Have you ever wondered how huge machinery like windmills or airplanes can be manufactured with perfection? Or How Amazon can deliver your order in a matter of days, if not hours?
How can you get freshly picked Washington Apples in India and Alfonso Mangoes in the AU?
Answer to each of these questions is handling of materials.
From manufacturing and construction to shipping and logistics, material handling plays a critical function in virtually every sector. Globalization, along with the rapid rise in online retail, have fueled the demand for high-quality and cost-effective rigging equipment as well as lifting solutions.
The growth of globalized supply chains and the development of efficient materials handling facilities are inextricably linked. Both involve the transportation of massive loads such as rigging hardware, machines and construction equipment vehicles, as well as raw materials.
It is among the largest and fastest growing industries globally. The following stats will provide a glimpse of the industry and its scope.
The world market comprised more than 1.5 million units in 2018, which is up from almost 1.4 million units in 2017.
In 2018, Asia accounted for 41% of the global market for equipment for handling materials then Europe (34%) as well as North America (18%).
In the year 2019, the material handling equipment distributors sector Hydraulic magnet of the US was worth $29 billion and had 449 companies and 67,844 employees.
However on the other hand, it is also true that the Asia-Pacific market for material handling market has witnessed substantial growth, thanks to the rapid growth of advanced technologies including industrial automation, IoT and big data. It is estimated that the Asia Pacific material handling equipment market is predicted to surpass the $80 billion mark by 2025.
According to the findings of a new study by Global Market Insights Inc, the global material handling equipment market size is expected to surpass $190 billion by 2024.
The AWP Rental Market size was estimated at more than USD 15 billion in 2016 and is projected to expand by over 4 percent CAGR between 2017 until 2024.
Construction Equipment Rental Market size was estimated at over USD 100 billion in 2017 and is projected to increase at a rate of more than 4% between 2018 to 2024.
The growing 3PL industry worldwide is predicted to witness a CAGR of more than 6% in the material handling equipment market.
It is estimated that the market for robotics in the market for material handling equipment is projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 8% and exceed $20 billion in 2024 owing to the need for high-performance robotics systems across diverse industries.
The industrial lifting process is complex and challenging. If you choose the wrong equipment for rigging or an untrained crew for lifting, you might end up with potentially fatal injuries and/or damaged items.
A thorough understanding of industrial equipment for rigging (such like wire rope slings, lifting shackles crane lifting slings, aerial lifts, as well as forklifts) is essential.
Read on to know more.
Manual vs Automatic Material Handling Equipment
Material handling equipment is an item of equipment that allows you to transfer or lift items from one location to the next. There are manual and automated equipment for handling materials in nearly every industry. Both kinds of equipment come with distinct advantages and disadvantages of their particular.
The two types of material handling or lifting equipment have distinct advantages and drawbacks.
Manual MHE
Simpler and less expensive.
Think about ergonomic issues like repetitive movements and awkward postures.
Greater chance of accidents, which is why it's more risky.
Manual handling is susceptible to mistakes that could lead to frequent interruptions.
It doesn't require a large upfront investment, but can be costly in the in the long run.
Automated MHE
Expensive and trickier to handle since you require skilled labor.
There is no need to think about these aspects.
Much less susceptible to accidents and damaged goods.
Automation is, however improves efficiency.
Although it requires a substantial one-time investment, it's cost-effective in the long run.
While many industries, and especially in countries in the third world remain reliant on manual material handling equipment but automation is growing.
Objectives of a Material Handling System - Reasons to Advanced Lifting Devices
The process of industrial material handling as with any other industrial process, requires a set of clear-cut objectives or goals. This allows you to operate the equipment to the maximum efficiency and efficiency while keeping costs down. Here are a few common requirements that you must know about.
1) Cost Reduction
The most important goal of any material handling system is to decrease the expense of moving the load. The direct or indirect cost reduction usually takes the form of -
Reduced labor for material handling.
Optimizing the labor of handling materials depending on their level of skill.
Reducing indirect labor for activities such as shipping, wrapping, traffic controlling and inspection.
Reduce waste like packaging materials and other protective equipment like racks and containers through optimization.
Reduces the risk of damages to the load. This reduces the risk of damage to the.
Optimizing control requirements.
In order to increase throughput, and reduce storage in the process to speed up manufacturing processes.
However, being an auxiliary system in any manufacturing process, optimized material handling could also help bring the overall production cost down by enhancing the flow of raw material.
2) Enhanced Capacity
A well-planned industrial lift system also increases the capacity of your facility by maximizing space as well as a better warehousing arrangement. You can, for instance, make use of high-altitude cranes and specially designed racks or containers to utilize unused spaces such as the area high above production lines.
Additionally, you can improve the layout of the production line to decrease movement and overuse of space. Optimizing the flow paths and the time of the material's movement will enable you to expand the capacity of your entire operation. It can also lead to greater efficiency of your work.
3) Improved Productivity & Efficiency
The final goal of the material handling system is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the system overall. Using automated machinery for lifting or rigging in industrial settings, it reduces loads, removal and transportation times for the raw materials and final goods. Since the raw materials are placed on docks or in storage for shorter periods, there is no need for extra storage.
Additionally, the increase of raw material supply permits you to run your equipment and labor at maximum capacity. You can also improve the quantity of loaders and supervision staff. So, your overall productivity and efficiency can increase while keeping costs for labor lower.
4) Improved Working Conditions
Moving heavy objects manually is time-consuming, dangerous and stressful. Additionally, you must rely on a young well-nourished workforce carry massive loads, which can lead to higher employee turnover and excessive demand for training. All of these elements can affect employee morale since the working conditions may seem too harsh.
But, there are automated systems to lift and moving materials in any shape, size and volume with ease. This is what increases the morale of employees as well as the speed of production, which results in greater productivity. Thus, material handling systems could significantly improve working conditions.
5) Reduced Waste
Material handling systems can help reduce waste by enhancing the design of your plant. After an in-depth analysis of the volume of material and flow pathways between processes, and the timing, you can be sure to reduce waste of time, space, and labor.
Usually, you will need to rearrange the rigging equipment in order to design the proper handling system to accomplish this.
It also allows you to decrease the waste of packaging materials like plastic wraps and cardboard boxes as well as storage items such as racks and containers that are specially designed. Reduced waste not only saves your money but also helps reduce environmental pollution.
6) Increased Safety
Manually lifting and handling material comes with a higher safety risk. Based on the International Labor Organization (ILO), nearly 2.78 million workers die due to occupational injuries and illnesses, and an additional 374 million suffer non-fatal accidents every year.
Accidents can lead to devastating injuries, irreparable damage to the load, as well as costly downtime. But, a well-designed material handling system could reduce the risk of accidents considerably and provide your workers with an environment Click for more info that is safer for them.
7) Improved Customer Service
Correct and efficient materials handling systems often lead to more efficiency, speed, lower production costs and dependable and prompt supply. All these factors, in turn, help improve your customer service substantially, particularly in the B2B market.
Categories of Material Handling Equipment
Materials handling devices are a broad term that encompasses various elements like tools (ex. forklifts) and vehicles (ex. trucks), accessories (ex. wire rope slings), and heavy appliances (ex. overhead cranes).
1) Storage and Handling Equipment:
Equipment for storage and handling typically consist of non-automated tools used to hold raw materials or finished goods.