All You Need to Know about Conveyors

When you hear the term conveyor in the material handling industry, you might easily turn to the conveyor belts. However, there might be some things that you need to learn more about this specific aspect of the manufacturing processes. For that, here is an overview of what are called conveyors.

First of all, the conveyor belt which can also be reversible as belt conveyor. This is a system that is made up of two pulleys or more that operates in a consistent loop, allowing the so-called to rotate incessantly. Both the belt and the material it holds are pulled forward as one or all of the pulleys are powered. In the mechanism, drive and idler pulley are used to call the powered and unpowered pulleys, respectively. While generally still meant for the material handling industry, the belt conveyor has two industrial classes in which it is divided; general material handling and bulk material handling. The difference lies on the type of materials that it handles. With the general material handling belt conveyors mainly operating for factory purposes while the ones for bulk material handling are meant for agricultural materials at most such as ores, grain and coal.

Now, you should know that when the term conveyor is used, it does not necessarily refer to the conveyor belt automatically. Instead, the conveyor belt is only a part of the broad subject that is the conveyor. The conveyor belt mainly refers to the surface in which the materials are loaded to be transported. Otherwise, these conveyor belts can also be used for driving rollers.

As for conveyors, these are typically devalued aspects in the manufacturing operations. It has several important terms under it that you may want to learn in order to call yourself a true professional in the field of material handling and distribution.

With the conveyor belt out of the way, first there is the slide bed conveyor.  These are conveyor systems that have belts slid over the bed. With its composition, it exhibits a bit of friction. This makes it highly suitable for handling materials that come in very light weights. Then, there is also the liver roller conveyor which makes use of power rollers in moving its load. These rollers can either be driven via belt – allowing the rollers to slip - or chain – allowing for a more positive traction.  

The roller bed conveyor, on the other hand, as the name easily suggests, has built-in rollers on the conveyor bed. This lessens the fiction produced since the conveyor belt moves over the rollers. Through this, you can expect to have more efficiency. At the same time though, you should be prepared for a significant investment since it tends to be more expensive than other conveyors. Last but not the least, there is also the gravity conveyor. As the name suggests, gravity plays a major part in the operation of this conveyor system.

Now, you have learned quite a bit more about conveyors. With that, you have understood more about the material handling industry.

All about the Equipment for Material Handling

The term material handling is associated with the distribution and manufacturing industry as well as some others that relate to a process of moving, storing, controlling and protecting materials. Actually, apart from materials, it can also involve goods and other products and the material handling process can be of varying nature such as consumption, retail or disposal. With that, you would realize that there is a broad range as to what the term entails. In that respect, however, the idea of the process remains the same, whereas, the focus can be directed on the systems and equipment used to achieve the function within a warehouse setting.

What is Material Handling Equipment?

While most people would probably know what the examples of this equipment are, you might not have a clear definition of them. Straightforwardly, these can be defined through the very definition of material handling. It is the equipment concerned in the process of moving, storing, controlling and protecting materials. These are mechanical implements that work for the efficient and orderly execution of the processes within the warehouse operations.  There are actually four categories in which the equipment can be divided into. These are engineered systems, industrial trucks, storage & handling equipment and bulk material handling.

• Engineered Systems – refer to the material handling systems that are commonly pre-engineered to serve for the specific needs of the material handling operations to use them. Some examples would be conveyor systems as well as handling robots. Generally, these are automated material handling systems that integrate various products into one comprehensive system. 

• Industrial trucks – These are perhaps the most commonly known material handling equipment.  They are commonly referred to as motorize warehouse vehicles. While the varying types commonly has the same purpose, most differ in the way they are powered – by gasoline, diesel, Propane or electrically. They can be seen as the simplest but these industrial trucks are highly appreciated for being one of the most versatile material handling equipment there is with the forklift truck as the primary example. Others include tow tractors and stock chasers. Their versatility is derived from the variety of materials from which they are made and the many attachments that are available for them.

• Storage and handling equipment – These are practically the most basic needs in the material handling industry, comprised of the non-automated elements in the material handling processes. Included here are the pallet racks, carts and shelving.

• Bulk material handling – This takes in the material handling equipment meant for handling materials in great quantity. Used to carry and move ores, crops, liquids and others as such, these are commonly seen used in environments such as mines, shipyards and farms. 

While these are the four main categories, there are other forms that can be easily considered as specific forms of material handling equipment. Being acquainted with all of them will be to your benefit since it will help you discover a lot of other potential material handling systems that can fit your specific needs in your business.  

Finding the Right Conveyor System

It might be a tad easier for those who have long been in the manufacturing and material distribution industry but finding the most ideal conveyor system is something that you can expect to be quite a confusing task. Albeit, even seasoned managers and planners get through a lot of trouble before ultimately stumbling into the right choice, there is a great reason to exert a lot of effort into it.

It is unfortunate that in most cases, conveyors are often devalued and are seen as optional equipment instead of an actual need. This is proven by the fact that they are often considered last when warehouse or distribution center proceeds to purchase its necessary elements. This subsequently leads to becoming the last ones to be bought. This is not ideal since, then, the initial acquisition cost for them is not assessed early. Therefore it might cause a conflict with the overall budget set for the purchase of the equipment needed. At that, choosing and purchasing a conveyor system should be one of the primary emphases to acknowledge. While as said before, it can be an overwhelming undertaking, here is how it can be a handled more smoothly.

The initial thing to do is to consider the specific requirements of one’s operations. You should be aware that regardless of the scale of your operations, you can find a system that can fit your exact needs appropriately. Whether the application required is simple or complex one’s personal needs is the best focus to start with along with some characteristics.

