Parts Handling

Most aerospace, defense and medical companies have packaging specifications their parts suppliers must follow to help ensure parts arrive undamaged. But should shops that don’t have to follow such requirements ship parts in a similar way?

Until I started working for Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas, lifting parts was never a consideration in daily production. Previously, the parts I dealt with were small, usually never larger than a dinner plate. Lifting equipment, such as forklifts and pallet jacks, were often employed, but only to move raw materials to a machine tool or to load and unload trucks—never as part of the production process. 

Part Time column from the January 2010 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Part Time column for March 2010 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Part Time column for the May 2010 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

Part Time column for July 2010 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

Part Time column for the September 2010 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

Part Time column for February 2011 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering looks at a shop that machines tungsten-carbide wedding, engagement and personal rings.