MATERIAL HANDLING

Farhin Panwala MBA Sem-2

DEFINITION

According to American Materials Handling Society Materials handling is the art and science involving the movement, packing, and storing of substances in any form.

Material handling refers to the movement of materials from the tore room to the machine and from one machine to the next during the process of manufacture.

Objectives of Material Handling

Reduction in Wastage of Machine Time. Reduction in Manufacturing Cycle Time. Avoid Disruption in Production Schedule. Safety and Safe Working Conditions. Customer Satisfaction. Enhances Productivity and Avoids High Cost.

Function of Material Handling

Using the principles of containerization, unit load, aim at moving optimum number of pieces in one unit. Safe, standard, efficient, effective appropriate, flexible and proper-sized materials handling equipment should be selected. Employee mechanical aids in place of manual labour in order to speed up the material movements. Minimize the movement involved in a production operation. Changes in sequence of production operations may be suggested in order to minimize back-tracking and duplicate handling. Minimize the distances moved by adopting shortest routes.

Function of Material Handling

Handling equipments arrangement should minimize distances moved by products and, at the same time, handling equipments should not interfere with the production line. Design containers, packages drums, etc. to economize handling and to reduce damage to the materials in transit. Utilize gravity for assisting materials movements wherever possible. Materials handling equipments should periodically be resorted to check ups, repairs and maintenance.

Importance of Material Handling

1) 2)

3)
4) 5)

6)

Save Non-Value Added Time Reduces Wastage Less congestion Cost efficient Better Customer Services Good Housekeeping

Factors Affecting Materials Handling System

Production System Types of Products Type of Building Cost of Material Handling

Principles of Material Handling

Developed by Moore, Apple and Murther Principles are divided in 5 categories. 1) Planning Principle Material handling and production activity should integrated to maximize overall operating efficiency. - Delegation Principle - Minimization of Re-handling - Facility layout principle - Space saving principle

Principles of Material Handling

2) Operating Principles Material Flow Principle Unit Load Principle Use of Gravity 3) Principles Related to Equipment Standardization and Versatility Mechanization Principle Weight Ratio Principle Maintenance Principle Principle of Speed

Principles of Material Handling

4) Principle of Cost Reduction - Carefully Equipment Selection Principle - Replacement Analysis - Costs Analysis - Reduced Floor to Floor Time 5) General Principles - Education and Training - Safety - Principle of Identification - Location Principle - Material Treatment Principle

Material Handling Equipments

Material handling involves the movements of materials, manually or mechanically in batches or one item at a time within the plant. The movement may be horizontal, vertical or the combination of horizontal and vertical. 1) Lifting and lowering devices 2) Devices which Lift and Transport 3) Transporting Devices 4) Storages Devices

A)Lifting and Lowering Devices

These devices are used for lifting and lowering the material the material in a vertical direction only( up and down). 1) Block and Tackle:

2) Winches:

Winches are frequently used in loading heavy equipment in ships, construction equipments into building, and in similar jobs.

3) Hoists:

4) Elevators:

5) Cranes:
a)

Pillar Crane

b) Overhead Bridges Crane:

c) Jib Crane:

d) Gantry Crane:

B) Transportating Devices
1)

Hand Trucks and Wheel Barrows:

2) Industrial Railways 3) Tractors and Trailers

3) Industrial Railways 4) Railway Equipments 5) Aerial Tramways 6) Skids

7) Pipe Line

C) Devices which Lift & Transport

1) Slides and Chutes:

Spiral Chute

2) Monorails:

3) Lifts:

4) Trucks:

Fork Lift truck

Pallet Truck

Crane Truck

5) Conveyors

Roller Conveyors

Belt Conveyor

 Chain conveyor

Bucket Conveyor

Screw Conveyor

4) Storage Devices
1) Containers - Containers are most commonly used in manufacturing plants for in process materials handling applications. i. Welded Wire Containers

ii Corrugated Metal Container

iii Plastic Containers 2) Automatic Storage & Retrieval System

Criteria for Selection of Material Handling Equipments

Low Maintenance Cost Compliance with safety standards Operational Environment Buffer Storage Effective Use of Operating Time Nature of Operations Engineering factors Equipment Reliability

Inter-Relationship between Plant Layout & Material Handling

There is a close connection between the concepts of plant layout and material handling. A good plant structure can ascertain the least material handling process and inexpensive material handling equipment. The material handling factors to be considered while designing the plant layout are: 1) Excessive material movement damages the materials and causes loss of valuable man-hours in shifting materials. A layout should be designed such that it suits the manufacturing requirement of the products and reduces the material handling to minimum. 2) If the workers are compelled to search through the entire workshop for a particular material, their productive time is bound to go wasted. For maximum utilization of their time the plant should be equipped with: a) Clearly identified and well-named functional areas. b) Distinct areas for raw materials, tools, work-in-process, inspection and finished goods.

3) For an effective and speedy movement of materials there should be an effective use of:
a) Bins, trolleys, racks and trays to keep materials instead of placing them on floors

b) Proper packaging techniques before dispatching c) Conveyors, chutes, inclined planes and gravity feed bins to automate, materials movement. 4) Public utilities should be located at easily accessible distances and should not require distant walks on part of the workers 5) Economical use of space should be aimed. Machines and equipments should be placed in such a way that there is a minimal or no wastage of space and yet there should be optimum choice for expansion. 6) Maximum opportunity for greater width of aisles, heights of ceilings and other areas of storage so the need of later alterations will be reduced

A good plant layout thus facilitates an efficient material handling system. It offers minimum material handling by making material movements shorter, faster and economical. Overcrowding is prevented. Delays in supplying are avoided due smooth manufacturing activity and hence it is generally desirable to adopt a good plant layout that facilities minimum handling.