Material Handling

Unit 1
 Content
• Introduction and Meaning
• Objectives of Material Handling
• Principles of Material Handling
• Selection of Material Handling Equipments
• Evaluation of Material Handling System
• Guidelines of Effective Utilisation of Material
Handling Equipments
• Relationship Between Operational Layout and
Material Handling Equipments
• What is materials handling?
 Material Handling
• Material handling is the movement, protection, storage
and control of materials and products throughout
manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, consumption
and disposal.
• As a process, material handling incorporates a wide
range of manual, semi-automated and
automated equipment and systems that support
logistics and make the supply chain work. 
 Importance of Material Handling
Systems
• To conveniently and safely transport materials
across facility floors
• Assist in streamlining work activities and
organizing factory space
• Reduce accidents in facilities where heavy
materials or loads are transported.
 Concept of Unit Load and In-Process
Handling
• Unit load means the item’s single unit, or several units
combined as a single unit to maintain integrity.
• While liquid, gaseous, and granular materials may be moved
in bulk, they may also be combined into multiple unit loads
through cylinders, bags, and drums. The main advantage is
that more items are handled simultaneously.
• Therefore, it reduces the required number of moving trips
while possibly decreasing handling costs, product damage,
and loading/unloading times.
• In terms of in-process handling, unit loads are received,
stored, and shipped for distribution.
• The process includes determining the weight, configuration, size,
and type of loads. The method and machine used in handling the
loads are also involved in the design of the unit load.
• In addition, it covers how the load is formed and broken down
during in-process handling.
• However, it’s important to keep in mind that unit loads shouldn’t
be bigger than the size of the production batch in process.
• For the distribution part, it’s important to choose the exact unit
load before transporting items. This can be challenging since the
pallets or containers are only available in specific configurations
and standard sizes. Also, the feasible pallet or container sizes for
loads are limited to the storage rack and warehouse
configurations as well as the retail store shelves and customer
carton sizes.
 SKU (stock keeping unit)
• SKU (stock keeping unit, sometimes spelled "Sku") is an
identification, usually alphanumeric, of a particular product
that allows it to be tracked for inventory purposes. Typically,
an SKU is associated with any purchasable item in a store or
catalog.
• For example, a Trouser of a particular style and size might
have an SKU of "3726-8," meaning "Style 3726, size 8." The
SKU identification for a product may or may not be made
visible to a customer. 
Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) vs.
Universal Product Code (UPC)
 Material Handling Types to Consider
• Manual Handling. This type of handling is where workers use
their hands in moving individual containers. They lift, lower, fill,
empty, or carry the containers when transporting them. Manual
material handling carts refer to handling solutions that are
operated and moved manually.
• Automated Handling. Equipment is used in reducing or replacing
manual handling of materials when economically and technically
feasible. In fact, many of the material handling machines
available today are semi-automated due to human operator
needs such as driving, unloading, or loading of containers that
are challenging and expensive to automate. Thanks to the
ongoing improvements in machine programming, sensing, and
robotics, there is a move to completely automate the handling of
materials.
 Main objectives of
material handling system
• It should be able determine appropriate distance to be
covered.
• Facilitate the reduction in material damage as to improve
quality.
• Reducing overall manufacturing time by designing efficient
material movement
• Improve material flow control
• Creation and encouragement of safe and hazard-free work
condition
• Improve productivity and efficiency
• Better utilization of time and equipment
 Principles of Material Handling
• Orientation Principle: It encourages study of all available system
relationships before moving towards preliminary planning.  The
study includes looking at existing methods, problems, etc.
• Planning Principle: It establishes a plan which includes basic
requirements, desirable alternates and planning for contingency.
• Systems Principle: It integrates handling and storage activities,
which is cost effective into integrated system design.
• Unit Load Principle: Handle product in a unit load as large as
possible
• Space Utilization Principle: Encourage effective utilization of all
the space available
• Standardization Principle: It encourages standardization of
handling methods and equipment.
• Ergonomic Principle: It recognizes human capabilities and
limitation by design effective handling equipment.
• Energy Principle: It considers consumption of energy during
material handling.
• Ecology Principle: It encourages minimum impact upon the
environment during material handling.
• Mechanization Principle: It encourages mechanization of
handling process wherever possible as to encourage efficiency.
• Flexibility Principle: Encourages of methods and equipment
which are possible to utilize in all types of condition.
• Simplification Principle: Encourage simplification of methods and
process by removing unnecessary movements
• Gravity Principle: Encourages usage of gravity principle in
movement of goods.
• Safety Principle: Encourages provision for safe handling
equipment according to safety rules and regulation
• Computerization Principle: Encourages of computerization of
material handling and storage systems
• System Flow Principle: Encourages integration of data flow
with physical material flow
• Layout Principle: Encourages preparation of operational
sequence of all systems available
• Cost Principle: Encourages cost benefit analysis of all
solutions available
• Maintenance Principle: Encourages preparation of plan for
preventive maintenance and scheduled repairs
• Obsolescence Principle: Encourage preparation of equipment
policy as to enjoy appropriate economic advantage.
