Glossary of Terms

Accumulation Conveyor – A conveyor designed to accumulate any type of product, from cartons, totes or pallets.  There are many types of accumulation conveyors:  live roller, belt, chain-driven or tow conveyors.

Active Storage – Area where inventory is stored awaiting replenishment of a picking area.

A-Frame – A picking system to accommodate a wide range of size and shape products.  Each SKU is stacked in a tilted upright with a dispensing magazine at the bottom.  There are two sides and each side tilts toward the other creating the “A-Frame”.  A conveyor runs inside the A.  Product is automatically dispensed out of the bottom of the magazine onto the conveyor and conveyed to an awaiting tote at end of line.

Aisle – The open area next to any type of storage for mobile equipment or personnel.

Ambient Temperature – Temperature of atmosphere in a warehouse or distribution center.

Archive Storage – A storage system designed to store company records.  Archive systems can be designed with shelving or pallet rack depending on the amount of records needing to be stored.  Also known as record storage.

Association of Professional Material Handling Consultants (APMHC) – Professional organization for consultants in material handling field.  Established in 1959.

Attached Lid Container – A storage container with a lid that is always attached to the container and folds out of the way to allow loading/unloading of container.  Can be plastic or steel.

Auto ID – A system which utilizes automatic identification such as bar codes.

Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) – Computer controlled material handling system where product is put away and retrieved by system automation.  Mini-Load AS/RS handle less than pallet quantity.  Unit-Load AS/RS handle pallet type quantities.

Automatic Data Capture – A computer process where data is collected and identified without the use of a keyboard.  Some examples are bar code, radio frequency (RF) and radio frequency identification (RFID).

Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) – Computer controlled piece of mobile equipment, generally battery powered, without the need of a driver.  Travel path is pre-determined by wire guidance, magnetic or laser.

Automation – Introducing computer-based systems to improve efficiency, productivity and quality of service.

Ball Transfer Table – A type of gravity conveyor where roller balls are mounted into a casing with only the top of the balls showing.  Numerous balls allow for easy conveyance of product.  Product can move in any direction.

Bar Code –Speed and accuracy of product identification is increased by use of this machine readable label of printed parallel lines (bars).  Bar codes are read by laser scanners.

Batch Pick – The process of grouping orders where pickers pick the same SKU for multiple orders at the same time, thereby reducing the travel time.  Finished batch will then have to be married up with other lines on order either manually or through automation.

Belt Conveyor – A power conveyor that utilizes a continuous looped belt driven around a steel pan and pulleys by a motor.  Belts can be rubber, plastic, PVC or steel.  Belt conveyors are also known as slider bed conveyor.

Belt-driven Live Roller – A power roller conveyor where a belt is driven underneath a bed of rollers causing the rollers to roll and convey packages in opposite direction of belt travel.

Bin Storage – A type of shelving where shelves have vertical dividers creating small “cubby” type openings where product needs to be segregated.

Bins – A rectangular box with or without a lid used to store products or ship goods.  Bins can be made out of cardboard, plastic or steel.

Bridge Crane – A horizontal framing structure supported by free-standing columns or suspended from building columns or roof trusses.  A girder runs perpendicular to the end structure and is dynamic and runs with end trucks.  A bridge crane is a required when product needs to be raised and lowered by a hoist or other lifting device in multiple areas underneath entire footprint.

Broken Case – A carton that is open where orders call for less than carton quantity.

Bulk Bin – A container or bin used where larger size or quantities of material need to be stored.  Bulk bins can be made out of plastic or steel.  Also known as bulk containers.

Bulk Rack – A heavy duty shelving designed for non-palletized product that is too heavy for standard industrial shelving.  Can be up to 8’ wide.

Bulk Storage – Storing pallets on the floor and stacking them on top of each other without the use of any type of storage products.

Bumpers – Protective product used on docks to keep trucks and vans from damaging dock levelers or dock itself.  Usually made out of rubber or other resilient material.  Also known as dock bumpers.

