Material Handling Equipments

• Material handling equipment is equipment

that relate to the movement, storage, control
and protection of materials, goods and
products throughout the process of
manufacturing, distribution, consumption and
disposal.
1. MATERIAL TRANSPORTSYSTEMS:

Material transport systems are used in

manufacturing and production environments to take
materials from one location to another. According to
the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA),
material handling is the movement, storage,
protection and control of materials throughout the
manufacturing and distribution process, including
their consumption and disposal.
Types of material handling equipments

• Industrial trucks
• Automated guided vehicles
• Rail-guided vehicles
• Conveyors
• Hoists and cranes
 Types of industrial trucks
1. Industrial trucks: For industrial trucks, these consist of non-powered and powered
categories.

• Hand trucks
• Pallet jacks
• Pallet trucks
• Platform trucks
• Order picker
• Side loader
Hand trucks
Pallet jacks
Pallet trucks
Order picker
Side loader
Non-powered trucks:

Two hand wheel truck Four wheel dolly Hand operated low lift
pallet truck
Powered trucks:

Walkie truck Fork lift truck Towing truck

Automated Guided Vehicles
 Automated Guided Vehicles:
• An Automated Guided Vehicle System (AGVS) uses
independently operated, self-propelled vehicles that are guided
along pre-defined paths, and are powered by means of on-
board batteries.
• AGVS use unobtrusive pathways, unlike rail systems or
conveyors where the pathways are predefined and must be
built into the plant layout.

Three types of vehicles are typically deployed in an AGVS.

• Guided driverless trains:

• Guided pallet trucks:
• Guided unit load carriers:
1. Guided driverless trains:
This consists of a towing vehicle pulling one or more trailer
carts to form a train. It is often used to move heavy payloads
over long distances in warehouses or factories with or without
intermediate pick-up or drop-off points along the route.
2. Guided pallet trucks: The pallet is loaded by the operator who then steers the truck to the
guide-path, and proceeds to programmed its destination. The pallet truck can then move
automatically to its destination for unloading.

3. Guided unit load carriers: Unit load carriers move unit loads from one station to
another. They may be equipped with automatic loading and unloading devices that are built
into the vehicle deck to assist with material handling at each station.
AGVS uses specific types of vehicle guidance technology to achieve operation of the
system.
1. Imbedded guide wires: Electrical wires are placed in a small channel cut in the plant
floor that follows the required path. The buried guide wire is connected to a frequency
generator that produces a low-voltage, low-current frequency signal; this creates a
magnetic field along the pathway that may be followed by two sensors built into the
AGV. Steering of the AGV is controlled by the use of the sensors, and the relative
strength of the magnetic field on each sensor.
2. Paint strips: The AGV can use optical sensors to follow
a painted strip. Strips can be painted, taped or sprayed onto
the floor. One problem is that paint strips wear out over
time. They are particularly advantageous in environments
with high electrical interference, where embedded wires
cannot be used.

3. Self-guided (autonomous) vehicles: The latest AGVS

technology, they operate without continuously defined
pathways. Instead they use a combination of dead
reckoning and beacons located throughout the factory that
can be identified by on-board sensors on the AGV.
Two issues arise with the management and coordination of
unmanned vehicles.

These are: traffic control, and vehicle dispatching. Traffic

control minimizes interference between vehicles and
prevents collisions.

Two systems may be used to achieve these objectives:

on-board vehicle sensing; and zone control.

In a functioning AGVS, vehicles must be dispatched in a

timely manner, as and when they are needed; this can be
done via three different methods:
•on-board control panels;
•remote call stations; and
•central computer control.
3. Rail Guided Vehicles:
• Motorized vehicles that are guided by a fixed rail system
constitute a third category of material transport systems.
• If the system uses just one rail it is called a monorail system;
whereas it can also consist of a two-rail system.
•Monorails typically operate from a suspended position
overhead, while two-rail systems are generally found on the
plant floor.
•Vehicles operate asynchronously and are driven by an on-
board electric motor, with power being supplied by an
electrified rail.
•This removes the necessity of stoppages owing to battery-
power wear-out, as with AGVs, but it presents a new safety
hazard in the form of the electrified rail.
4. Conveyors:
Conveyors are mechanical equipment for moving items or bulk materials
between specific locations over a fixed path. Conveyors are either powered or non-
powered, and they may run in the floor, on the floor, or overhead. Powered conveyors
use a system of chains, belts, rotating rolls, or other devices to propel loads along the
fixed path; while non-powered conveyors are propelled manually by human workers who
push the loads along the fixed path, or by gravity from higher to lower elevations.
Different types of conveyors exist.

