The different kinds of equipments which are used in a store room can be broadly classified into two categories, viz., storing equipments and material handling equipments. A judicious selection of different store equipment is a key to the successful operation of a store room.
Storing Equipment
The commonly used equipment in a store rooms are as follows
- Platforms
- Pallets and skids
- Cabinets
- Stacking boxes
- Special storage racks
- Gravity feed racks
- Outdoor platforms and racks
- Open and closed shelves
- Bins
- Trays
- Drums
- Barrels
The selection of the equipment shall be governed by the size, shape, other physical characteristics, and the extent of preservation required. An open type of shelving should be preferred for easy accessibility unless the nature of the item needs a closed should be carefully done. The steel equipment of ‘knock down’ variety that can be assembled and reassembled in different forms in numerous standardized shapes and sizes offer more flexibility. Steel equipment has advantages of strength, cleanliness and fire resistance.
Material Handling Equipment
The common type of material handling equipment used in stores is as follows:
- Trolleys
- Fork-lift truck
- Hoists
- Monorail
- Belt conveyor
- Roller conveyor
- Crane
The selection of the material handling equipment depends upon the size , shape and weight of the items , the location of the item in the stores , etc.
