Material Handling Equipment

Cost saving and better customer experience are fundamental to business success. Every business is unique and requires unique solutions. In the manufacturing and distribution industry, companies are now swapping conventional methods with modern solutions. Your warehouse layout is one of the key factors to increase productivity and save overheads. If you are building a new warehouse or updating an old storage facility, you must also consider acquiring the right material handling equipment. Everything should be tailored to your business needs and facility specifications.

Manual systems may have their own perks; for instance, they are low-priced compared to automated or semi-automated material handling systems. Consider all the options available and obviously the budget you have for equipment you need to manage your warehouse handling equipment and materials moving. Get the best for your workspace.

Do not forget to consider the following factors while choosing material handling systems for your business.

Warehouse Layout:
Infrastructure of the building matters a lot while selecting the equipment for moving the materials from one spot to another. You cannot use cranes or hoists in a facility with a low-level ceiling. Floor capacity is another restricting factor that makes certain equipment preferable to others.

Nature of Materials:
The selection of equipment material handling also depends on the properties of the material – solid, liquid, gas, fragile or toxic, etc. Another important consideration here is the size, weight and shape of the materials to be moved. Moreover, check the center of gravity of the load that can lead to the preliminary elimination of various equipment under review.

Types of Operations:
What material handling technology you need is also subjected to the nature of operations. Whether the workflow is continuous or intermittent, whether your handling requirements are permanent or temporary, also the material flow pattern is horizontal or vertical. All these aspects will greatly influence the decision of getting the right material handling tools and equipment.

Production Flow:
Your production flow could be fairly constant or variable. Depending on this factor, when the flow is fixed between two positions, fixed equipment like chutes or conveyors are the right choices. However, if the flow is more likely to be changed from one point to another as in case of logistics and supply chain with bulk material handling, moving equipment would be preferable such as trucks and dock loaders.

Engineering Factors:
The selection of material handling systems also depends on various engineering factors such as floor space and condition, doors and ceiling dimensions, supporting columns, and structural strength of your storage facility. It will help you determine the way you can lift and move the load, platform size you need, and what kind of power supply will be needed.

Cost Consideration:
It is one of the most important factors that will help you narrow the range of suitable tools and equipment for moving materials. Several equipment will be capable of handling the same type and load, but differ in quality and cost. Initial investment and maintenance costs are the prime elements to be considered before making a final decision.

Equipment Reliability:
Be it a fixed-path or variable-path equipment, consider reliability as a core factor. Moreover, supplier reputation and terms of his after-sale services also plays a vital role in getting the right and affordable material handling equipment in Warehouse.

Bottom line:
Make the most rational and affordable decision with the most appropriate choice that will best serve your material handling needs.

Contact MWI Solutions to see what automated material handling systems are available to help your manufacturing and distribution business thrive. We design and engineer our systems perfectly customized to your business needs and specifications.