CAD – Computer-Aided Design.  A computer software system that allows users to create drawings or drafts on the computer rather than the traditional way of drawing on paper.

Cantilever Rack – A rack system utilizing columns (uprights) with arms cantilevered off of them.  Systems can be either single-sided or double-sided.  Double-sided also utilizes only one column but arms are attached to each side.  Cantilever rack is good where full frontal clearance is required.  Used a lot in building material, plumbing and furniture industries.

Capacity – Maximum uniformly distributed load recommended by manufacturer.  Capacity deals with static and not dynamic loads.

Carousel – A type of computer automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) where associates pick and replenish product from set location and computer brings storage location to associate.  Carousels can be either horizontal or vertical.  Vertical Lift Modules are a type of vertical carousel where storage trays allow for storage of different height products unlike a vertical carousel.

Cart – A piece of mobile equipment with (4) wheels to transport product.  Carts can be made of wood, plastic, wire or steel.  There many accessories for carts to accommodate many applications.

Carton – A cardboard box used to house products for shipping and storage.  Also known as a case.

Case – A cardboard box used to house products for shipping and storage.  Also known as a carton.

Case Pick – The process of picking product in full carton quantities to be shipped.  Usually picked and put on a conveyor, a pallet or a cart.

Chain Conveyor – A type of powered conveyor used to convey pallets or heavy-duty containers.  Industrial chain is actual transport device as chain comes into contact with product.  Very common in pallet handling applications to move pallets at 90 degrees.

Chain Hoist – A lifting device that uses link chain in a loop configuration.  The chain in the hoist is operated either manually, electrically or pneumatically.

Chock – Piece of safety dock equipment to be located behind truck wheels when truck is backed up to a dock to prevent unwanted movement.  Usually constructed of rubber, metal or wood.

Chute – Type of gravity conveyor similar to a children’s slide.  Products use gravity to slide down an inclined chute.

Closed Shelving – Shelving with steel side and back panels utilized in lieu of cross bracing for security or product separation.

Code – Standards or specifications used by industries to manage conformity and safety.

Collapsible Container – A container whose sides can be folded or broken down when not in use to allow for space savings in a warehouse or truck.

Column Mounted Jib Crane – A crane where the jib is suspended from either a floor-mounted column or a building column.  Also known as pillar-supported jib crane.

Commercial Shelving – Shelving manufactured with a lighter gauge steel for applications where heavy-duty capacity is not required.  Shelves usually support less than 350 # uniform distributed load.

Conductive Container – A container that is static dissipative.

Consultant – A professional who has knowledge and expertise in a particular field.  In material handling and supply chain industry, a consultant can have operational, design, logistics or process analysis expertise.

Container – Rectangular storage device that is used to house product for picking or shipping operations.  Containers can be made of plastic, cardboard, steel or wire.

Controls – The devices installed on a material handling system to control the integration and flow of data between the business system and product.

Conveyor – A device designed to move cartons, totes, pallets or bulk material from one location to another.  Conveyor can move product with power or the use of gravity.  A conveyor can move products horizontal to ground, or product can be inclined, declined or move 90 degrees vertically.

Conveyor Belt – A continuous looped device designed to convey product directly, or used to power rollers that convey the product.  Belts can be rubber, plastic, PVC or steel.

Counterbalanced Truck – A type of mobile equipment or forklift where weight is added to offset the weight of product equipment is required to lift.

Crane – A lifting device designed to move product up, down or horizontally either manually, electrically or pneumatically.

Cross Belt Sorter – A type of conveyor sortation device where a small piece of belt conveyor is inserted to divert product off of main conveyor line to a sort lane.

Cross Docking – The operation of receiving product at a dock and shipping it out of another dock in the same process and not utilizing any type of storage.

Cubing – A measure used to determine the amount of space an individual product or system utilizes.

Cycle Time – The amount of time required to complete the order process.  It includes every aspect of the order process including picking, getting product to shipping and replenishment of that product.

Decking – Any type of shelf or walkway surface used on pallet rack, shelving or mezzanine flooring.  Decking can be wire deck, plywood, particle board, bar grating, steel plate, plank grating or concrete.