Adaptability

For adaptability, there are three things to look into, the conveyor system’s modularity, flexibility and scalability. At that, it should have components, modules and other features that are pre-engineered so that they are easier for you to configure. Also, it should be able to accommodate varying material sizes and quantities. Lastly, for whatever change that you might have in the future, it should be extendable or reconfigurable.

Reliability

The system should be able to withstand long years of operation in order to prove its reliability. Moreover, it should also exhibit the ease for maintenance. This will ensure that the number of repairs that the system will be in need of will be limited.

Safety

The conveyor system must have features that benefit the safety of the people who operate them. Apart from the additional components of safety for the workforce, though, it should also have the right ergonomics for the environment in which it is intended to be use.

Energy Efficiency

This does not only relate to the energy you save but the ultimate impact that you will make in the environment. Remember that it is always ideal to have an eco-friendly operation as it also keeps your people’s health in check.

Cost-efficiency

This answers the questions as to how your achievement of the previous aspects compare to the expenses that you have garnered. Remember that while achieving a good operation is the goal, you should not compromise in securing an affordable investment for your conveyor system.

Four Things You Should Secure in a Conveyor System

In the manufacturing industry, you would certainly have a lot of intricate matters to think about before you can expect to have your operations to run smoothly. The processes that you would be handling will require great efficiency, throughput and not to mention optimum safety for your people. In that respect, you will need to take advantage of the most advanced and reliable technologies made available today. With your business involved in retail, material distribution or warehousing, what you need is the most reliable material handling systems in the market. This is something that you should not miss in order to call yourself a true professional in the field. With that, one of the systems that you should be taking into consideration is a conveyor system.

Assuming that you have just started, there is enough reason for you to be confused as to how you should go about choosing among the available conveyor systems. In fact, even seasoned professionals in warehouse and distribution centers may not find it so easy to choose their own conveyor system. There are series of issues encountered in trying to find the perfect material handling system but that does not mean that you should be discouraged on your planned venture. To make it easier for you, here are some of the most important things that you should be looking for in your conveyor system.

Flexibility – There is always a benefit in taking advantage of versatility and conveyor systems with such a trait is just as beneficial. With a flexible conveyor system, you can have the benefit of processing various products of different sizes and quantities. This is especially beneficial with regards to today’s demands, whereas, the throughput requirements constantly change.

• Safety – Evidently, safety is something that you can never devalue. Despite the intricate equipment and systems that you may have human interaction remains relevant to keep your operations functioning orderly. Of course, throughout these processes, you must never compromise the safety of your manpower. Otherwise, you will not only have to face the liabilities that follow, you will also lose the confidence of the people that are vital to the productivity of your facility.

• Reliability – You need to make sure that, whatever conveyor system you decide with, it can serve you for a long period of time. There are many conveyor systems that can withstand the test of time while there are others that can prove to be quite the waste of investment. Of course, you must steer clear of the latter at all costs.

• Maintainability – This is practically connected with the previous aspect given. Conveyor systems are only tools and cannot be expected to last forever. However, this does not mean that you should settle for anything. Find those that are easier to maintain so that you can make use of them for much longer.   

Essentially, these four given aspects of good conveyor systems allow for a much lengthier longevity for your material handling business. There are other important features that you should look for in a conveyor system. Get to know them and you can have your self the most efficient material handling operations.

An Overview of Pallet Racks

Are you planning to get into the material handling business? Of course, just like any venture, you would need to be well-informed before charging into your plans. You might be going into the manufacturing, distribution or warehousing industry, all of which is highly concerned with keeping materials stocked and controlled within one place and moved to another. In any case, you would do well to learn all the important elements in detail. To start off your fact-finding for material handling and storage, here is what you should know about pallet racks.

The pallet rack is one of the essential aid systems in material handling storage. The concept is to use pallets, also known as skids, to store materials in a warehouse setting.  Despite the fact that different types of pallet racking systems exist, the main idea remains the same where pallet-stockpiled materials are stored horizontally with multiple levels. The use of the pallet rack system is integrated with the use of forklifts. It is through the fork trucks that the pallets are loaded, unloaded and moved to and fro the racks to be stored or taken for shipment. It has long been a typical storage practice for distribution facilities, retail centers, storage depositories, modern warehouses, manufacturing facilities and many others.

Now, in most manufacturing plant and warehouses, the demand for what is called heavy duty pallet racking has become commonplace. You should be aware that in the modern times today, it is apparent for warehousing facilities to bring in heavier materials in higher densities. To manage heavy loads as such, you will most definitely need heavy duty pallet racks.

Just as the average pallet rack, a heavy duty pallet rack’s purpose is to contain pallets or loads with the main difference being that heavier items can be handled through this specific pallet rack type. This is because these heavy duty pallet racks are commonly manufactured from highly durable steel piping that is made sturdier with cast iron netting. This secures safety when handling heavy loads of materials. Moreover, the racks are made easier to access with both sides open, making it easier to grab and store pallets.

Now, here are some specific types of heavy-duty pallet racks with their respective purposes.

• Drive-in Drive-Through – These are useful for warehousing settings with very narrow aisles. The purpose of its design is to make it easier to maneuver in and out of rack bays when moving loads on or off. With two aisles accessible, it allows an efficient first in first out operation inside the facility.

• Pushback – This increases the amount of items to be stored by up to 75%. It promotes safer operations that go hand in hand with maximized throughput and productivity. 

• Mobile - Mobile pallet racks have heavy-duty wheels that are typically associated with antilock brakes as well. It allows for an easier designation and transportation of products within the warehouse facility. 

This is your quick overview on the so-called pallet rack. You should put a lot of effort on more research if you are to get in the material handling industry.