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A Complete Guide on How to Choose Material Handling Equipment and Maintenance Tips
By PackForge Technical Team, Faridabad · 5 min read
Most injuries in a godown come from moving things by hand: a pallet dragged, a drum rolled, a carton lifted one time too many. Material handling equipment takes that strain away. The difficulty is choosing the right tool, because a pallet truck cannot rack a pallet and a stacker is slow as a carrier. This guide sorts the equipment by job and explains what to check and how to look after it.
What Is Material Handling Equipment?
It is the equipment that moves, lifts and positions goods inside a plant, store or dispatch area: pallet trucks and stackers for pallets, drum trucks and lifters for drums, trolleys and barrows for loose goods, and conveyors for cartons. The material handling equipment page lists all sixteen PackForge models with their rates.
Most of it is manual and needs no power: a hydraulic pump, a chain or the operator’s push does the work, which keeps running costs low and makes the equipment usable anywhere in the plant.
Why Use Material Handling Equipment?
- Fewer injuries from lifting and dragging.
- One person moving what used to take two or three.
- Faster loading at the dock.
- Higher storage on racking without a forklift.
- Safer drum handling for chemicals and oils.
What Are the Major Types of Material Handling Equipment?
Pallet Trucks and Stackers
- 2.5 ton hand pallet truck, ₹13,270 + ₹2,389 GST
- PS2.0 hand stacker from ₹59,136 + ₹10,644 GST; PS1.5S semi electric ₹2,59,840 + ₹46,771 GST
Drum Handling
- DT0.5 carrier and DT0.3 drum truck to move
- Drum carrier and lifter to place; DS0.35 to lift and pour
Trolleys, Barrow and Table Truck
- Platform trolley from ₹7,500 + ₹1,350 GST
- WB75 barrow, LT folding trolley, TT table truck
Conveyors
- TLC truck loader, TC1080 carton turner, IC300FS feeder
Understanding Capacity, Lift Height and Floor
Rated capacity is the heaviest load the machine is built for: 2.5 tons on the hand pallet truck, 2000 kg on the PS2.0, 1500 kg on the PS1.5S and PT1.5HL. On stackers, capacity falls as the forks rise, so read the load chart at your beam height. Lift height separates movers from lifters: about 200 mm on a pallet truck, 800 mm on the PT1.5HL, 1600 to 3500 mm on stackers. Fork size must suit your pallets. The floor decides wheels and safety; broken patches and slopes defeat any truck.
Two more figures are easy to miss. Lowered fork height – about 85 mm on the pallet trucks and the PS2.0 – decides whether the forks go into your pallets at all. Overall width decides whether the machine passes your doors and aisles; the PS2.0 front legs span 750 mm outside, and the DS0.35 frame is 890 mm wide. Measure both before you order.
Features to Look For
Wheel material matched to the floor – nylon or PU on the pallet truck.
Battery lift where pumping a stacker all day tires staff.
Controlled lowering on drum machines.
Adjustable fork width on stackers.
Brakes on trolleys used near slopes.
Folding where storage space is tight, as on the LT.
How to Choose the Right Equipment?
- Name the load: pallet, drum, reel, carton or loose material.
- Weigh the heaviest and measure it.
- Decide move, lift or both, and the height you must reach.
- Photograph the route, including slopes and door widths.
For example, a godown moving pallets to the dock starts with the hand pallet truck; adding racking brings in the PS2.0; a paint store pouring from drums needs the DS0.35; a dispatch bay loading trucks by hand gains from the TLC.
Common Mistakes
Using a pallet truck as a lifter: it raises only about 200 mm. Travelling with forks raised: lower first, then move. Ignoring the load chart on a stacker at full height. Wrong drum grab for the rim type, steel or plastic. Overloading a light trolley such as the folding LT, which is not a factory trolley.
A Quick Map: Which Tool for Which Job
| Job | Tool | Key figure |
|---|---|---|
| Move pallets across the floor | Hand pallet truck | 2.5 tons, lifts about 200 mm |
| Load a pallet at bench height | PT1.5HL high lift truck | 1500 kg, up to 800 mm |
| Put pallets on racking | PS2.0 or PS1.5S stacker | Up to 3500 mm or 3000 mm |
| Load a paper or film reel onto a machine | RS1.0 reel stacker | Reels 700 to 1270 mm, 1000 kg |
| Pour from a drum | DS0.35 drum stacker and tilter | 350 kg, up to 1600 mm |
| Carry cartons up into a truck | TLC truck loading conveyor | Delivery height up to 1500 mm |
| Shift boxed stock in a godown | Platform trolley | 150 to 300 kg |
Material Handling Buying Checklist
- The load: type, size and heaviest weight.
- Pallets: length, width and entry gaps against the forks.
- Height: the highest beam or bed you must reach, with a load on it.
- Route: photographs of the floor, slopes, ramps, lift cars and door widths.
- Power: a charging point for the PS1.5S, a 440 V three phase point for the TLC.
- Frequency: lifts per day – it decides hand-pumped or battery lift.
Send the photographs and figures on WhatsApp to +91 95822 69346 and the model and wheel type are confirmed before you order.
Safety Rules Worth Posting on the Wall
- Know the rated load of each machine and never exceed it; on stackers, read the load chart at the height you lift to.
- Lower, then move: travel with the forks or table low.
- Keep feet clear of forks and wheels when lowering.
- Use two firm hands on slopes, or avoid them with a load.
- Never ride on a pallet truck, stacker or trolley.
- Report leaks and sinking loads at once and take the machine out of use until checked.
- Fix broken floor patches before blaming the machine.
A short training session when the equipment arrives, and these rules near the store entrance, prevent most accidents.
How to Maintain Material Handling Equipment?
Weekly: check wheels, axles and the hydraulic unit for leaks; a sinking load means the seals need attention.
Keep floors clear of strap ends and debris that jam wheels.
Charge the PS1.5S in a ventilated spot near a socket.
Check tyre pressure on the WB75 barrow.
Never stand under a raised load.
For parts and wheels, WhatsApp +91 95822 69346 with the model and a photo.
Frequently Asked Questions about Material Handling Equipment
Pallet truck or stacker?
A pallet truck moves pallets at floor level; a stacker lifts them onto racking. Many stores keep both.
How high can a hand stacker lift?
The PS2.0 lifts to 1600 mm in the standard version and 3500 mm in the high lift version; capacity falls with height.
Which machine pours from a drum?
The DS0.35 drum stacker and tilter, which lifts to 1600 mm and tilts the drum under hand-wheel control.
Nylon or PU wheels?
It depends on the floor between store and gate; a photograph usually decides it.
Do I need power for this equipment?
Most is manual. The PS1.5S lifts from a 12 V battery and the conveyors run on mains power.
What warranty comes with material handling equipment?
12 months on manufacturing defects, wear parts excluded.