 Factors Affecting the selection of
Material Handling Equipment
• Material to be handled
– Size and shape of the item
– Quantity and weight
– Material characteristics
– Susceptibility to damages during transportation
• Plant Building
– Temporary or Permanent
– Width of Aisle/ Door
– Ceiling Height
– Level of floors
– Load-bearing capacity of floors and walls
– Presence of columns or Pillars
• Layout
– Product or Process Layout
– Fixed or Flexible
• Speed of Transportation
– Minimum, Maximum and Average Speed required to meet desired
production rate
• Material Flow Pattern
– Vertical
– Horizontal (I, U, O, L, S)
• Method of Production
– Mass and Flow
– Batch
• Distance to be moved
– Fixed Distance
– Long Distance
– Work Station
• Safety Requirement
• Installation & Operating Cost
– Initial Investment
– Operating Cost
– Maintenance cost
– Fund availability
• Ease of Maintenance
• Environment
• Types of Materials Handling Equipments
Common Material Handling Equipments
Pallet
Trucks
Skid Truck
Fork
Lift
Trucks
Heavy
Duty
Trolley
 Food
Service
Trolley
 House
Keeping
Cart
Powere
d
Stacker
Motorised Trolley
Pallet
Conveyor
System
• Automated Material Handling Systems
• Warehouse and Racking System
 Evaluation of Material Handling
System
• The evaluation and effectiveness of the material handling
system can be measured in terms of the ratio of the time
spent in the handling to the total time spent in production.
This will cover the time element.
• The cost effectiveness can be measured by the expenses
incurred per unit weight handled.
• It can be safely said that very few organizations try to collate
the expenses and time in this manner so as to objectively
view the performance and to take remedial measures.
• Some of the other indices which can be used for evaluating
the performance of handling systems are listed below:
• EQUIPMENT UTILISATION RATIO:
– Materials Handling Labour (MHL) ratio = Personnel assigned to
materials handling/ Total operating work force
– Direct labour handling loss (DLHL) ratio = Materials handling time lost
of labour/ Total direct labour time
• It should, however, be emphasized that the efficiency of
materials handling mainly depends on the following factors:
– Efficiency of handling methods employed for handling a unit weight
through a unit distance,
– Efficiency of the layout which determines the distance through which
the materials have to be handled,
– Utilization of the handling facilities, and
– Efficiency of the speed of handling.
• In conclusion, it can be said that an effective material handling
system depends upon tailoring the layout and equipments to
suit specific requirements.
 Guidelines of Effective Utilisation of
Material Handling Equipments
• Sequence the operations in logical manner so that handling is
unidirectional and smooth.
• Use gravity wherever possible as it results in conservation of
power and fuel.
• Standardize the handling equipments to the extent possible as it
means interchangeable usage, better utilization of handling
equipments, and lesser spares holding.
• Install a regular preventive maintenance programme for material
handling equipments so that downtime is minimum.
• In selection of handling equipments, criteria of versatility and
adaptability must be the governing factor. This will ensure that
investments in special purpose handling equipments are kept at a
minimum.
• Weight of unit load must be maximum so that each ‘handling
trip’ is productive.
• Work study aspects, such a elimination of unnecessary
movements and combination of processes should be considered
while installing a material handling system.
• Non-productive operations in handling, such as slinging, loading,
etc., should be kept at a minimum through appropriate design of
handling equipment. 
• Application of OR techniques such as queuing can be very
effective in optimal utilization of materials handling equipments.
• A very important aspect in the design of a material handling
system is the safety aspect. The system designed should be
simple and safe to operate.
• Avoid any wasteful movements-method study can be
conducted for this purpose.
• Ensure proper coordination through judicious selection of
equipments and training of workmen.
• Reduce total manufacturing time through well-designed
material movement.
• There is a close relationship between plant layout and
material handling. A good layout ensures minimum material
handling .
Relationship Between Operational Layout
and Material Handling Equipments
• The efficient and economical material handling system can be
designed and selected for installations only after the floor plan
has been adequately organized.
• In all types of plant layout provisions for the receiving and
shipping of materials by various possible means (like trucks or
train etc.) should be made. If it is required to move the
materials by hand operated or power operated trucks,
sufficient passage should be provided.
• If the building is multi storied, lift, elevators and conveyors of
different types must be utilized to enable efficient material
handling. The location of items in the store room should
provide for minimum handling of materials to the point of
issue, accessibility and efficient space utilization.
 Material Handling in Product Layout
• The product type of layout require some direct means of transportation
between various operations.
• Material handling methods and machines like the layout itself tend to be
special purpose in nature for this type of layout where the nature of the
product allows it, gravity chutes can be effectively utilized.
• Conveyors to fit all different applications of size, shape and weight of part
are commercially available. These conveyors may fit in product type of
layout well.
• Many processes such as cleaning, painting drying and weighing as in case of
certain liquid materials may take place while the material moves.
• The special purpose nature of product layout design often makes it worth
while to design special handling equipment which is integrated with
processing so completely that the entire line works as a single integrated
machine.
 Material Handling in Functional Layout
• The basic requirement of material handling techniques used in functional layout is
flexibility i.e. flexibility of size, weight and shape of load and flexibility of path.
Material handling equipment which suit this requirement are in general, mobile
trucks, tractor, trains, fork, lift, trucks and cranes etc.
• The important characteristic of an efficient material handling equipment is the
time required to pick up or set down load. Therefore, quick pickup system have
developed around skids and pallets. Material can be directly loaded on a skid or
pallet by the worker as his operation on the part is completed.
• In this way without further handling, a skid truck, fork lift truck or pallet truck can
pick up the entire load very quickly and move it to its goal. Therefore one
important consideration in developing the details of layout is to allow easy access
to all operations to be performed by efficient material handling equipment.
• Supplementary cranes are often needed at the work stations to handle heavy jobs
to and from the machines. Overhead cranes are utilized to transport and position
large heavy jobs within a fixed area.
 Automation in Material Handling
• Ware house of the future
 Kurkure Plant
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