1. Roller: Pathway consists of rollers, or cylindrical tubes, perpendicular to the direction

of travel, and contained within a fixed frame that is elevated above the floor. Flat-
bottomed loads, traversing several rollers at once, are moved forward by the turning
motion of the rollers. Loads may be pallets, tote pans, or cartons. The rollers themselves
may be powered or non-powered, with non-powered rollers using the force of gravity to
operate effectively.
2. Skate-wheel: Similar in operation to roller conveyors. Instead of rollers, however, rows
of small skate-like wheels are used to propel the load forward. The load in this case has
more surface contact with the skate wheels, when compared against the roller conveyor,
and so lighter loads are favored. Sometimes built as portable units for light-weight
loading and unloading in logistics stations.

3. Belt: Belt conveyors consist of a belt of reinforced elastomer (rubber) passed, in a

forward loop, over two positional rollers, and returned, to complete the loop, on the other
side of the rollers. One roller is the drive roller that drives the belt; the other roller is
called the idler roller: it is turned by the belt and changes the direction of the belt run,
from forward to return.
4. In-floor towline: Four-wheel carts are powered by chains or cables located in channels
in the floor. The pathway is defined by the direction of the channel and cable, and the cable
is powered by a powered pulley system. It is possible to switch between powered pathways
to achieve flexibility in routing. The carts are connected to the channel cable via pins from
the front of the cart that project down into the channel. It may be released from the cable
for unloading, loading, switching, accumulating parts, and to allow the cart to be moved
manually.
5. Cranes and Hoists: Cranes and hoists are the fifth category of
material transport system.
•Cranes are used for horizontal movement of materials in a facility;
while hoists are used for vertical lifting.

•A crane includes a hoist, which lifts the material, while the crane
part of the mechanism transports the load horizontally to the
desired destination by means of a series of overhead supporting
beams.

•Cranes may be sub-divided into three classes:

•Bridge cranes;
•Gantry cranes;
•Jib cranes.
1. Hoist: Used to raise and lower loads, it consists of one or more fixed pulleys, one
or more moving pulleys, and a rope/chain/cable that connects the pulley system
together. The load is attached to the moving pulley(s) by means of a hook, or other
mechanism. The more pulleys a hoist has, the greater the mechanical advantage it
can display; whereby mechanical advantage is formulated as the ratio of the load
weight to the driving force required to lift the weight. The driving force is applied
either manually, or by electric or pneumatic motor.
Hoists
2. Bridge cranes: Consist of one or two horizontal suspended beams fixed between rails on
either end, the whole structure being held in place by the building structure. The hoist trolley
moves the length of the bridge, while the bridge itself can be moved the length of the rails in
the building. This provides x- and y-axis motion capabilities, whilst the hoist provides z-axis
motions. Vertical lifting is achieved by the hoist, and orthogonal movement by the rail
system along which the hoist trolley travels.
3. Gantry cranes: Distinguished from a bridge crane by the presence of one or two
vertical legs that support the horizontal bridge. The hoist again provides for vertical lifting,
while orthogonal movement is again provided by the rail system, as in the bridge crane
construction. A double gantry crane has two vertical legs; a half-gantry crane has one
vertical leg, with the other part of the crane supported by the building; while a cantilever
gantry has a bridge that extends beyond the span created by the supporting legs.
4. Jib cranes: Consist of a hoist supported on a horizontal beam that is cantilevered from
a vertical column or wall support. The horizontal beam can pivot about the vertical axis
formed by the column or wall support; this provides a horizontal sweep for the crane. This
forms a semi-circular or circular area in which the horizontal beam can move. The
horizontal beam also serves as the track along which the hoist trolley moves. The hoist
provides vertical lift and lower motions.
Storage systems:
Storage systems are used to store materials
related to the product (e.g. raw materials, work-in-
process, finished products, and scrap and rework),
the process (e.g. process refuse, such as process
waste products; and tooling), and the overall support
functions in the factory (e.g. maintenance spare
parts, office supplies, and plant records). Storage
systems can be classified into conventional storage
systems and automated storage systems.
• Raw materials,
• Purchased parts
• Work-in-process,
• Finished products,
• Rework and scrap
• Refuse,
• Tooling
• Maintenance spare parts,
• Office supplies
• Plant records
1. Storage system performance
2. Storage location strategies
1. Storage system performance

1.Storage capacity
2.Storage density
3.Accessibility
4.System throughput
5.Utilization
6.Reliability
 2. Storage location strategies
• Randomized storage
• Dedicated storage
– Items are stored in part numbers or product
number sequence
– Items are stored according to activity level
– Items are stored according to their activity-to-
space ratio.
 Conventional Storage:
1. Bulk storage
2. Rack systems
3. Shelves and bins
4. Drawer storage
4. Automated storage
 1. Bulk storage
Bulk storage using pallet trucks and powered forklifts: Used for the storage of
stock in an open floor area, generally in unit loads on pallets or similar containers.
Unit loads may be stacked on top of each other to achieve higher storage densities.
Highest densities achieved when unit loads placed next to each other, but the
formation of rows and blocks in bulk storage can also improve accessibility.
Depending on the materials being stacked, there may be restrictions on how high
they can be loaded; sometimes materials cannot be stacked owing to physical
characteristics or limited compressive strength of the individual loads.
Bulk storage

• High density
•Low accessibility
•Low possible cost per square foot
 2. Rack systems

• Cantilever racks
• Portable rack
• Drive through racks
• Flow through racks
 Rack systems
• Low cost
• Good storage density
• Good accessibility
1. Cantilever rack
2. Portable rack
3. Drive through racks
4. Flow through racks
3. Shelves and Bins
 3. Shelves and Bins
• Some storage items not clearly visible

• Storage of individual items in shelves.