Deflection – The measurement reflecting the amount of vertical bending in a pallet rack beam after a load is applied.

Diverter – Any device on a conveyor system used to re-direct product off of main transportation line.

Dock – The area of the warehouse used for shipping and receiving to stage product and access trucks.

Dock Board – A piece of steel or aluminum designed to bridge the space between a loading dock and a truck backed up to dock where mobile equipment is used to load/unload the truck.

Dock Bumper – Protective product used on docks to keep trucks and vans from damaging dock levelers or dock itself.  Usually made out of rubber or other resilient material.  Also known as bumpers.

Dock Leveler – A mechanical device designed to bridge the gap between a loading dock and a truck backed up to dock.  A leveler can be operated manually, hydraulically or pneumatically and can be raised or lowered to accommodate trucks of varying heights.

Dock Lift – A scissor lift designed to load/unload trucks where no dock or truck well exists.

Dock Plate – A piece of aluminum designed to bridge the space between a loading dock and a truck backed up to dock where to facilitate loading/unloading of a truck.  Lighter capacity and not designed for forklift usage.

Dock Seal – A pad mounted to the face of a building around a dock door opening to seal the area between the outside of a truck and the door opening.  Seals are usually covered with rubber or canvas to increase wear and tear from elements and truck damage.

Dock Shelter – A framed structure mounted to the face of a building around a dock door opening to provide shelter to personnel from inclement weather when loading/unloading a truck.

Double Deep Rack – A rack system is standard selective racking where two rows of rack are considered a single row and double (back-to-back) rows consist of four rows of rack.  Special mobile equipment pantographs (extends) through aisle facing bay to load pallet in rear bays.  Increases space utilization by minimizing rows and increasing number of bays of rack.

Double Row – A rack or shelving design where there are (2) rows side by side or back-to-back of each other.

Drawer Storage – Any storage device designed utilizing drawers in cabinets or in shelving to accommodate small items that do not have high turnover.

Drive-In Rack – A high density rack storage structure where pallets are stored multiple levels high and multiple levels deep on a rail system.  Forklifts drive into rack structure for picking and put away.  Access is only from one side of structure.

Drive-Thru Rack – A high density rack storage structure where pallets are stored multiple levels high and multiple levels deep on a rail system.  Forklifts drive into rack structure for picking and put away.  Operators can drive completely thru system and exit on other side as long as there are no pallets.

Dynamic Storage System – A storage system where the system itself moves with the product in it or the product is in motion within the system.

Economic Justification – An economic computation where a comparison is made between implementing a new material handling system versus doing nothing.  The computation uses initial capital outlay, depreciation, inflation, opportunity costs and taxes to arrive at a determination.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) – A computer software system that utilizes a database to consolidate all company operations into an enterprise-wide system designed to streamline the flow of information between departments and business units.

Ergonomics – The study and application of body movements and orientation within a work environment.  Designed to reduce injuries and increase productivity.

ESD container – Any bin or tote manufactured out of material to dissipate electrostatic discharges.

Explosion Proof – Equipment operated in a hazardous environment requires it be manufactured so that it will not explode under any circumstances.

Festoon – The process of bunching power and air cables in a material handling system to eliminate the possibility of them getting caught in the moving system.

Floor plan – A drawing reflecting the graphical orientation of material handling equipment within a facility.  Also known as layout.

Flooring – The work surface of a mezzanine or cat-walk.  There are many types of flooring including plywood, bar grating, steel plate, resin deck or concrete.  Usage of work surface, capacity needed and types of mobile equipment used are all considerations to consider when determining what type of flooring to use.

Flow Rack – A dynamic type of storage where rollers or wheels are inserted into a shelf and product flows from back to front where it is picked.  Good where companies employ a first-in/first-out (FIFO) inventory system.

Free-Standing Mezzanine – A wide span structure within a building designed to increase floor space by creating a second level.  Generally custom designed for a specific facility.  Also known as wide span mezzanines.

