Material handling equipment is an all-encompassing term that is often used to classify mechanical equipment that is used for the control, movement and storage of materials and products. Such equipment can be used in many types of environments including manufacturing plants, distribution centers, warehouses, medical facilities and even retail outlets.
The number one objective of heavy-duty material-handling equipment is to reduce the amount of manual handling that otherwise would be required. Excessive amounts of manual handling typically lead to user fatigue which has a direct effect on production efficiency. Manual handling also carries a risk of injury, leading to employee sick days and possible litigation issues.
An investment in heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment will increase the speed and effectiveness of any company’s production processes. Casters and wheels play a huge part in many types of material-handling equipment.
Conveyors
You will find conveyor systems in high volume handling production environments. A conveyor system is typically used where production items are moved along a fixed, defined path that is part of a single process, or multiple processes. Conveyors can be used for the transportation of multiple items to where they are needed, or the removal of waste items or items that are required to be recycled.
There are of course many different types of conveyor systems, and conveyors can be installed that can easily handle heavy-duty tasks. Most people are under the impression that conveyors are a fixed part of a company’s production process, but that is not necessarily the case. Many conveyor systems can be rendered portable by the addition of casters and wheels. This allows conveyors to be used within multiple areas inside a production facility – wherever they might be of use. Conveyors can also be installed with leveling feet for extra stability if they are only designed to be moved on an infrequent basis.
For reliable conveyors, we recommend the equipment we can supply you from Omni Metalcraft Corp. This company can provide businesses with a high standard of heavy-duty conveyors and other items, including transverse roller top plastic conveyor belts that are perfect for heavy-duty applications. Omni Metalcraft Corp. can also supply you with chain-driven live roller conveyors that are powered, hence providing you with an efficient way of moving bulky items around your warehouse.
Powered Heavy-Duty Material-Handling Equipment
The range of possible heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment is quite extensive, and can encompass:
- Fork lift trucks
- Side loaders
- Pallet lifts
- Trucks and carts
Such devices are generally used to transport heavy or bulky items or pieces of equipment that otherwise would be difficult to move via manual handling. Unlike a conveyed system, powered heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment can be used to transport an item from any point A to any point B, including lifting items to higher stacking areas in order to make full use of the space that a production facility has at its disposal.
Powered heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment is typically found in use within large-scale distribution centers and warehouses.
The main downside of this type of equipment is that they tend to be expensive. Cheaper options include semi-powered handling equipment items which are designed to aid with lifting but not with transportation. For example, several types of ‘walk-behind’ fork-lifts are little more than portable, manually-handled hydraulic lifts. They are designed to be used for the placement of items on storage units that would otherwise be impossible to reach without excessive amounts of manual handling.
The majority of powered heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment items use wheels and casters. Examples include rollers, trolley carts and fork-lift units.
For powered heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment we are happy to recommend Presto Lifts. Their distinctive, orange-colored powered items (including fork lifts and walk behinds) have proven invaluable at warehouses throughout the country for countless years!
Manual Heavy-Duty Material-Handling Equipment
Even though manual material-handling equipment items are designed to be used by hand, there is no reason why such items cannot be made suitable for heavy-duty use as long as they are adequately designed. Trolley and hand trucks can bear sizable loads if they are designed and manufactured properly, making them able to shift large and bulky items such as furniture or heavy equipment. The only downside of manual heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment is that they have to be operated manually, however, because of this such items are frequently much less expensive than their powered counterparts.
Manual pallet lifts use casters and wheels, for example, mounted beneath the equipment which allows manual operators to maneuver a pallet into position. The pallet is then lifted, usually via the use of a hydraulic pump or jack. Such items are used for light duty jobs because they are manually powered and controlled. For more labor-intensive tasks, powered heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment is usually required.
When it comes to manual heavy-dutymaterial-handling equipment at Douglas Equipment we’re always happy to endorse the products manufactured by Wesco. This long-established company manufactures a wide range of manual handling equipment, including pallet jacks, hand trucks, platform dollies and much more.
Douglas Equipment Always Here to Lend You a Helping Hand
Here at Douglas Equipment we work with our clients in a multitude of business sectors, most of whom use heavy-duty material handing equipment in one form or another. Our service staff has years of experience in advising companies and businesses about which type of material-handlingequipment is the most suitable for their needs. We can assist in your purchase of new equipment, and also offer our recommendations in order for you to obtain the items that are the most necessary for your continued success.
You can contact us at Douglas Equipmentany time – either online via our contact page or via telephone at 800-451-0030, or 305-888-3700 if you are based in the South Florida area. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
