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Forklift
Carousels
Storage Racks
Conveyor Systems
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV)
Pallets
Pallet Rack
Palletizers

A forklift is an industrial vehicle used to lift and move heavy quantities or items. A forklift has a power operated forked platform in front that can be inserted under loads to lift and move them.  Hydraulic systems are used in most forklifts although some companies have developed electric actuator controlled lifts. Forklifts are used in almost every business which deals with heavy items or large quantities. They are particularly useful in warehouses, storerooms, construction sites and loading docks. Forklifts are used both indoor and outdoor and can be propane, gas or electric powered.
 
Important factors to consider when exploring forklift options are vertical lift travel and lift capacity.  Vertical lift travel is the variance between lowered and fully raised lift positions. The lift capacity is the greatest load supported or force handled by the lift. The task the vehicle is intended for is directly affected by these factors. Using a forklift in most industrial or commercial situations improves storage potential, reduces risk of injury and cuts stocking time.

Types

• Rider truck, either stand-up operator or seated three-wheel units, with an electric motor. They usually are counterbalanced with cushion or pneumatic wheels.
  
• Electric motor vehicles used in narrow aisle or inventory stock picking functions and may include extra reach or swing mast options.
  
• vehicles with a walk-behind or standing rider controller and have electric motors. They are commonly automated pallet lift trucks and high lift models and are usually offset.
  
• Vehicle with cabs and seated controls for a rider and have internal combustion engines.
  
• Rider fork vehicles that feature cabs and seated controls and have internal combustion engines They are usually equipped with pneumatic tires. They are often counterbalanced.
  
• Cushion tires have a low cross section profile and are designed for use indoors.
  
• Fork truck is a vehicle with cab, backup alarms, and other features. This is a commonly recognized and popular material handling motorized vehicle with forks.
  
• Manual drive forklifts the load is moved manually or controlled by a person walking behind the lift.
  
• Motorized drive forklifts include a cab or seat for the driver to operate the vehicle while riding in it. This is useful for larger travel distances.
  
• Narrow aisle trucks are vehicles that can operate in aisles typically 8 to 10 feet clear. There are also very narrow aisle trucks which operate in clear aisles of about 5 feet.
  
• Pallet trucks are common and outfitted for specific use with pallets in storage, warehouse and manufacturing settings.
  
• Platform trucks have a load platform intended to pick up and deposit a customer's specific type of skid.
  
• Side loaders are able to equipped to reach forward to pick up or deposit long, heavy loads or pallets and are able to work in very narrow aisles.
  
• Straddle Truck is high-lift truck with a wide base leg opening so it can straddle a pallet and employ the load.
  
• Wire guidance system controls steering the vehicle while following an electric guide wire in the floor.
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Horizontal Carousels are a system of horizontally rotating shelves that move at your command, delivering items to you and increasing order picking throughput significantly over traditional methods.

Vertical Carousels consist of rotating shelves that move up or down on response to your commands, delivering items to you at an ergonomically safe and convenient access window. It helps increase storage density, throughput and efficiency while reducing inventory and required man-hours. More info at www.cisco-eagle.com
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About Storage Racks

A storage rack is a stand or framework that is used to hang, hold, or display goods. They are typically constructed of a strong metal such as steel, but also include alloyed aluminum and titanium. Some use particleboard or wood decks, while other decks are constructed of galvanized steel. Space savings and organization serve as their primary functions. Racks are ideal for holding boxed goods as well as long carpet rolls, tubing, and basically anything else that occupies any room. You can find various types of storage racks being used in factories, warehouses, mills, production lines, etc.

Storage racks benefit a company or corporation with a large inventory of goods. Without storage racks, space would be a limiting factor of production and distribution for the majority of them. You will find storage racks in a wide variety of sizes and designs. Knowing what and how much you’re planning on storing is the key when deciding on a type of storage rack. If a company is crammed for space and is looking to put a storage rack against a wall, they would want to consider purchasing a push back rack. It has easy one-sided access and is capable of being placed against an obstruction such as a wall. On the other hand, if that same company desires easy access to a certain good on the rack without the need to move other items, they may want to consider a pallet rack.