• Storage of commodity items in bins.
4. Drawer storage
 4. Drawer storage
• Small tools
• Small stock items
• Repair parts

• Relatively high cost.

• Good accessibility
 5. Automated Storage Systems

Automation—when applied to storage systems—tends to minimize

human interaction with the storage function; this, in turn, requires
an examination of the level of automation that may be required for
a particular storage system, and the methods of application that
must be used to achieve a successful amalgamation of storage
capabilities, coupled to automation processes.

Less automated systems, still with a considerable level of human

interaction (for example, to handle storage/retrieval transactions),
may also be utilized.
 Objective of automating storage
system
• To increase storage capacity
• To increase storage density
• To increase safety in the storage function
• To improve stock over inventories.
• To reduce labor cost and/or increase labor
productivity in storage operation.
• To recover factory floor space presently used
for storage work-in-process.
Automated storage can be divided
into the following headings:
• Automated storage/retrieval systems,
• Carousel storage systems.
1. Automated Storage/Retrieval Systems: An automated
storage/retrieval system (AS/RS) is a storage system that
performs storage and retrieval operations with speed and
accuracy under a defined degree of automation. Different levels
of automation may be applied. At one extreme, the AS/RS is
completely automated. This can include a full compliment of
totally automated, computer-controlled storage functions that
are integrated into overall factory or warehouse operations. The
basic equipment of the AS/RS include a rack structure used for
storing loads, plus a storage/retrieval (S/R) mechanism with
three dimensions of motion (x, y, z). Additionally, the AS/RS
maintains one or more storage aisles that are serviced by the S/R
mechanism. The S/R mechanism is used to deliver materials to
the storage racks and to retrieve materials from the racks.
 Different types of AS/RS systems:
1. Unit load AS/RS
2. Deep-lane AS/RS
3. Mini-load AS/RS
4. Man-on-board AS/RS
5. Automated item retrieval system
6. Vertical lift storage modules(VLSM)
Different types of AS/RS systems:

1. Unit load AS/RS: A large automated system designed to handle unit loads stored on
pallets or other containers. Computer-controlled, with automated S/R customized for unit
load handling. Basic form of AS/RS, with all those below being variations of this initial
type.
2. Deep-lane AS/RS: High-density unit load storage system. Used with large
quantities of stock, but where the number of separate stock types (SKUs) is
relatively small. Loads are stored one behind another, with up to ten loads
in a single rack, in the deep-lane system. Access is ensured by the ‘flow-
through’ system, whereby loads are input on one side of the rack by an S/R
machine, and retrieved on the other side by another S/R machine.
3. Mini-load AS/RS: Used to handle small loads that are
contained in bins or drawers in the storage system. The S/R
machine retrieves the bin and delivers it to a P&D station at
the aisle’s end, so that individual items may be withdrawn. The
P&D station is usually operated manually. The bin is then
returned to its location in the storage system.
4. Man-on-board AS/RS: In this
system a human operator rides
on the carriage of the S/R
machine, so as to allow for the
manual retrieval of items
directly from their storage
locations. This allows for
increases in system
throughput.
5. Automated item retrieval system: Have the same functionalities as mini-load
AS/RS, but the items are stored in lanes rather than bins or drawers. When an item is
retrieved, it is pushed from its storage position so that it drops onto a conveyor for
delivery to the pickup station. Replenishment of the storage system is accomplished
using a first-in/first-out inventory rotation policy.
6. Vertical lift storage modules(VLSM)
2. Carousel storage systems: A carousel storage system consists of a series of bins
or baskets suspended from an overhead chain conveyor that revolves around a long
oval rail system. The purpose of the chain conveyor is to position bins at a load/un
load station at the end of the oval. Carousels can be classified as horizontal or
vertical. Carousels at the upper end of the range have higher storage density, but the
average access cycle time is greater. Accordingly most carousels are 10-16m long to
achieve a proper balance between these competing factors.

A horizontal carousel storage system consists of welded steel frame work that
supports the oval rail system. The carousel van be either an overhead system or a
floor-mounted system. In top driven unit, a motorized pulley system is mounted at
the top of the frame work and drives an overhead trolley system. The bins are
suspended from the trolleys.

A vertical carousel are constructed to operate around a vertical conveyor loop.

They occupy much less floor space than the horizontal configuration but require
sufficient overhead space. The ceiling of the building limits the height of vertical
carousels, and therefore their storage capacity is typically lower than for the average
horizontal carousel.
Horizontal carousel storage system
Vertical carousel storage system