The right material handling equipment can make your and your employees’ lives much easier by improving efficiency, increasing productivity, and saving money. Depending on the material you’re handling, you’ll have to find the best way to get work done! Below are a few tips on choosing the right material handling equipment.
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Right Equipment for the Job
Every material calls for a different handling technique, and there is specific equipment to handle every material. It would help if you asked certain questions, like- what one has to do with the material. How sensitive is the material? How often it needs to be handled? How will the material be stored or processed?
The nature of the goods also needs to be considered- are they chemicals or perishables? What form are the materials in palletized, on spools, or in some other format? Knowing the needs of your material will help you make the best choice of material handling equipment. For instance, reach trucks are more appropriate for picking up pallets or cases, whereas order pickers are used when materials need to be picked individually.
2. Function of the material and Space available
Three main functions are served by material handling equipment-
- Handling bulk materials: Equipment like trucks, silos, elevators, drums, and conveyors are mostly required for handling bulk materials as these can help in moving, manipulating, and processing your materials, especially when you hold bulk materials by the piece.
- Storing material: If you need to keep materials for long periods and not move frequently, investing in materials like shelving, racks, pallets, and containers would be sensible.
- Using Automation: Invest in automated materials for easier movement and processing. This will also help you save time, space, and money.
While buying equipment, your facility’s space also needs to be considered. The rack type, tack aisle width, and ceiling height will determine the equipment you can use. Costs can increase if the space in which operations are to be held is narrower.
3. Processing and Customization Needs
The processing and customization of your materials will dictate the kind of equipment you need. If the manufacturing process requires many moving parts, such as processes for filling drums, totes, or other containers, conveyors with scales for weighing materials, or high-speed methods for packaging materials, then heavy-duty equipment would be required. Regular maintenance would be necessary to keep the equipment in top running condition. Investing in an automated system will allow you to make different kinds of customizations at various stages from start to finish, even post-sales.
4. Safety Measures
Depending on the kind of work, you would be required to train your workers and provide them with proper equipment to handle specialized processes or heavy materials daily. Familiarising them with the maintenance of equipment will also help prevent accidents. It has been noted that worker injuries can be prevented by heavy lifting equipment and boosting productivity. Optimum Handling Solutions is your one-stop-shop for lifting,
shifting & stacking needs! With a wide range of ergonomic material handling equipment from Loaded Lift Table to Pallet Gate to Scissor Lift Tables and Mezzanine Safety Gate, Optimum Handling Solutions have everything to make your needs to lift, position, tilt, rotate, and transfer faster, safer, and easier.