• A Cantilever Rack doesn’t have any vertical obstructions. This makes it advantageous for long items like pipes, furniture, and steel bars. Different sized columns and arms are made according to weight and load size.
  
• Drive-In Racks are known for making efficient use of all available space. When rotation isn’t a factor, drive-in racks are ideal. They are beneficial for warehouses where many pallets are being used.
  
• Gravity Flow Racks are similar to push back racks except loads are placed on one side and flow towards the other. They are similar to conveyors within racks. They’re used for both cartons and pallets and allow pickers to keep their distance from the forklifts loading the rack on the other side.
  
• Pallet Racks are best suited for warehouses that need to keep a variety of products on the pallets. They enable direct access to any stored pallet, without having to move other pallets to get to that certain one.
  
• A Push Back Rack offers as good of storage density as a drive-in rack plus more selectivity. Loads rest on carts, which lie on rails sloping gently forward. When a new load is put on the rack, it pushes the one at the face back. When the front load is picked, the ones behind it gently move forward.
  
• Wire Storage Racks utilize decks made of wire mesh instead of using wood or particleboard decks. Usually made of painted or galvanized steel, they are strong and have a more professional appearance.
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About Conveyor Systems

A conveyor system is a common piece of materials handling equipment that moves bulk materials from one location to another. Conveyors work by one of two methods: through manual operation or through a power source. Gravity conveyors do not require a motor, but use wheels, rollers, and the pull of gravity to move materials along the conveyor. Unlike gravity conveyors, power conveyors require a pneumatic or an electrical power source. Power is transmitted from the drive system to a drive pulley, which is fastened to the drive shaft. The drive pulley transmits the power to the conveyor belt, which moves the conveyor bed upon which the materials rest.
 
Conveyor systems are common in many industries, including the automotive, agricultural, computer, electronic, and food processing industries, among many other industries. The widespread use of conveyor systems is due to the numerous benefits conveyors afford. Conveyor systems allow quick and efficient transportation of a wide variety of materials. Materials commonly conveyed include food items, such as beans and nuts; bottles and cans; automotive components; scrap metal; pills and powders; wood and furniture; and grain and animal feed. Conveyors are especially useful in applications involving the transportation of heavy or bulky materials.
 
Many factors remain important in the accurate selection of a conveyor system. Consider the industrial application in which the conveyor system will be used ; required conveyor operations, such as transportation, accumulation, and sorting; material size, weight, and shape; and loading and pickup points.

Types

• Accumulating conveyors allow for the collection of materials at a given point on the conveyor line, and are common in grouping and sorting operations. Accumulating conveyors usually include roller conveyors and belt conveyors.
  
• Automated conveyor systems perform conveying functions automatically, instead of through manual operation, saving time and reducing labor costs.
  
• Belt conveyors utilize a belt to transport materials through the conveying system. Belt conveyors are common in moving light to medium material loads.
  
• Chain conveyors utilize parallel, horizontal chains to move materials through a conveyor system. Chain conveyors are advantageous when moving bulky materials. However chain conveyors may not produce a consistent flow, may need to be lubricated, and may be loud.
  
• Overhead conveyors provide continuous movement of materials overhead, as opposed to standard floor conveying systems. Overhead conveyors save space, and remain common for moving materials around an industrial facility.
  
• Pallet conveyors consist of portable platforms called pallets that move parts to different locations between industrial operations.
  
• Roller conveyors utilize round rotating parts called rollers to transport materials through the conveying system. Roller conveyers are common in accumulating materials, and in converging conveyor systems, in which separate conveyor lines join to form a single conveying line.
  
