Material-handling equipment
Material handling equipment (MHE) is mechanical equipment used for the movement, storage, control, and protection of materials, goods and products throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution, consumption, and disposal.[1] The different types of equipment can be classified into four major categories:[2] transport equipment, positioning equipment, unit load formation equipment, and storage equipment.
Positioning equipment[edit]
Positioning equipment is used to handle material at a single location. It can be used at a workplace to feed, orient, load/unload, or otherwise manipulate materials so that are in the correct position for subsequent handling, machining, transport, or storage. As compared to manual handling, the use of positioning equipment can raise the productivity of each worker when the frequency of handling is high, improve product quality and limit damage to materials and equipment when the item handled is heavy or awkward to hold and damage is likely through human error or inattention, and can reduce fatigue and injuries when the environment is hazardous or inaccessible.[10] In many cases, positioning equipment is required for and can be justified by the ergonomic requirements of a task. Examples of positioning equipment include lift/tilt/turn tables, hoists, balancers, manipulators, and industrial robots. Manipulators act as “muscle multipliers” by counterbalancing the weight of a load so that an operator lifts only a small portion (1%) of the load's weight, and they fill the gap between hoists and industrial robots: they can be used for a wider range of positioning tasks than hoists and are more flexible than industrial robots due to their use of manual control.[11] They can be powered manually, electrically, or pneumatically, and a manipulator's end-effector can be equipped with mechanical grippers, vacuum grippers, electromechanical grippers, or other tooling.
Engineered systems[edit]
Engineered systems are automated solutions designed to streamline and optimize material handling processes.[14] An automatic storage/retrieval system (AS/RS) is an integrated computer-controlled storage system that combines storage medium, transport mechanism, and controls with various levels of automation for fast and accurate random storage of products and materials.[15]
Identification and Control Equipment[edit]
Equipment used to collect and communicate the information that is used to coordinate the flow of materials within a facility and between a facility and its suppliers and customers. The identification of materials and associated control can be performed manually with no specialized equipment.[16]