TEHSEEN ARIF BHATTI

CHAPTER 11

METHODS OF MOVING MATERIALS

Methods of moving materials includes equipment that

is used to move materials inside a factory. This equipment can be divided into the following five categories. 1. Industrial trucks. 2. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) 3. Rail guided vehicles. 4. Conveyors. 5. Cranes and hoists.

1) INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS
Industrial trucks divide

into two types: nonpowred and powered. Non-powered trucks are platforms or containers with wheels that are pushed or pulled by human workers to move materials. Powered industrial trucks are steered by human workers.

2) AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLES

AGVs are battery-powered,

automatically steered vehicles that follow defined pathways in the floor. AGVs are used to move loads between load and unload stations in the facility. Routing variations are possible, meaning that different loads move between different stations. They are interfaced with other systems to achieve the full benefits of integrated automation.

3)RAIL GUIDED VEHICLES

These are vehicles that ride

on a fixed rail systems that is either on the floor or suspended form the ceiling. The vehicles operate independently and are usually driven by electric motors. Like AGVs routing variations are possible in rail-guided vehicles.

4)CONVEYORS
Conveyors constitute a

large family of material transport equipment that are designed to materials over fixed paths, generally in large quantities or volumes.

5) CRANES AND HOISTS

These are handling devices

for lifting, lowering, and transporting materials, often as very heavy loads. Hoists accomplish vertical lifting: both manually operated and powered types are available. Cranes provide horizontal travel and generally include one or more hoists.

AUTOMATED STORAGE SYSTEMS

Automated storage systems are systems that reduce or

eliminate the amount of human intervention required to operate the system. Automated storage systems can be divided into to two types: 1. Automated storage/retrieval systems. 2. Carousel storage systems.

1) Automated storage/retrieval systems

An automated storage

/retrieval systems (AS/RS) can be defined as a storage systems that performs storage and retrieval operations with speed and accuracy under a defined degree of automation.

2) Carousel storage systems

A carousel storage

system consists of a series of bins or baskets suspended from an overhead chain conveyor that revolvers around a long oval rail system The purpose of the chain conveyor is to position bins at a load/unload station at the end of the oval.

2) Carousel storage systems

Carousels can be classified as horizontal and vertical.
The structure of a horizontal carousel storage system

consists of welded steel frame-work that supports tha oval rail system. Vertical carousels are constructed to operate around a vertical conveyor loop. They occupy much less floor space than the horizontal configuration, but require sufficient over head space.