• Vertical conveyors move materials up or down, instead of the traditional horizontal movement, and are common in applications with limited available space. Reciprocal vertical conveyors move materials up or down and return to the initial starting point. Continuous vertical conveyors move materials to different levels without returning to the initial point in between.
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An automatic guided vehicle (AGV) is a mobile transport unit that is battery operated, unmanned, and computer controlled. AGVs are programmed to drive to selected points and perform designated functions. AGVs are becoming more popular in applications that call for repetitive actions over an extended distance. Common procedures include load transferring, pallet loading/unloading, and tugging/towing. AGVs can be found in many different configurations depending on the specified function of the unit. Different models have varying load capacities and design characteristics. The navigation methods utilized on AGVs differ between laser, camera, optical, and wire guided systems.

The biggest advantage that an automated guided vehicle has to offer is reduced costs. Especially in multi-position jobs, labor costs are minimized by simply employing an AGV. AGVs do not fatigue like human workers, and when their battery is drained, charging the AGV will replenish its energy. Loads that AGVs carry are far heavier than any single human could, which makes transporting heavy objects quick and easy. Maximum load capacities of some AGV units surpass 10,000 pounds. Basically any corporation that does monotonous factory, warehouse, or other large facility work could benefit from the many advantages an AGV has to offer. Finding the correct AGV for the desired function, load capacity, and navigation/communications system are basic guidelines to keep in mind when considering the purchase of any AGV unit.

Types

• Automated guided vehicle system consists of the computer, software, and technology that are the “brains” behind the AGV. Without computer software systems and communications networks, only the simplest AGV functions could be performed.
  
• Automated material handling refers to the process of relocating or stocking materials utilizing an automated device such as an AGV.
  
• A camera guided AGV is utilized for applications which require precise guidance accuracy. An on-board camera focuses when performing close docking routines. Camera guided AGVs are useful in crowded environments and smaller sized facilities.
  
• Inertial guided AGVs typically use a gyroscope, magnet sensing device, and a wheel odometer. The odometer calculates distance traveled while the gyroscope measures the unit’s heading. Magnets mounted beneath the floor are detected by the on-board magnetic sensing device and combine with the first two readings to give an accurate positional location.
  
• Laser guided vehicles are AGVs which utilize mounted laser scanners. A laser is emitted continually and reflected back from reflective targets. With the use of multiple targets, the vehicle’s location can be determined based on distance to target and time of reflection information.
  
• Optical guided AGVs use a latex-based photosensitive tape for guidance. When equipped to a facility’s floor, the AGV will sense the tape path and follow it en route. Distance is measured by use of wheel odometers, which establishes stop locations for the AGV along the course.
  
• A wire guided AGV uses a charged wire that is buried beneath the floor for proper guidance. Wire guided AGVs usually have a small antennae composed of metal coils mounted their bottoms. The stronger the field between the buried wire and antennae, the higher the voltage induced to the coils.
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About Pallets

Pallets are rigid platforms made of wood, plastic, or paperboard used for shipping a variety of products including food, paper, and military supplies. Wooden pallets can be repaired or rebuilt with wood from old pallets. Plastic and corrugated pallets can be manufactured from recovered materials

Common pallet sizes range anywhere from 20” x 28” up to 48” x 72”.  Common metric sizes are 800mm x 1200mm and 1000mm x 1200mm.