GMA Pallet – A pallet whose name is derived by initials for Grocery Manufacturers of America and whose dimensions measure 40” wide and 48” long and it is forkliftable on all (4) sides.

Gravity Conveyor – A conveyor where products are moved by the power of gravitational force as opposed to power.  Conveyors either have a slight pitch or rely on manual movement by a person.

Gravity Roller Conveyor – A gravity conveyor utilizing tube rollers with internal bearings and axle mounted in a steel frame.  Roller conveyor sections can be straight, curves and spurs.

Gravity Skatewheel Conveyor – A gravity conveyor utilizing small wheels similar to those used is early models of kid’s skates.  Wheels are staggered on axles to improve product flow.  Skatewheel conveyor sections can be straight, curves and spurs.

High Rise Shelving – Shelving where the units are over 10’ in height.  Upper shelves are accessed by rolling ladders or a piece of powered mobile equipment such as an order picker.

Hinged Bridge – A transition plate attached to a platform with a hinge to allow manual movement of plate over the opening between platform and truck.

Honeycombing – The process of creating open spaces in a storage system creating inefficiencies in storage costs, picking and put-away.

Horizontal Carousel – An automated storage device where bins are evenly spaced and travel horizontally in a loop.  Product is loaded and unloaded in a designated location and delivered and taken away from operator automatically.    Often times, a single operator works with multiple pods of horizontal carousels.  While operator is performing a function at one carousel, other carousels are in motion bringing the next action to the operator saving time.

Industrial Shelving – A shelving unit designed for heavy-duty loads.  Uniform distributed load can be up to 1,000#, as long as it is evenly distributed on shelf.

Just-In-Time – The process of minimizing inventory within an operation by timing the flow of input products so they arrive “just-in-time” and no additional carrying costs are incurred.

Kitting – The process of partial assembly of components into a kit or sub-assembly.

Knocked Down (KD) – The pre-installed state material handling products are shipped.

Label Holder – A device designed to hold a label that can be replaced at any time as product changes.

Layout – A drawing reflecting the graphical orientation of material handling equipment within a facility.  Also known as floor plan.

Lifting Capacity – Load carrying capability of a material handling lifting device.  Capacity is given as a uniformly distributed load.

Lifting Table – A table with a scissor lift device attached to it which raises and lowers product to desired elevation.

Line Shaft Conveyor – A powered roller conveyor where a round shaft or spool rotates underneath the rollers.  Small rubber bands or o-rings wrap around rotating shaft and fit into grooves in rollers to mobilize the rollers which then convey the product.

Live Roller Conveyor – Any powered conveyor that utilizes rollers as the direct surface that conveys the product.

Load Bearing Surface – Area where load will actually come into contact with the load.

Loading Dock – The area of facility where shipping and receiving is performed and product is loaded/unloaded into trucks, vans or containers.

Logistics – The management of material flow throughout the supply chain.  Logistics can be as broad as managing inbound and outbound flows to a facility or as narrow as managing the flow within an individual process.  Supply Chain and Material Handling are often used interchangeably although they are not the same.

Manifest – Document that lists products/orders on a bill of lading or in a shipment.

Manipulator – A device added to a material handling piece of equipment to assist in the handling or “manipulation” of the product.  Often equipped with an end effector to grab onto the product.  Manipulators counter the weight of the product creating a weightless type environment to better perform some type of process or function.

Material Handling – The storage, movement and security of products throughout the entire operational process.  The objective is to lower all costs involved while also increasing efficiency, productivity and safety.  Supply Chain and Logistics are often used interchangeably although they are not the same.

Material Handling Management Society (MHMS) – Independent organization created to provide continuing education to material handling professionals.

Mezzanine – A free-standing structure within a building designed to increase floor space by creating a second level.  Generally custom designed for a specific facility.  Also known as wide span mezzanines.

Mini-Load – A type of AS/RS designed to handle less than pallet loads such as totes or containers.  Loads are usually less than 750#.

