operator up high off the ground so they can get materials off high shelves.
  • Sideloaders, which are narrow vehicles that fit into small aisles, picking up materials from different directions.
  • Hand trucks, also called dollies, which are small handled platforms that can be tilted to facilitate the loading and unloading of materials as they’re walked around a facility.

Bulk Material Handling

This is the equipment which controls, stores, and transports bulk materials in a loose form. Some materials in this category might include foods, liquids, minerals, beverages, or chemicals. Examples of bulk material handling equipment include:

  • Conveyor belts, which use pulleys or drums to rotate a smooth belt that transports material across a facility.
  • Stackers, which are automated pieces of equipment that move items from one point to another.
  • Hoppers, which are funnel-shaped structures that pour material into containers. They have a means of closing their opening so that they can hold material until it’s time to release it.
  • Silos, which are large structures that you’ll often see on farms, but they may also be used in an industrial capacity to contain various loose materials, such as grain, woodchips, food, coal, or sawdust.
  • Grain/Bucket Elevators, which move and store materials on a production pathway.
  • Reclaimers, which are large machines that pick materials from a stockpile.

When you’re ready to check out some new and used material-handling equipment in person, visit our dealership in Oakland, MD, to see what we have to offer. Our staff can also assist you with equipment financing options on your purchase. Manor Home Center serves our customers in Garrett County, MD, and Morgantown, WV.