Unit
Load - "A single item, a number of items, or bulk material
which is arranged and restrained so that the load can be stored,
picked up, and moved between two locations as a single mass."
(Tanchoco)
WHY UNIT LOAD DESIGN?
The
efficiency of unit load material handling is based on the performance
of three interactive components:
packaging, pallet, and material handling equipment.
Whereas considerable knowledge exists regarding the design of
each of these components, how these components interact is largely
unknown. Typically, packaging, pallet, and handling systems are
designed separately at different locations by different teams
of individuals with little or no consideration of how the components
interact in material handling. This leads to inefficient unit
load handling practices.
The center is the only laboratory
with facilities to evaluate
all aspects of unit load and material handling design and efficiency.