Minimum Pressure Accumulation – A power conveyor where product is accumulated and the conveyable surface does not stop driving the product.  Although pressure is still present, it is kept to a minimum.  As more and more product accumulates, more pressure is built up.

Mobile Aisle Shelving – Shelving system attached to mobile cart to allow greater cube utilization.  Generally there is only one aisle and carts with shelving move to allow access to shelving needed.

Mobile Equipment – Any type of material handling equipment that is designed to move material inside or outside of a facility.  Mobile equipment can be forklifts, personnel and burden carriers or AGV’s.

Modular Drawers – Mounted into shelving to accommodate small parts storage within a bay of shelving.  Interior of drawers can be configured in numerous layouts by adjusting partitions and dividers.

Modular Drawer Cabinet – Storage device where housing contains drawers of varying heights to store small parts.  Interior of drawers can be configured in numerous layouts by adjusting partitions and dividers.  Modular drawer cabinets provide very dense, secured storage of small items and are popular in maintenance areas, tool cribs, hospitals and work cells.

Narrow Aisle Design – A layout that utilizes a narrow aisle forklift which operates in aisles smaller than normal counterbalanced trucks and increases cube utilization.

Open Style Shelving – A steel shelving unit that utilizes sway bracing or a boltless shelving unit where product is viewable from all 4 sides.

Pallet Rack – A storage system allowing pallets or other individual products to be stored vertically and increase the cube utilization within a facility.  Also known as rack or storage rack.

Permits – Approval required by local municipalities to construct or modify certain material handling systems.

Picking – The process of selecting products to fulfill order demand.  Done with either a paper based or automated system.

Plastic Bin – Storage container made of plastic used to store or ship product.

Plastic Pallet – Storage device used to improve handling of products.  Plastic pallets are reusable and come in different sizes and configurations to meet varying storage needs.

Platform Truck – Industrial cart with a flat surface (platform) to carry products.

Power Conveyor – Any type of conveyor that is driven by motors in lieu of gravity.

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) – A device that allows its functions to be directed by a program and no hard wiring or relays are needed to direct it.  A PLC can be re-programmed to perform a different function at any time.

Push Back Rack – A high density storage system where pallets are stored on carts in an inclined (pitched) rail structure.  Only aisle facing pallets are accessible, but when that pallet is removed, all pallets behind it are indexed forward.  Most common systems are two-, three- and four-deep, but select manufacturers offer five- and six-deep options.  Each level has same number of pallets deep

Quality Control (QC) – The process of checking inbound or outbound orders for order accuracy.  QC can be done manually with a paper based system or with automation through bar code scanning.

Rack – A storage system allowing pallets or other individual products to be stored vertically and increase the cube utilization within a facility.  Also known as pallet rack or storage rack.

Rack Manufacturer’s Institute (RMI) – An independent trade organization whose members are most of the companies that manufacture industrial storage racks.

Rack Supported Building – A rack system where the rack is not only used for product storage, but also supports the roof and walls of the facility.

Record Storage – A storage system designed to store company records.  Record systems can be designed with shelving or pallet rack depending on the amount of records needing to be stored.  Also known as archive storage.

R-Mark – A certification designation awarded to signify a manufacturer’s finished product conforms to the published RMI specifications.

Roll Formed Rack – Racks manufactured from coiled steel rolled through incremental bends until desired shape is desired.  Roll formed uprights and roll formed beams.

Roller Bed Conveyor – A type of power conveyor where the belt is supported by rollers underneath of belt.  Usually used where heavy loads need to be conveyed.

Roller Conveyor – A conveyor where roller tubes with bearings and axles are mounted into a steel frame.  Roller conveyors can be either powered or gravity.

Selective Rack – A storage rack system where standard pallet rack is installed in single or double (back-to-back) rows.  It is known as selective rack, because each pallet is accessible (or selectable) unlike some high cube rack systems.

Shelf – A storage surface that holds inventory waiting to be picked for an order.  A shelf is commonly used to store less than pallet quantities, but an individual rack level is also sometimes referred to as a shelf.