Pallets have two configurations for jack entry.  These are two-way entry and four-way entry.  Two-way entry pallets allow the pallet jack to enter from two parallel sides.  Four-way entry pallets allow the pallet jack to enter from all four sides.  Pallets also have two configurations for fork tines.  These are also two-way and four-way entry.  Two-way entry allows fork tines to enter from two parallel sides.  Four-way entry allows fork tines to enter from all four sides.  The top deck of the pallet, the side that faces upward or toward the pallet load is available in an open or closed configuration.  A solid top deck has a high percentage of the pallet with a smooth continuous surface.  An open top deck is made up of slots, holes, or grid work.  The bottom deck of the pallet, or the side that faces downwards or toward the floor is available in full, full perimeter, 3-stringer or legs only.  A full bottom deck is fully skinned or covered with a grid.  A full perimeter bottom deck has a surface that goes around the perimeter.  A three-stringer bottom deck has three stringers. They go from front to back in either the length or width direction.  Anti-slip surfaces are available on some pallets.  It is a secondary component is added to the pallet to increase the coefficient of friction between the pallet and the load and/or the pallet and handling equipment.  Anti-slip surfaces are available on the top deck and the fork tine entry or both.

Commonly found features for pallets include rackable, hygienic, nestable, UL fire rated, FDA/USDA compliant, lids and belts, and reinforced.  A rackable pallet is capable of being edge supported on either length or width side for long periods of time.  A hygienic pallet is designed with cleanliness and ease of cleaning in mind. Collection points for dirt and debris are minimized.  A nestable can be stacked to minimize storage room or transportation costs while not carrying a load.  UL fire rated pallet has received Underwriters Laboratories (UL) recognition for meeting slow burn requirements.  A FDA/USDA compliant pallet meets the Food and Drug Administration and The United States Dairy Associations approval for use.  A pallet with lids and belts has the ability to be outfitted with a load covering lid and belts to secure the lid to the assembly.  A reinforced pallet has additional components added to increase its racking capacity.  Steel tubing and fiberglass pultrusions are typical materials used.

Materials of construction for pallets include aluminum, corrugated cardboard, galvanized steel, stainless steel, structural foam, injection molded plastic and rotationally molded plastic.
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About Pallet Rack

Pallet Rack is the ideal solution for palletized storage when direct access to stored items is essential. Pallet Rack is manufactured in standard size to fit most standard pallets. Pallet Rack uprights (frames) and beams can be cut to fit your specific needs for custom applications. Pallet rack offers the ability to handle one pallet without moving others. Pallet rack can also be used with bulk or wide span shelving when manual selection of products for order picking is necessary.
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About Palletizers

Palletizers are machines which arrange products on a pallet for shipping, storing or moving. Palletizers have a feed area where it receives the goods to be palletized. The feed area can be at ground level (low level) or at high level, through a hopper overhead. This allows for the feed to be continuous and for the palletizer to operate at a faster speed. Palletizers without feeds are usually robotic. In this case the arm individually places each item on the pallet. These are often used with products which are fragile or heavy. The use of palletizers in these situations reduces the risk of injury to the workers and damage to the product.
 
Palletizers are used in packaging situations which require multiple units to be shipped or stored together. Placing the units on the pallet makes stacking, storing and moving the loads easier and more efficient. Packaging and shipping companies are the main users of palletizers as well as companies who do their own shipping. Palletizers can work with drums, sacks, bags, pails, cans, cases and various other product types. When looking for a palletizer it is important to consider the type of goods the machine will be required to handle as not all palletizers are equipped to handle all package types.

Types

• Automatic palletizers assemble products on pallets by themselves or with little assistance. They can often be part of a larger shipping system.
  
• Bag palletizers include gripping modifications specifically to arrange bags on pallets for shipping and or movement.
  
• Can palletizers arrange filled or empty cans onto pallets for shipping or moving.
  
• Case palletizers lift cases from table and place them onto pallet or previous layer of product.
  
• Depalletizers remove products by layer from pallets for leveling or stocking purposes.
  
• Drum palletizers move filled or empty drums onto pallets for shipping or moving.
  
• Manual palletizers speed the stacking goods onto a pallet and aid with layer organization.
  
• Pail palletizers include modifications specifically to arrange pails on pallets for shipping and or movement.
  
• Robotic palletizers lift and move goods to pallets automatically or semi-automatically, relieving workers from the potential hazards of heavy, repetitive lifting.
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