From what we have learnt in our course of studies, there are 5 major categories of MHE. Here is a brief explanation of the various categories:

1) Transport Equipment
Equipment used to move materials from one location to another (e.g., between workplaces, between a loading dock and a storage area, etc.). The major subcategories of transport equipment include conveyors, cranes, and industrial trucks. Materials can also be transported manually without using any equipment.

This photo of a crane was taken outside our project site on our very 1st day of arrival :D


2) Positioning Equipment

Equipment used to handle material at a single location so that it is in the correct position for subsequent handling, machining, transport, or storage. Unlike transport equipment, positioning equipment are usually used for handling at a single workplace. Materials can also be positioned manually without using any equipment. Some examples of positioning equipment are as follows:

Manual (No Equipment)
Lift/tilt/turn table
Dock leveler
Ball transfer table
Rotary index table
Parts feeder
Air film device
Hoist
Balancer
Manipulator
Industrial robot

This is a photo of Mr Jacob, the person-in-charge of showing us around the warehouse. Look at his awkward expression when he demonstrated using a Dock Leveler in his semi-formal wear!
*Evil Laughs*

3) Unit Load Formation Equipment
Equipment used to restrict materials so that they maintain their integrity when handled a single load during transport and for storage. If materials are self-restraining (e.g., a single part or interlocking parts), then they can be formed into a unit load with no equipment. Some examples of unit load formation equipment are as follows:

Self-restraining (no equipment)
Pallets
Skids
Slipsheets
Tote pans
Pallet boxes/skid boxes
Bins/baskets/racks
Cartons
Bags
Bulk load containers
Crates
Intermodal containers
Strapping/tape/glue
Shrink-wrap/stretch-wrap
Palletizers

Tsktsk. I wonder who left this pallet drifting among the sea waves at a nearby beach 1km away from the project site.

4) Storage Equipment

Equipment used for holding or buffering materials over a period of time. Some storage equipment may include the transportation of materials (e.g., the S/R machines of an AS/RS, or storage carousels). If materials are block stacked directly on the floor, then no storage equipment are required. Some examples of storage equipment are as follows:

Block stacking (no equipment)
Selective pallet rack
Drive-through rack
Drive-in rack
Flow-through rack
Push-back rack
Sliding rack
Cantilever rack
Stacking frame
Shelves/bins/drawers
Storage carousel
Automatic storage/retrieval systems (AS/RS)
Split case order picking system
Mezzanine

Cool! We found this vertical storage carousel at a corner of the warehouse.

5) Identification and Control Equipment

Equipment used to collect and communicate the information that is used to coordinate the flow of materials within a facility and between a facility and its suppliers and customers. The identification of materials and associated control can be performed manually with no specialized equipment. Some examples of identification and control equipment are as follows:

Manual (no equipment)
Bar codes
Radio frequency (RF) tag
Magnetic stripe
Machine vision
Portable data terminal
Electronic data interchange (EDI)/Internet

Wow! Take a look at the long list of barcodes for the various stocks!