Step Beam – A pallet rack beams with a ledge (or step) in it.  Steps are designed to allow decking to be supported.  The step of the beam can support wire deck, plywood or a 2 x 6 cut to fit inside the step.

Storage Rack – A storage system allowing pallets or other individual products to be stored vertically and increase the cube utilization within a facility.  Also known as rack or pallet rack.

Structural Rack – Racks made from hot rolled structural channels, angles or tubes based on AISC standards.

Supply Chain – The vertically integrated chain of processes designed to manage product movements completely from inbound into the facility all the way through the outbound process until the product is received at the customers.   Material Handing and Logistics are often used interchangeably although they are not the same.

Supply Chain Management – The management process of analyzing the operations, processes, and flows of products and material throughout the supply chain.  The goal of managing the supply chain is to improve efficiencies, productivity and reduce inventory and process costs throughout the entire network to increase profitability.

Systems Integrator – A company that analyzes a customer’s needs and designs, installs and implements an improved system utilizing multiple products and manufacturers into a complete “integrated” system.  A systems integrator assumes full financial responsibility of a project to free customer from liability.  Utilizing an integrator eliminates the costs and time commitments required by customers to general contract the project and multiple vendors.

Third Party Logistics (3PL) – An outsourced company hired to oversee some level of the supply chain.  A 3PL is independent from the company and handles logistics and often times warehousing of customer’s product.  3PL’s are experts in their field and are often contracted with because the company feels the 3PL can operate the logistics process more efficiently than managing in-house.

Uniformly Distributed Load – The process of applying a load evenly over a shelf or rack level.  Storage systems are generally designed to support an even load and not point loading.  If point loading is required, engineering may be required.

Unit Load – A type of AS/RS designed to handle pallet loads or any other type of larger, heavier load.  Loads are usually over 750#.

Vacuum Lift – A material handling device where products are attached to device by creating a vacuum allowing product to be raised, lowered or manipulated.

Vertical Carousel – An automated storage device where shelves or carriers are evenly spaced and travel vertically in a loop.  Because product is stored vertically, this type of carousel uses a smaller footprint and allows for improved cube utilization.  Product is loaded and unloaded in an ergonomically located window and is delivered and taken away from operator automatically.

Vertical Lift Module (VLM) – An automated storage device where pans or trays are stored in vertical racks and inserted and extracted into storage slots by an elevator-like mechanism.  Advantage of a VLM over a vertical carousel is that it can store any height product and is not limited by the height of the storage carrier.  Computer determines tallest product in each tray and automatically puts it in locations with a limited amount of wasted space.

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor (VRC) – A conveyor that transports products perpendicular to floor in an elevator-like manner.  A VRC can be designed to carry totes, cartons, or pallet, can have multiple stops or can be automated to index at fixed intervals.

Voice Headset – A warehouse mobility device complete with headphones and a microphone to communicate with a voice directed picking system.

Voice Recognition – The ability of a computer and warehouse personnel to communicate in a voice directed picking system.

Warehouse Management System (WMS) – A software system designed to manage inventory and people in processing orders.  The WMS receives orders from the companies ERP system and releases the orders to the employees based on predetermined factors based on pick paths, storage locations, travel distances and order configuration.

Waterfall Design – Term used to describe pallet rack deck, whether it’s a wire mesh deck or a pallet support.  Any deck that has a flange that overlaps (waterfalls) over front of beam has a waterfall design.

Yield Strength – Minimum yield point at which steel stresses as specified by supplier.

Zero Pressure Accumulation – A power conveyor where product is accumulated and the conveyable surface stops driving the product.  Sensors detect when the product gets to a certain predetermined zone and then the drive is disengaged and product stops until such time as the PLC releases it.  The stopped zone communicates with the zone directly behind it that it is full and any additional product will have to be accumulated behind it.  This occurs in a daisy chain manner where each zone communicates directly with the zone behind it.  When product is released from leading zone, it communicates with zone directly behind it that it can now accept product and so on, on down the line.