Material handling is when large goods and loads are moved throughout a facility using manual or automated mechanical equipment. These pieces of equipment make them easier to move, safeguarding them from damage and saving you money on manual handling charges.
Lifting aids are essential in any industry where manual handling is a must. It serves in such as retail store floors, warehouses and factories, back-of-house locations, buildings, distribution, and disposal of any type of material, and so on.
In this blog, we’re going to provide you with seven major kinds of lifting equipment to help you easily handle materials.
1. Forklift Attachments
There are forklift attachments available to increase the functioning of forklifts. Forklifts are among the most commonly utilized types of lifting equipment. Clamps, hooks, and jibs are among the attachments. Instead of sliding the forklift tines into a pallet, a forklift jib is used to secure big items from above with a hook.
2. Lifting Hoists
Lifting hoists are used to raise and lower big loads. A hoist is made out of a motorized drum and a chain or rope that is used to lift or lower items. The hoist is frequently situated overhead and can only move a load vertically. An elevator is the most common example.
3. Overhead Cranes
Heavy loads can also be lifted or lowered using overhead cranes. Overhead cranes, on the other hand, may move goods vertically or horizontally, unlike most types of lifting equipment. Cranes’ improved range of motion allows them to perform a broader range of duties.
On construction projects, overhead cranes are frequently utilized to transport large supplies and materials to upper floors.
4. Lifting Jacks and Pallet Trucks
Lifting jacks and pallet trucks are two examples of hydraulic lift equipment. Unlike forklifts, hoists, and cranes, lifting jacks are frequently operated by hand using a plunger. The operator plunges a pump in order to generate pressure and raise the platform. The load can then be wheeled to its final location.
5. Winches
A winch is a motorized device used to move large weights vertically or horizontally. A standard winch is made out of a spool of rope or wire that is connected to gears and a drive mechanism. The cable can be wound or unwound by the operator to pull or raise things across a pulley or a conveyor belt.
6. Crane Attachments
Crane attachments are used to lift things of various sizes. Depending on the size and shape of the object, a crane attachment with tongs or hooks may be required. C-hooks, J-hooks, spreader beams, and tongs are common crane attachments.
Motorized, pneumatic, hydraulic, or automatic lifting equipment are what you might use to power the attachments.
7. Chain Blocks
Chain blocks are hand-operated hoists with a chain wrapped around two wheels. When the worker pulls on the chain, it begins to wind around the wheels, lifting the load attached to the chain’s end. Chain blocks are frequently less expensive and easier to maintain than electric or hydraulic hoists.
Are you determining which equipment is appropriate for material handling based on your needs? If so, you must examine the layout of your building and also the kind of goods/loads/materials you need to move. You can select from an array of manufacturers based on your company’s demands and specifications.
