Material Handling Industry

Material Handling is the movement, storage, control and protection of materials, goods and products throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution, consumption and disposal. The focus is on the methods, mechanical equipment, systems and related controls used to achieve these functions. The material handling industry manufactures and distributes the equipment and services required to implement material handling systems. Material handling systems range from simple pallet

Pallet

A pallet , sometimes called a skid, is a flat transport structure that supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, pallet jack, front loader or other jacking device. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load which allows handling and storage efficiencies...

 rack and shelving projects, to complex conveyor belt

Conveyor belt

A conveyor belt consists of two or more pulleys, with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the material on the belt forward. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley...

 and Automated Storage and Retrieval System

Automated Storage and Retrieval System

An automated storage and retrieval system consists of a variety of computer-controlled methods for automatically placing and retrieving loads from specific storage locations...

s (AS/RS). Material handling can also consist of sorting and picking as well as automatic guided vehicles.

Material Handling Equipment

This topic is discussed in greater detail in the Material handling equipment

Material handling equipment

Material handling equipment is all equipment that relates to the movement, storage, control and protection of materials, goods and products throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution, consumption and disposal...

 article.

Material Handling System in Flexible Manufacturing

The material handling system (MHS) is a fundamental part of a Flexible Manufacturing system since it interconnects the different processes supplying and taking out raw material, workpieces, subproducts, parts and final products. Due to the automated nature of the whole production process, the MHS must respond in concert with timeliness for all requirements of the processes and systems.

The MHS is composed of warehouses, buffers, conveyors, transportation vehícles or systems, part sorters, feeders and manipulators.

See also

• Overhead crane
  Overhead crane
  An overhead crane, commonly called a bridge crane, is a type of crane found in industrial environments. An overhead crane consists of parallel runways with a traveling bridge spanning the gap...
  
  
• Carton flow
  Carton flow
  Carton flow is a form of shelving that uses a gravity feed rear load design. Each unit consists of one or more inclined runways.Merchandise is loaded in the rear of each runway...
  
  
• Derrick
  Derrick
  A derrick is a lifting device composed of one tower, or guyed mast such as a pole which is hinged freely at the bottom. It is controlled by lines powered by some means such as man-hauling or motors, so that the pole can move in all four directions. A line runs up it and over its top with a hook on...
  
  
• Forklift truck
  Forklift truck
  A forklift is a powered industrial truck used to lift and transport materials. The modern forklift was developed in the 1920s by various companies including the transmission manufacturing company Clark and the hoist company Yale & Towne Manufacturing...
  
  
• Mezzanine (architecture)#Industrial mezzanines
• Warehouse
  Warehouse
  A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
  
  
• Jervis B. Webb Company
  Jervis B. Webb Company
  Jervis B. Webb Company is a global company that designs, engineers, installs and supports integrated material handling systems such as baggage handling systems, Automatic Guided Vehicles , conveyor systems and Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems...