UNIT LOAD CONCEPT

Arrangement of single or multiple items, or bulk material, into a single mass and
restrained for movement and storage. Generally these arrangements are too
large for manual handling.
• Unit load is the unit to be moved or handled at one time.
• Advantage: handle multiple items -- reduce the number of trips
• Unit loads can be contained in totes, cartons, pallets, pallet boxes, etc.
• Enclosure and stabilization is provided by strapping, shrink-wrapping, and
stretch-wrapping
• Unit load specification is an integral part of material handling and storage
system design
Small Load vs Large Load
Unit loads are an extension of the building-blocks concept for very large
quantities. The basic unit in unit loading is the pallet or skid. Unit loading
involves the securing of one or more boxes to a pallet or skid so that the boxes
can be handled by mechanical means. The boxes or other containers secured to
a pallet are known as a unit load.

Unit Load - Loads moved as single entities. This is one of the basic principles of
Material handling.

Integrity of Unit load

• The unit load may be different along the supply chain
• Integrity can be maintained in various ways:
– Boxes
– Cartons
– Pallets
– Strapping, shrink wrapping
Methods for Moving the Unit Load
• Lifting under the mass
• Inserting the lifting element into the body of the unit load
• Squeezing the load between two lifting surfaces
• Suspending the load

Typically the unit loads are

• Covered in containers
• Carried and stored as containers lying on pallets
While planning, you should consider the dimensional relations between
• Containers
• Pallets
• Trailers
• Storage racks/spaces

Types of Unit Loads.

a. Unit load.
A unit load is normally composed of
two or more pieces or containers handled as a single
unit. Generally, the unit load will be supported on a pallet or on a base so
designed that the load can be
picked up from any direction by mechanized handling equipment. When a
special base is not provided, the
material will be arranged and tied in such a manner that handling as
a unit load will be possible.

b. Palletized and containerized unit loads.

Definitions, methods, materials, and techniques
concerning palletized and containerized
unit loads on standard general purpose pallets, skids or runners.
c. Bonded unit load.
Frequently, because of the type of material or items to
be transported, or because of shocks
and movement which may occur while in
transit, it will be necessary to bond the items
comprising the unit load. The items will be formed into a bonded
unit load (with or without
a pallet) by means of adhesive,
strapping, edge protectors, or other storage aids designed for
this purpose. The bonded load will be designed to remain as
a unit from the place of
assembly to the ultimate place of use throughout all
phases of storage, handling, and shipment

CONDITIONS FOR UNIT LOAD TECHNOLOGY

THE UNIT LOAD PRINCIPLE
Standard load carriers are needed to be able to transfer them between different
traffic modes.
Man load = 50kg. But this is too heavy for manual handling today, unit load must
have lower weights.
It is preferable to decrease the amount of manual handling, especially when
changing traffic modes. Total cost of transportation can be reduced if the single
items do not need to be handled separately when unloading and loading while
changing between carriers. It is preferable to use larger unit loads and handle
them mechanically. With increased mechanization the time for loading and
unloading can be reduced, the vehicle’s waiting times and related costs are
reduced as well.
The principle of unit loads can be formulated as:

In order to make unit loads applicable, three conditions must be fulfilled:

• Concentrated goods flow should exist somewhere in the flow
• Flow relations should be repetitive in character
• The logistics chain should comprise several transportation vehicles

Mechanization requires investments handling equipment, pallets, containers etc.

There are additional costs for empty returns and administration. The cost
reduction on the other hand can be made from:
1. Reduced manpower hours per handled goods
2. Increased terminal throughput time which may increase the resource
utilization
3. Reduced packaging costs
4. Decreased damage costs and preventions from theft, mainly because of
closed unit load carriers such as containers.
Hence the proportion of unit load transportation is rapidly increasing.
THE UNIT LOAD
There are four physical requirements of unit loads:
Size – The unit loads should be as large as possible to establish efficiency, but
not so large that handling difficulties occur.
Time – The units should be formed as early as possible in the logistics chain and
broken down as late as possible (at the place of consumption). This might
decrease the size of the unit loads because there must be enough space for
them in the inventory of the consumption space.
Shape – It must be stable to be able to mix it with other unit loads of different
weights.
Handling – The load carriers must be easy to handle with all present equipment
in the transportation system, thus in all places where handling activities occur.

OPEN AND CLOSED SYSTEMS

The boundaries of a system are determined by the ability and efficiency of the
physical handling of the load carriers. Within the boundaries, the system is
completely open existing and defined load carriers, but closed to loaders outside
Open system – The components outside the system interact with the
surroundings. In the open system the unit carriers are of general character which
makes it possible for nearly all kinds of goods on those carriers to be efficiently
linked to the open system. Transportation systems designed to transfer
containers are typical examples of an open system.
Closed system – The system is independent of the surroundings. The system
boundaries differs, the simplest form consists of one single link .
In system (I) eg large railway containers. These containers cannot usually be
used by another system due to the dimensions.
In system (II) two or more links are included (transportation relations) with
intermediate nodes
In system (III) the links adds up and the closed system increases in size, can be
seen as an open system in itself.
In the closed system (I&II) it is usually the owner who designs the specialized
load carriers because they have generally no value or use outside the system.
However, in the open system (III) general containers can be used in different
areas and therefore have an alternative value. For this reason it is common that
an external owner finances the load carriers to be rent by the goods’ owner.
STANDARDIZATION
The standardization of load carriers facilitates the handling at the terminals
(node) because it only requires a few different kinds of handling equipment at
the nodes, specialized unit loads = handling equipment is needed for all
different types. Standardization is preferable and can take place at different
levels; within the company, in a group or at national and global level. The most
comprehensive standard is drawn up by ISO (International Standardization
organization).
UNIT FLOW
To attain high frequency either the capacity of the load carriers must be reduced
or larger flows must be created. A system with unit deliveries is able to create a
large flow composed of standardized load carriers. A flow with high frequency
and high utilization of resources can be created.
There is one problem with unit loads which is empty returns. The system must
find strategies to help fill the load carriers also on the way back and try to
balance the flow.
UNIT FLOW CHARACTERISTICS
There are both advantages and disadvantages with unit load carrier systems
which may depend on the situation.
Advantages
1. Reduced handling time since the load carriers and handling equipment are
suit together.
2. Simpler and faster transferal between transportation means since all
transportation units are adapted to the handled load units, reduced complexity
and time.
3. Reduced terminal time for the transportation means. The waiting time
for the transportation means decrease.
4. Reduced damages on goods since the goods are enclosed in the load
carrier at an early stage.
5. Reduced packaging costs. By enclosing the goods in the load carrier at an
early stage, the packaging can be almost eliminated. Also, if packaging is
eliminated, there is no need for the producer to care about collecting used
packages.
6. Easier to choose load carrier type since there are no alternatives.
7. Simpler documentation since all load carriers is handled the same way
documentation is minimal.
8. Simpler rules for responsibility and assurance. The rules are simplified
thanks to standardization.
Disadvantages
1. The means of transportation must be adapted. All the vehicles to be
used in the system must be constructed to be able to transport the load carriers.
2. Larger handling equipment. Larger load units are preferable and therefore
the equipment must be able to handle the (heavy) weight.
3. Large terminals and flows.
4. Load carrier costs. There is a need to have surplus amount of load carriers
in order to avoid unpleasant accumulation of goods. This surplus results in
additional costs.
5. Repositioning of load carriers. If there is an unbalance in the system, i.e.
it exist source (large outflow) or sink (large inflow) nodes, the load carriers
must be repositioned to this source or sink. The transportation of (half) empty
units is associated with costs.